As Georgios Efrem is discovering, sometimes you have to take two steps back to eventually move three forward.

Efrem was just 15 when he was plucked from the relative obscurity of his home in Cyprus and handed a place at Arsenal's illustrious youth academy.

There he was coached by Liam Brady, the former Celtic manager, and could count the likes of Theo Walcott, Armand Traore and Nicklas Bendtner among his friends. He also trained regularly with Arsene Wenger and his array of first-team superstars.

If it all seemed too good to be true for a boy from Limassol then that soon proved to be the case.

Even at the tender age of 17, Efrem had the foresight to recognise his route to regular first-team football at the Emirates was going to be blocked by a legion of talented players, drawn to Highbury by Arsenal's far-reaching scouting network.

Discussions with Brady confirmed his worst fears, prompting Efrem to look for opportunities away from Arsenal, and he eschewed offers from back home to sign a two-year deal with Rangers.

As he prepares for tonight's SFA Youth Cup Final against Celtic at Hampden, Efrem admits it was a difficult decision to leave Arsenal but believes the success he has enjoyed thus far in Scottish football vindicates his choice.

He said: "A scout with the national team told me, when I was 15, to go to Arsenal for a trial. The first year was quite difficult but you grow and get a bit more confident.

"I played with Bendtner, Walcott and Traore, as well as some other first-team stars who were coming back from injury.

"I also trained with players like Gilberto Silva and Kolo Toure and that helped me a lot but it was going to be hard to make the breakthrough so I went somewhere else.

"It was a big disappointment to leave but I always believed in myself. I knew I was going to get another club so I came to Rangers to sign.

"Playing with the under-19s has helped me improve. I've trained with the first team and been on the bench. That gives you confidence.

"All the coaches and staff have been good so I think I made the right choice. It is up to the manager Walter Smith but hopefully he can see me developing. Maybe he will give me a chance in a few years."

A crowd of 15,000 is expected at Hampden tonight and Efrem can't wait to play in front of so many people.

He added: "This will be one of the biggest games I've played in. Every player wants to move up so we'll all give 100%."