Hearing about a big money move while relaxing in an idyllic setting is the stuff of dreams for most footballers.
But for Alex Iwobi, it was a less-than-perfect scenario before completing his £28 million ($34m) transfer to Everton during a family holiday to Dubai in August 2019.
The Nigeria international, 26, had been enjoying a post-Africa Cup of Nations break when the prospect of a move to Merseyside arose days before a summer window deadline. Yet Iwobi’s switch from Arsenal proved to be anything other than plain sailing.
“It got played down for a bit and I got told that it wasn't going to go on,” he told The National. “I was on a boat and I get a call from Marco Silva at the time saying: 'We're really interested. How do you feel?' I thought, maybe I'm ready for a new challenge.
“We told them it was an emergency, like we needed to spin the boat [around] and get back quick because we were in the middle of nowhere. I have to give props to the driver because I don't know how he sped back to get us back in time to try and sign the documents.”
If the story of Iwobi’s arrival at Goodison Park sounds like a scene freshly plucked from a James Bond film, his intervening years have been more reminiscent of a classic underdog story.
His debut season was disrupted at its midway stage by a hamstring injury picked up against his former club before a scheduled return coincided with the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Everton’s turnover of four permanent managers across the next three years, similarly, did little to help with his attempts to properly acclimatise to his new surroundings.
But the strong family values he holds also extend to football, where Super Eagles legend Jay-Jay Okocha is on-hand to impart sage advice to the nephew following in his footsteps.
“When I was younger, he used to give me advice about football,” Iwobi said. “But he only speaks to me [now] about off the pitch, just making sure I handle myself well. On the pitch he just says 'enjoy it' really, the same thing he was doing.
“He wants me to do the same. He was a great player. I'm trying to live up to his standards. It's a high standard to push up to but he's a great role model for me.”
As it was in Dubai, Afcon provided the backdrop to Iwobi’s latest Everton chapter. He returned from this year’s tournament to take on a starring role as new manager Frank Lampard tried to stave off the increasing prospect of Premier League relegation.
“I was having a bit of a difficult season and didn't have the best Afcon experience, so I used that to make me motivated and get myself hungry [again],” said Iwobi.
“Coming back to a new manager and him speaking to me made me feel like it was a fresh start almost. That goal against Newcastle was hard work building up before that and a bit of a reward. But it's in the past now. I just have to try and keep it going.”
Everton begin a 69th consecutive season in English football’s top flight on Saturday against Chelsea, one of their opponents during a memorable final few weeks of the previous campaign.
Belief played a pivotal role in Lampard’s side clinching safety by overturning a two-goal deficit in their penultimate game against Crystal Palace on a heady night at Goodison.
“Obviously we had the disappointment of going into half-time 2-0 down, but we had that belief,” said Iwobi. “Everybody spoke to each other in the changing room, saying, 'It's not impossible. It's something we can do'. When Dom [Calvert-Lewin] scored that header, it was just like 'Wow.'
“We still had a while to go but the feeling of the final whistle going, knowing we were staying up and the way we did it, was like a movie."
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
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