Arsene Wenger: ‘He’s like my Dad talking to me’

Date:

It’s a year ago this month that Alex Iwobi really announced himself at Arsenal.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

After a handful of cup and substitute appearances, the then-teenage winger was asked to take his place in the starting line-up for a rather different game – away at the Nou Camp.

His progress has been remarkable, beyond even his own wildest dreams – highlighted by a chance encounter with a former team-mate at Barnet, where Nigeria are training this week.

Alex Iwobi says Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is a ‘great manager to have as a youngster’

Josh Vickers is now on loan from Swansea at Barnet, playing in League Two.

Iwobi is a first-team regular at Arsenal, and has made Nigeria’s No 10 role his own. Only two years ago they were playing together in the Arsenal youth set-up.

‘It was nice to see him,’ says Iwobi. ‘But no-one would have predicted back then, even two years ago, that I’d be here, playing in the first team regularly with world class players. No-one would predict that.’

That meteoric rise is in no small part down to Iwobi’s hard work and considerable talent, of course, but he also knows he owes a lot to Arsene Wenger – who despite being under pressure, obviously remains a figure of immense standing in Iwobi’s life.

‘For a youngster, he’s a great manager to have. Some of the things I see are unfair on the man,’ says Iwobi, who looks personally hurt by the criticism his mentor has received.

Alex Iwobi has become an important player for Nigeria in their bid to qualify for Russia 2018

Alex Iwobi has become an important player for Nigeria in their bid to qualify for Russia 2018

‘Twenty years at the club, and he’s done so much. Obviously the season’s not going quite as he wants, but some of the things I see are a bit disrespectful’

Wenger has nurtured the 20-year-old from a gangly Under-21 striker, to an established presence on the left hand side of the Arsenal team, and the strong connection is immediately obvious when the forward talks about his boss.

‘He’s not a huge talker, but when he does talk to you he’s like a good friend. He’s almost like my dad talking to me.

‘He has so much knowledge, and when he does speak to me, it’s just words of wisdom, telling me what I need to work on.

‘He’ll joke around a bit too. I remember one game, I think it was against Tottenham, I had a great chance, and then the next day he was talking to me about it, joking about how if I’d have scored we’d have won.

Wenger is known for his close relationships with his players - pictured here with Granit Xhaka

Wenger is known for his close relationships with his players – pictured here with Granit Xhaka

‘But he’s trying to help me, and the next two weeks I was working on my finishing.

‘He’s always trying to help, no matter what, especially with the young players, trying to make them feel confident. He’ll talk to you about the mistakes you make, but he says don’t dwell on it, just move forward.

‘Of course, if we’re not winning games we’re always going to be under pressure, at a great club like Arsenal you’re expected to win, to be title contenders. It’s hard for him, but it’s not just his fault. Us players haven’t performed as well as we should have been.

‘I’ll tell you now, everyone is fighting 100 per cent for him, we all want to win games, we respect what he’s done for the club, and respect him as a person. Obviously we’ve had a few problems because of the results not going well, but, we’re due to bounce back, it’s just a minor setback.’

While Wenger has borne the brunt of the criticism, Iwobi has been far from exempt, particularly in the savage world of social media, but he doesn’t take it too seriously.

‘You know what, I only get a tough time online. I can still go around and everyone’s nice, I still get respected. I feel like I always try, no matter what, I always give 100 per cent.

‘I hope the fans know that, that I always give 100 per cent for the team, for the club. I know the fans want to win trophies, we all do.  But it’s a huge difference between what you see on the street and on social media. Huge.

‘Some of the things on there, it makes me laugh. Fans are allowed to have their own opinion, at the end of the day they can say whatever they want, but some of them, it’s crazy.

‘They just want their own team to win. I can understand that. But some of the things they say… There’s nothing I should say, but I’ve seen it all! You just have to brush it off and go again. I just try not to see it.’

Iwobi is substituted off during Arsenal's match against Watford during the 2015-16 season

Iwobi is substituted off during Arsenal’s match against Watford during the 2015-16 season

As he gets up to leave, there is a moment to almost make Iwobi’s point for him – three teenagers, hunting autographs, ask for a photo outside the hotel. As he obliges one of them asks, “don’t you think the Arsenal fans are being unfair to Wenger?”

The young striker’s response says it all. Laughing, he replied, ‘I like you guys!’

Of course, there is a not-too-different world in which Iwobi is not sitting in the west London hotel where Nigeria have based themselves this week, but travelling to Wembley to face Lithuania with the England squad instead.

The 20-year-old represented the Three Lions at youth level, before opting to play for the country of his birth, a place he had only visited a handful of times since leaving for London at the age of just eight months.

Alexis Sanchez has been linked with a move away from Arsenal having failed to renew his deal

‘From Under 15s to Under 19s, I was concentrating playing for England, it was close to me, I could just go to St George’s Park, it was nice.

‘Going back to school when you’ve just played for England, it was amazing, you’re one of the best players in the country, that’s why you’re getting picked.

‘But I’ve always felt like Nigeria was home for me. When Nigeria actually gave me the call-up I thought “oh, it’s going to be a challenge, I don’t go back there a lot, I don’t really speak the language.”

‘I wasn’t speaking the language as fluently as I am now, so it was always going to be a challenge, but it was a challenge I decided to take and change nationalities.’

The move was a blow for England, who had hoped to keep hold of the Arsenal starlet despite discarding him at Under 19 level, a snub Iwobi says he ‘took on the chin’, but one he clearly remembers.

One of Iwobi’s first starts for Arsenal was in the Champions League away at Barcelona

But it made sense for Iwobi to choose the country of his birth, especially after getting advice from his uncle, and Super Eagles legend, Jay Jay Okocha.

‘He said “just go with what you think’s right, what you feel comfortable playing”,’ Iwobi remembers.

‘But obviously he said Nigerians will always welcome you, they’ll always give you the hospitality you want, they’ll treat you nice, everyone feels like family, like home, so you’ll be comfortable playing for Nigeria. So that’s the only advice he gave me.’

Iwobi was certainly made to feel welcome on his return. African football fandom is very different to the way supporters act back in the UK, and from the very first moment he knew he was a part of something special.

‘They love football!’ he laughs. ‘You can walk around here (London), and you probably get recognised a bit. But there, one step, “Iwobi, Iwobi!” The way they support football there, it’s just different to England.

‘It’s something I’m not used to, but when you go there, it’s special. When you see all these guys and just respecting you, they almost treat you as if you’re a king! They’re crazy about it!

Iwobi is close with his Nigeria team-mate Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho

Still, it wasn’t easy to walk straight into a national team of a country you’ve barely visited, and Iwobi recalls the first obstacle was his lack of fluency in the Broken English his team-mates spoke.

‘Everyone could speak English, I’d get along fine, but they’d all say, “come on, you need to learn your language”. So yeah, I’ve learned a bit, which helps.

‘When I first went I felt like I’m an alien! I know they used to take the mick out of me, and I didn’t know what they were saying. But know I can understand!’

Helping along the way is another promising Premier League talent, Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho, with whom Iwobi has formed a close bond on and off the pitch.

‘I tell you, you should see us on Snapchat! Always bantering. We’re room-mates right now and he’s just the funniest guy I know.

‘We do get on well off the pitch as well as on the pitch. Maybe I can try to convince Arsenal to sign him – but I don’t think that’s going to happen.’

Naija247news
Naija247newshttps://www.naija247news.com/
Naija247news is an investigative news platform that tracks news on Nigerian Economy, Business, Politics, Financial and Africa and Global Economy.

Share post:

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related

Soldiers Massacre: “Defense Headquarters Reveals Identities of Fallen heroes in Okuoma Community Attack”

The Defense Headquarters has revealed the identities of the...

US warned Niger about ties to Russia, Iran before junta revoked accord, Pentagon says

WASHINGTON, March 18 (Reuters) - U.S. officials traveled to...

“Potential Trump Presidency: Concerns Rise Over US-Africa Relations”

If Donald Trump secures victory in November's US presidential...

“Sanwo-Olu, Anyaoku, Adebanjo, and Others Call for New Nigerian Constitution”

SANWO-OLU, ANYAOKU, ADEBANJO, OTHERS DEMAND NEW NIGERIAN CONSTITUTION ...

Discover more from Naija247news

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading