Jonjo Shelvey says he moved his family and football career to Dubai because he doesn’t want to bring up children in the UK.
According to Independent, after being released by Burnley this summer, Shelvey took a surprising move to join the Arabian Falconsa a club in the second tier of the UAE’s league system.
The club are managed by his friend Harry Agombar, who Shelvey played with as a child in the Arsenal academy, and count former Manchester United midfielder Ravel Morrison among their multi-national squad.
There are obvious financial rewards with moving to the Middle East but Shelvey insists that is not the reason for his decision.
He told BBC Sports, “I’ve since seen a few things like ‘he’s gone there for money. I’m thinking, what money? There’s no money in the UAE Second Division League. The ballpark of the standard wage here is £2,000-a-month for a footballer. In terms of what I’ve earned throughout my career, that’s nothing. My brother earns more working in a hotel in London, so it was never about coming here for the money.”
“If I’m honest, I don’t want my children growing up in England any more. We’re very lucky that we lived in a nice part of the UK [Tyneside] but where I’m from, originally, you can’t have nice things in my opinion. I’d never wear a watch in London any more. You can’t have your phone out in London, in my view, “he added.
Instead, the Londoner says it was the decline in British quality of life which drove him abroad.
Shelvey began his career at Charlton Athletic before stints at Swansea City, Liverpool and Newcastle United, where he spent seven years and most enjoyed his playing career. He spent two seasons in Turkey before joining Burnley last January, but barely featured for the Clarets in their Championship promotion push.
