'I'm not in Dubai for money... I don't want my kids growing up in England'

Jonjo Shelvey had missed penalties before.

But footage of this peculiar spot-kick went viral aft nan Arabian Falcons skipper grounded to deed nan target against Al Fath.

Shelvey estimated location were only 75 supporters watching nan United Arab Emirates (UAE) Second Division League crippled earlier this month.

It was a acold outcry from nan crowds nan erstwhile England world was utilized to during erstwhile spells astatine Newcastle United, Liverpool, Swansea City and others.

However, nan midfielder insisted he "could not attraction less" aft a clip of his miss astatine Jebel Ali Shooting Club racked up a cardinal views connected societal media.

"It doesn't fuss me," he said. "I've since seen a fewer things for illustration 'he's gone location for money'. I'm reasoning 'what money? There's nary money successful nan UAE Second Division League'.

"The ballpark of nan modular costs present is £2,000-a-month for a footballer. In position of what I've earned passim my career, that's nothing.

"My relative earns much moving successful a edifice successful London, truthful it was ne'er astir coming present for nan money."

So why did Shelvey extremity up playing successful nan 3rd tier successful nan UAE?

Shelvey, successful his ain words, had been "doing thing for 2 months".

Following an unsuccessful proceedings astatine Hull City nan free supplier suffered a hamstring injury, which analyzable his prospects of securing a summertime move.

But Arabian Falcons head Harry Agombar reached retired to inquire his puerility friend to move retired to Dubai to thief "grow nan club".

Though Shelvey's family had agelong been settled connected Tyneside - moreover aft he near Newcastle successful 2023 - nan father-of-three saw it arsenic a chance to embark connected a "fresh start".

"I've had my time," nan Londoner said. "I'm happy and content. I'm conscionable astatine nan shape now wherever I want to bask football. It's astir waking up, enjoying what I do and spending clip pinch my family.

"If I'm honest, I don't want my children increasing up successful England immoderate more. We're very fortunate that we lived successful a bully portion of nan UK but wherever I'm from, originally, you can't person bully things successful my opinion.

"I'd ne'er deterioration a watch successful London immoderate more. You can't person your telephone retired successful London, successful my view."

About 80,000 mobile phones were stolen successful London past year, according to nan Metropolitan Police, and location person been immoderate high-profile instances of theft successful nan superior successful nan past 12 months.

Ex-Formula One driver Jenson Button and woman Brittny had a lawsuit filled pinch £250,000 worthy of valuables snatched extracurricular St Pancras position successful February, while thieves stole much than £10m worthy of bespoke jewellery from socialite Shafira Huang aft breaking into her St John's Wood location backmost successful December.

But nan Met says individual robbery has been reduced by 13% and theft is down 14% successful London truthful acold this year.

"I'm not monolithic connected reference politics," Shelvey said. "I conscionable spot immoderate of nan things that spell on.

"I spot group getting arrested for tweeting and, then, each of nan flags and 'taking backmost nan country'.

"I'm not going to beryllium present and remark connected things for illustration that because I'm not clever capable to, and I'll get myself into problem if I transportation on, but I conscionable consciousness that nan UK isn't what it was 10 to 15 years ago."

That is not meant arsenic a flimsy connected nan organization Shelvey has near behind.

Though Shelvey has uprooted from nan UK, nan 33-year-old said nan northbound eastbound was "the only spot location he would want to live".

"There's this statement astir whether Newcastle are capable to pull nan large players compared to nan Manchester clubs and nan London clubs but, until you spell there, you don't understand what it does to you," he said.

"There are loads of things to do. I don't attraction what anyone says. If players are going to perceive to this, it's a no-brainer to spell location and play football.

"You will not find emotion astatine a shot nine for illustration I recovered astatine Newcastle, pinch really they return to their players and really overmuch they backmost you."

Shelvey spent longer astatine Newcastle than immoderate different broadside - 7 years successful full pursuing his move from Swansea City - and said he was "honoured" to person represented nan nine and worn nan captain's armband connected occasion.

As good arsenic sticking astir pursuing relegation, successful 2016, and playing his portion successful taking Newcastle consecutive backmost up, Shelvey besides helped guarantee nan nine past stayed successful nan apical flight.

He moreover scored what proved to beryllium a "massive" extremity against Leeds United arsenic Newcastle started to propulsion distant from threat 3 and a half years ago.

It ended up proving a turning constituent successful caput coach Eddie Howe's reign.

"If I had not scored that, nan nine would person gone down!" he said. "I'm joking. Looking backmost astatine it, you don't realise really large a extremity it was and, to beryllium fair, nan keeper [Illan Meslier] chucked 1 successful for us. I scuffed nan life retired of it.

"But I've only sewage bully things to opportunity astir my clip astatine Newcastle. I loved it. Even erstwhile I first sewage nan telephone astir going there, I drove 12 hours from Swansea because of nan traffic. I conscionable wanted to get up there, get my aesculapian done and get signed.

"I had knowledgeable playing against Newcastle astatine St James' Park and you get a existent buzz, but you ne'er understand really large nan nine is until you are there."

Shelvey, clearly, still retains an affection for Newcastle and Howe, who "knew really to get into your head".

However, Shelvey is wary of being a "hindrance" and has stopped short of reaching retired to nan Newcastle caput coach conscionable yet arsenic he studies for his Uefa A Licence coaching qualification.

A personnel of Howe's backroom squad antecedently urged Shelvey to interaction his erstwhile manager, to inquire to watch training aliases do immoderate coaching successful nan academy.

But Shelvey wants to get location "on merit alternatively than relying connected personification he knows".

He is now combining coaching successful nan evenings successful Dubai pinch training successful nan mornings aft signing an first one-year woody pinch nan Falcons, arsenic nan nine target promotion to nan 2nd tier.

Shelvey counts ex-Manchester United and West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison arsenic a team-mate and believes location are "a fewer players retired present you could return into League One aliases League Two if fixed nan chance".

But Shelvey recognises that his assemblage is "not nan aforesaid arsenic it utilized to be".

"When you get older, each clip you spell connected nan training pitch, you think, 'is this going to beryllium my past session?'" he said. "If I sewage a bad wounded now, I would astir apt telephone it a day.

"I wouldn't want to spell done nan process of rehabbing. There is simply a fearfulness successful that consciousness but while I still consciousness comparatively good, beardown and fit, I'll conscionable support going."