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Jonjo Shelvey Defends Dubai Move, Citing Family Safety Over Money

He says typical pay in the UAE Second Division is about £2,000 a month, rejecting claims he left for a bigger salary.

Overview

  • The 33-year-old signed a one-year contract with Arabian Falcons and relocated to Dubai under manager Harry Agombar.
  • He trains in the mornings and coaches in the evenings while studying for a UEFA A Licence as the club targets promotion to the second tier.
  • Shelvey says he does not want his children growing up in England, citing petty crime and a polarised climate, with the Met reporting about 80,000 phone thefts in London last year.
  • A video of his missed penalty for the Falcons drew roughly a million views despite only about 75 spectators at the match, which he says does not bother him.
  • He says a failed Hull City trial and a summer hamstring injury limited options before the UAE offer, and he aims to build coaching credentials on merit rather than connections.