Viral Penalty Miss and ‘No Money’: Jonjo Shelvey Reveals Why He Quit UK for UAE Third Division

DUBAI, UAE — Former England international Jonjo Shelvey has spoken out after a penalty miss for his new club, Arabian Falcons, went viral, revealing the surprising reasons behind his move to the relatively obscure United Arab Emirates (UAE) Second Division League.

Shelvey, who previously starred for Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Swansea City, insisted the move was not about money, but about securing a “fresh start” away from what he perceives as a deteriorating quality of life in the UK.

Footage of the Arabian Falcons captain failing to hit the target during a recent game against Al Fath—watched by an estimated 75 supporters—quickly racked up a million views, prompting speculation that Shelvey, 33, had moved to the Gulf for a high salary.

Shelvey vehemently dismissed this claim, stating the standard wage in the UAE Second Division League is around £2,000-a-month, a pittance compared to his earnings in the Premier League.

“It doesn’t bother me,” he said of the viral clip. “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’. My brother earns more working in a hotel in London.”

Shelvey, who was a free agent after an unsuccessful trial at Hull City, was invited to Dubai by his childhood friend and Arabian Falcons manager Harry Agombar to help “grow the club.”

The father-of-three explained that despite his family being settled on Tyneside, his primary motivation was concern for his children’s future and a sense that the UK “isn’t what it was 10 to 15 years ago.”

“I don’t want my children growing up in England any more,” the London native admitted. “I’d never wear a watch in London any more. You can’t have your phone out in London, in my view.”

This anxiety reflects a broader concern, despite official figures from the Metropolitan Police showing that personal robbery and theft are down in London so far this year.

Despite uprooting his life, Shelvey made it clear he still holds great affection for the north east, calling it “the only place there he would want to live.”

Shelvey spent seven years at Newcastle—longer than any other club—and was part of the side that achieved promotion in 2016. He called his time there an “honour,” famously scoring what he joked was a “massive” goal against Leeds United that proved a turning point in head coach Eddie Howe’s tenure.

“You will not find love at a football club like I found at Newcastle, with how they take to their players and how much they back you,” he said.

Shelvey is now studying for his Uefa A Licence coaching qualification in Dubai while combining evening coaching with morning training, counting former Manchester United midfielder Ravel Morrison as a teammate at the Falcons.

However, he is aware his professional career is nearing its end. “If I got a bad injury now, I would probably call it a day,” he conceded. “While I still feel relatively good, strong and fit, I’ll just keep going.