Ex Charlton Athletic star now earning £24k-a-year in Middle East slams viral penalty ridicule

Former Charlton Athletic and Premier League midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has opened up on his move to the Middle East at the age of 33 years old, after a penalty miss went vital on social media.

The midfielder is now playing for the Arabian Falcons in the UAE Second Division League side and failed to hit the target from the spot against Al Fath. The BBC reports that there were only an estimated 75 supporters watching that match in person but that the clip racked up a million views on social media.

Shelvey signed a short-term contract with Burnley in January and made four appearances, but left the club in May after they achieved promotion to the Premier League. The player had turned out for Nottingham Forest and Turkish sides Çaykur Rizespor and Eyüpspor following the end of his seven year stint at Newcastle United.

Ex Charlton Athletic star takes wage cut to play in Middle East

Shelvey is a product of the Charlton Athletic youth academy and went on to make 49 appearances for the Addicks between 2008 and 2010 before joining Liverpool. Speaking to the BBC, Shelvey candidly opened up on his wage and reacted to the criticism of his penalty miss.

He said: "It doesn't bother me. 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."

Shelvey had an unsuccessful trial at Hull City as a free agent but suffered a hamstring injury, which made a summer move complicated. Arabian Falcons manager Harry Agombar reached out to ask Shelvey, his childhood friend, to move to Dubai and help grow the club.

The player added: "I've had my time. I'm happy and content. I'm just at the stage now where I want to enjoy football. It's about waking up, enjoying what I do and spending time with my family.

"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 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."

Shelvey hailed as ‘naturally gifted’ by former Addicks academy manager

Shelvey turned out in the Championship for two seasons and then League One for Charlton Athletic. In 2019, the club talked to former Academy Manager Steve Avory about the player’s rise.

Avory said: “Jonjo Shelvey came to us at U11, when our Head of Recruitment at the time, signed him from Arsenal when he was released. He came here on trial. We liked the look of him from day one. Jonjo was probably one of the most naturally gifted footballers that I’ve worked with.

“People ask what did I do with a player like Jonjo. With a player like him, much like Ademola Lookman, you just had to make sure you let them be as creative as they wanted to be because they had that ability.

“We had to nurture and encourage that and allow it to happen because Jonjo had all of that in his locker. That ability to score goals, take the grip of the game by himself really. Not many players could do that but he could. He was a good lad to work with as well, all through the journey.”

In other news, Ex Charlton Athletic boss quits job to work with Arsenal legend at League One club in crisis.