“We are one big brotherhood” — Alex Iwobi reveals Fulham secret

By: Monsurah Olatunji

Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi has credited his team’s impressive Premier League campaign to a strong sense of unity and camaraderie among the squad.

The Super Eagles star has already equaled his best goal tally in the Premier League, matching last season’s total of five goals midway through the current campaign.

At 28 years old, Iwobi has been a key player for Fulham, appearing in every league match so far and contributing three assists to his teammates.

Under manager Marco Silva, Fulham have developed into genuine contenders for European qualification, sitting in eighth place in the table after a series of notable results, including a win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and a hard-fought draw against Liverpool at Anfield.

Iwobi attributed much of Fulham’s success to the “sense of togetherness” instilled by Silva, which has fostered a positive environment both on and off the pitch.

“We’re really fighting for each other,” Iwobi told BBC.

“You can see it on the pitch, but off the pitch what the cameras don’t catch is that we’re really one big brotherhood. It’s a nice environment, the chemistry is really good and I feel like that’s helping us get the results we need.”

The 28-year-old also spoke about the confidence Silva has instilled in him, giving him the freedom to express himself more on the pitch and pursue goalscoring opportunities.

“I feel like [I am] just expressing myself a bit more. The manager gives me that license and freedom to try and get into more goalscoring opportunities. Even if I make a mistake he says: ‘Alex, go again.’ Having that confidence from him, [and] my teammates backing me, makes you feel almost unstoppable. You are willing to try and do anything on the pitch.”

Fulham’s rise this season has been impressive, especially considering they have not finished higher than 10th in the Premier League since 2011/12. Iwobi hopes the team can maintain their push for European places as the season progresses.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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