Omar Ali

Student of the game.

#AFC

[Sash ~ @ltarsenal]

The same guys who told Arteta to take accountability and stop blaming referees are now telling you referees favour Arsenal.

The same guys who called Arsenal soft and told us to grow a spine are now complaining about our physicality.

The same guys who told Arsenal to learn the “dark arts” now complain about our game management.

The same guys who turned every Arsenal celebration into a controversy now demand passionate players who connect with the fans.

The same guys who mocked our set pieces are hiring set-piece coaches.

The same guys who mocked the “Arteta process” now want young managers, cultural resets and long-term projects.

At some point you realise it was never really about any of those things.

They just don’t like Arsenal.

[Omar Ali @omarow19]

@privatefigure_ 🤣🤣🤣

[Kai Havertz @kaihavertz29]

LDN. Still red.

[REDaction Gooners @REDactionAFC]

All the best to Martinelli - from Thursday nights to THE Tuesday night, with the winner at the Bernebeu in between.

Break ups are hard.

Live well, Champion

[total Barça @totalBarca]

🚨 Barça are so IMPRESSED with Julian Alvarez’s determination to join the club

Inside the club, some are comparing him to NELSON MANDELA for the way he is handling adversity 😳

@gerardromero

[Carl Jenkinson @carljenkinson]

Thank you to everyone who played a part in my journey, from my Charlton days as a kid through to my last time playing football at Bromley. From the age of 8 football has been my life, it’s given me a lot, and I have also given it a lot back. In fact I’ve given it everything.

It’s for that reason that I can write this looking back over my career with no regrets. Do I wish certain things went better? Without a doubt. A lot of things. I once scored an own goal from 30 yards out. I certainly wouldn’t mind deleting that from history. But were these bad or difficult moments ever because of a lack of effort? No. Like I said, I gave football everything. Everyday.

And I guess I’m writing this because I can see that’s getting lost a bit these days. I don’t know if it’s social media painting a certain picture of what a footballer looks like, but I want to be clear, behind the scenes these top players train like their life depends on it. Alexis Sánchez, wow. Every training session he trained like it was his last. The ones that don’t, they fall by the way side eventually. Even when they’re really, really good. I’ve seen it happen to too many young pros and scholars, trying to make a name in the game.

Apply yourself everyday, listen to your coaches and learn from the players who have already been where you want to get to. Because if you don’t make it, and it’s because you got carried away with yourself, it’ll be a heavy burden to carry later in life.

I suffered a lot with confidence throughout my career, which I found strange because my Dad always backs himself to the hilt. I saw loads of people, to try and unlock something within me and find that inner belief. “Take the chains off” Arsène Wenger would say to me. “I’m trying boss”, I would say to myself. But I’m certain it was that same insecurity that gave me the drive I have, that would make me run harder and train harder than everyone else. Ultimately that’s what gave me a career at the top level, because physically I was a machine and I took a lot of pride in that. Was the way I am a blessing or a curse for me? A bit of both I think. But you can only play the cards you’re dealt and try and make the best of them.

I’m writing all this because I hope some young players might read it. You guys have so much confidence these days! I wish I could nick some of it and take it back in time, but confidence without application and having that fire in your belly to improve everyday won’t get you far. I see less young players doing extras, working on their craft, doing extra running after training. Trust me, you won’t have a career if you neglect this aspect.

Try and find the sweetspot. That’s why I love guys like Bukayo Saka. He’s got that swagger, but you only need to listen to him in a post match interview to see he’s never lost his humility. Find the sweetspot.

Hopefully the above has some value to someone out there. I didn’t want to write the generic retirement ‘thanks for everything’ post as it seemed like a missed opportunity. Although of course I am very grateful to my friends, family, coaches, managers and of course the fans who have been with me on my journey. I’m looking forward to seeing what life has in store for me next.

Cheers,
Jenko

[Rubén Cañizares @Ruben_Canizares]

Renovar a Vinicius a precio de oro y dejar que el Barça te levante a Rodri, el único futbolista que realmente necesitas desde hace tres temporadas.

Yo no entiendo nada.

[Nico 🇪🇸 @httpnicdotcom]

Nuked the project, shattered the wage structure, and destroyed the locker room all over his EGO

Fumbled the most important signing in years and gifted him to our rivals all over his EGO

If your EGO matters more to you than the club you are NO LONGER fit to be president.

[Omar Ali @omarow19]

@TeaKupps Champions League 2019. Dembouz has blood on his hands

[s @exfootballfan]

My hot take is that Isak has never been that good. Howe surrounded him with aggressive wide players whose entire job was to create for him and it elevated his reputation.

[HandofArsenal @HandofArsenal]

🚨 EXCL : Arsenal Football Club have personal terms agreed in principle with Vinicius Junior. Roc Nation will go armed into negotiations with Real Madrid with a monstrous offer from the English Champions…….over to you Vinicius Junior. Story W/ @MrArsenicTM

[Moe @moneyacademyKE]

Speaking during a development cooperation conference in Sweden, former CBK Governor Njuguna Ndung'u said Kenya's President has overrun state institutions, leaving officials to comply out of fear.

[🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 @0de11_]

The dopamine of scrolling through twitter after David Ornstein dropping that bomber

[Central @WestHam_Central]

Wow thanks mate I thought he grew up in the deserts of Riyadh and idolised Yasser Al-Qahtani

[Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @NYCMayor]

Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal.

[Omar Ali @omarow19]

@pabloikonyero Alright bro

[Omar Ali @omarow19]

@pabloikonyero I can see you are a logical person but why can’t you apply this logic when talking about Messi? 😂
Can you explain to me any instance where Messi was favoured?

[Onyi baby @kwinjae]

The world is at peace because it’s Rodri.

Rodri won the World Cup Golden Ball without a single goal or assist, and nobody seems to have a problem with it. If it had been Messi with those exact same stats—even if Argentina had won the World Cup—the entire internet would have been on fire. People would be screaming “robbery,” saying Mbappé deserved it, claiming FIFA was protecting Messi, and pushing the usual “FIFA’s favorite” narrative.

Now? Complete silence.

The double standards are unbelievable. Bloody hypocrites.

[Omar Ali @omarow19]

@pabloikonyero Everyone who has been watching football during that era knows how Real Madrid used to get away with murder in the champions league. Bayern quarter final 2017, scandalous pen against juve after their comeback in bernabeu in 2018…. The list is long my brother.