Iwobi Reveals How Ancelotti Gave Him Tough Dressing-Room Lesson at Everton
Alex Iwobi has opened up about a difficult moment in his career, revealing how former Everton FC manager Carlo Ancelotti once gave him a tough dressing-room warning during their time together at the club.
The Super Eagles midfielder joined Everton in 2019 from Arsenal FC, the same summer Ancelotti arrived to lead the team. Although Iwobi was known as an attacking winger, his role at the club changed as the Italian coach often used him in deeper and unfamiliar positions.
Iwobi explained that he was played in several roles during that period, including right wing-back, right-back and right midfield. The 29-year-old admitted that the constant change in position was difficult because he preferred to play in a more attacking role where he could influence the game with the ball.
The situation became more complicated after Iwobi shared a message on social media expressing his wish to play in his natural position. The post quickly became a topic during one of Ancelotti’s press conferences, and the experienced manager later confronted the Nigerian midfielder about it.
Iwobi said Ancelotti asked him where he usually played and then gave him the chance to start the next match in that role against Burnley. However, the game did not go as planned. Everton were already two goals behind at half-time, and Iwobi was taken off early in the second half.
After that match, the Nigerian international lost his place in the team and did not feature in the next four games. The midfielder described the experience as a tough lesson in his career.
Iwobi also explained that Everton’s style of play at the time was very physical and focused heavily on defensive work, which did not fully suit his natural style of football.
Despite the difficult moment, the Nigerian midfielder continued to develop his game before eventually moving on from Everton. Today, he plays an important role for Fulham FC in the Premier League, where his creativity and work rate have made him one of the club’s key players.
