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Former Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has become a manager after retiring at the age of 34.
Shelvey, who won six international caps for England during his career, has taken over at the UAE second division side Arabian Falcons FC. He was playing for them but has decided to move into management and hang up his boots.
Shelvey recently joined the Falcons as a player after leaving the Premier League club Burnley. The experienced midfielder has already made eight appearances for the team this term.
However, he will now transition into the dugout, testing out his ability to translate his expertise into a coaching capacity.
Shelvey will manage fellow former Premier League star Ravel Morrison as part of an ambitious project driven by new ownership. The former Crystal Palace midfielder Jason Puncheon is also there and is head of football operations.
Arabian Falcons currently sit third in the UAE Second Division table and are looking for a promotion place this season. In the longer term, the club is targeting a place in the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
Qualification for the expanded 32-team tournament is reserved primarily for top-performing clubs from the UAE Pro League (via domestic success or AFC competitions), and the club’s ambitious ownership group sees that as a good aim to aid its growth.
The Falcons believe Shelvey’s presence and proven on-pitch leadership qualities can translate into management.
"I’m excited to take on this challenge and lead the Falcons forward," Shelvey said. "We have a talented group and a clear vision to achieve promotion and build something special in Dubai.
"My ambition is to climb to the very top of management and this is the perfect project to prove myself and what I’m capable of."
Jason Puncheon added: "Jonjo is the perfect fit for our project. His experience at the highest level, combined with his character and hunger, will inspire the team as we push for promotion and long-term success."
In October last year, Shelvey outlined that he moved to Dubai because he didn't want his family to stay in the UK. He insisted that he wasn't there for the money.
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"It doesn't bother me," he said. "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."
"If I'm honest, I don't want my children growing up in England anymore," he also claimed in an interview with the BBC. "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 anymore. You can't have your phone out in London, in my view."
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