Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi insists he was unmoved by social media abuse meted out to him by Nigerian fans after the African Cup of Nations.
The Nigerian international, who has been in sparkling form for his club since moving from Everton to Fulham last summer, was the subject of vicious online abuse after the Super Eagles were beaten in the AFCON final by hosts Ivory Coast. Speaking on his new Project 17 podcast, Iwobi said:
“The whole competition I didn’t see it. I remember in a press conference they said, ‘where is the creativity?’ and I had to address the role I was given and I said I am the kind of guy who will listen to my coach and try to do the job I’m told to do.”
The game is done now, obviously I’m disappointed – I’m on my phone but I don’t check Twitter. I’m on Snapchat and WhatsApp with all my people telling me I’ve done my nation proud.”
Iwobi revealed that it wasn’t until after the final – when his team-mates began to rally round – that he became aware of the volume of comments posted on his Instagram page.
“At two o’clock there was a knock on the door, I was like, ‘I don’t want room service’ but I looked through the keyhole and it is Victor Osimhen. I’m half-asleep with my hair everywhere but he said, ‘I’m not going to lie to you, they’ve been talking about you a lot on social media and I want to make sure you’re good. They’re saying you’re apparently going to retire, you’re depressed’.
It is what it is, it is not the first time. The first AFCON where I got sent off it happened, at Arsenal it constantly happened, at Everton when I signed for two years it happened, that is football. I would rather be off social media, I don’t want to see that and I don’t care.
They wanted to put out a statement saying cyber bullying is wrong and I said, ‘I hear that but we are just going to create a bigger scene’ but they said we needed to stand as one. They were standing up for me but I said no because the world would think I was down, I’m actually calm, just listening to music.”
The creative midfielder did go into greater detail of how social media platforms have become cesspits of personal abuse.
“I’m really tired of socials, really and truly. I would rather just be real in real life. I have seen people come off socials, like Stormzy and Jay-Z don’t have it and I feel they are living life peacefully.
I don’t want people to think I am affected because I’m not. We came to the conclusion I needed to jump back on socials and it was important for people to see how I felt, rather than a statement where I thank you for the support and say that cyberbullying is wrong. Obviously now I’m back and seeing messages, I said thank you but I didn’t want to go into detail. It was a crazy period.”
