The High Performance Podcast Episode 397: Alex Iwobi - Wenger's Aura, Lampard's Trust & the Hard Truth About Being Yourself in Elite Football

Overview This episode features a candid conversation between hosts Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes and professional footballer Alex Iwobi. The discussion explores the reality of being yourself as an elite athlete, the pressures and freedoms within top-tier football, the influence of managers from Arsène Wenger to Frank Lampard, navigating criticism and public perception, and the importance of broader life interests beyond football. Iwobi provides honest, uplifting, and occasionally humorous reflections on his personal journey through Arsenal, Everton, and into his creative pursuits—including music and charity.

Key Topics & Insights

1. The Value of Self-Expression in Football

• Encouragement From Family & Role Models

  • Iwobi credits his Nigerian upbringing and his uncle, Jay-Jay Okocha, for fostering freedom and creativity, both at home and in sport ([01:59]).
  • "With my uncle there, he allowed him to go and express himself... he always played with a smile on his face." – Alex Iwobi ([02:18])

• Challenges of Expressing Yourself as a Professional

  • Iwobi discusses how football often demands conformity, but he’s been lucky: “I haven't had any, like, anyone around me... that's restricted, they've always encouraged me to go and be myself.” ([01:39])
  • On sharing his music and personality online: “Now you can see it... I've always been the same. It's just that recently I've been showcasing the music.” ([03:34])

• Balancing Creativity with Professional Demands

  • The persistent cliché to "focus on football" made Iwobi hesitate to be public about his passions. He explains the double standard—if performance suffers, outside interests are blamed ([04:34]).
  • “I'm showing you I'm also 100% focused on football.” ([04:34])

2. Navigating Outside Interests, Criticism, & Social Media

• Footballers as Humans

  • Iwobi pushes back against the notion that non-football interests are distractions: “It's weird because, like, we are humans. I think everyone forgets that we're humans as well… everyone's not just football, football, football, otherwise you could go mad.” ([08:03])

• Dealing with Social Media Abuse after AFCON

  • Iwobi recounts stepping away from social media post-AFCON to regain peace of mind and how teammates rallied around him ([09:07]):
    • “I don't like listening to the outside noise… I never go and look or type my name and see what people saying about me.” ([09:07])
    • “I just wanted to be by myself after the AFCON final... Victor (Osimhen)... knocked on my door... ‘I don't like what the media are saying about you.’” ([09:56])

• Controlling the Narrative

  • Trust in friends & family to filter feedback: “If anything's ever too negative, the first person to tell me is my dad. He's always looking on Twitter.” ([11:42])
  • “We always like to control our own narrative... if you're going to hear something, it's going to come from me.” ([11:55])

3. Resilience and Personal Growth Through Adversity

• Early Rejection at Arsenal

  • Iwobi’s journey is marked by near-dismissals and being undervalued. He describes being almost let go at age 14 for lacking physicality, and again at 16 when other England youth players received offers and he didn’t:
    • “Whenever I get told I'm not good enough, I always like to prove that I am good enough to stick around.” ([15:41])

• Belief Amid Doubt

  • He relied on the encouragement of friends, family, and his inner self: "If these lot see it, I need to prove to the other people... I can play football." ([16:35])

4. Manager Influences: Wenger’s Aura & Lampard’s Trust

• Arsène Wenger’s Unique Impact

  • Wenger’s silent authority and faith in young players stood out:
    • “When he walks in, everyone's just silent… he's had his mad presence, mad aura. And when he talks, he does a lot of knowledge, like he understands the game.” ([18:38])
  • On personal advice: “He always say to me, stay composed, you've got a lot more time than you think.” ([19:32])

• Transition to Emery & The Impact of Fan/Media Critique

  • Iwobi recalls the toxicity during Wenger’s final years, the awareness players had of negative coverage (e.g., Arsenal Fan TV), and natural cliques forming in dressing rooms ([23:24], [24:02]):

• Everton: Adapting & Rediscovering Confidence

  • The adjustment to Everton brought its own struggles, from cultural shifts to playing style ([25:53]).
  • “Even though I went a foreign country, it felt like a foreign country because of the Scouse language...” ([25:53])
  • Lampard’s support was pivotal: “Frank Lampard... resurrected my career... he just said, be you. And that's literally what worked for me.” ([37:52], [40:01])

• The Power of Managerial Trust

  • Iwobi explains how Lampard’s psychological safety allowed him to play freely and take risks: “When a manager is trusting me... I'm not scared to try things… you almost feel unstoppable.” ([42:09])

5. Football Transfers, Isolation, and Adapting to Change

• The Business of Football

  • Iwobi describes his rapid, emotionally challenging transfer from Arsenal to Everton: “Before I even get a chance to say yes or no, Arsenal basically saying, we don't mind you going…” ([30:03])
  • On leaving Arsenal: “I was like, oh, at least let me make the decision for myself.” ([36:00])
  • On the industry’s ruthlessness: “...football is also a business.” ([37:05])

• Loneliness & the Importance of Environment

  • Moving alone, living in hotels, and integrating into a new city/team can be “so lonely… It's just you and your thoughts.” ([32:05])
  • Iwobi points to friends, family, and rediscovering a home in London as critical for happiness and performance ([46:54]).

6. The Parallel Pursuit: Music & Giving Back

• Creative Outlets: Music

  • Music is a joyful outlet, not an ambition for stardom: “It's just something I enjoy doing... I've never once thought, I want to be the next Drake or Lil Wayne.” ([47:54])
  • Parallels between music and football: “There’s always banter. If you have a bad touch in training, we're letting you know… If you have a bad lyric in the studio, they'll let you know.” ([50:02])

• Charity & Identity Beyond Football

  • Iwobi’s charitable acts—especially local projects—bring deeper fulfillment: “That one mattered to me... it was two streets from my primary school... if I can do anything to benefit and help someone's Christmas, I'm willing to do so.” ([48:55])
  • “I'm not just a footballer, I am human. I like to enjoy the things that other people do as well.” ([53:04])

Notable Quotes

• On Creativity vs. Conformity:
  • "With football, you must be yourself… if you are, that’s when you play your best." – Alex Iwobi ([08:46])
• On Social Media:
  • “I just wanted to live in the real world... what I do really matters to my friends and my people.” ([09:07])
• On Wenger:
  • “When he walks in, everyone's just silent… he’s had his mad presence, mad aura.” ([18:38])
• On Lampard’s Trust:
  • “Frank Lampard… resurrected my career… when we're talking about, like, being me, Frank just said, be you.” ([37:52])
• On Managing Setbacks:
  • “Whenever I get told I'm not good enough, I always like to prove that I am good enough to stick around.” ([15:41])
• On Advice for Young Players:
  • “If you want to achieve, go for it. Believe in yourself. As long as you believe you're good enough, then that's okay.” ([57:50])
• On High Performance:
  • “Play the way you train, train the way you play, and you're going to get the best out of yourself.” ([58:07])
• On Identity:
  • “If someone that doesn't know me asks what I do, I always say, I'm human.” ([53:41])

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment/Theme | Speakers/Summary | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|-----------| | Expressing Yourself in Football | Iwobi on family/creativity | 01:39–04:27 | | Going Public with Creative Pursuits | Overcoming the “focus” cliché | 04:34–05:33 | | Handling Criticism & Social Media | AFCON backlash, resilience | 09:03–10:56 | | Arsenal Academy Setbacks | Early rejection story | 14:32–16:24 | | Wenger’s Influence | Aura, advice on composure | 18:38–20:19 | | Transition to Emery & Fan Criticism | Arsenal Fan TV, social pressures | 23:00–24:38 | | Adapting to Everton: Culture Shock | Feeling “foreign” in Liverpool | 25:53–27:14 | | The Emotional Side of Transfers | Arsenal to Everton move | 30:03–33:13 | | Trust, Freedom & Performance | Lampard’s resurrection effect | 37:52–43:32 | | Music, Charity & Purpose Beyond Football | Iwobi’s creative/charity life | 47:32–49:47 | | Parallels of Music & Football | Banter, creativity, team spirit | 50:02–51:53 | | Advice and High Performance Philosophy | Quickfire Q&A | 54:18–58:34 |

Final Thoughts

This candid episode pulls back the curtain on elite football life, showing the profound impact of support, self-belief, and creative freedom. Iwobi's journey demonstrates that high performance comes not just from athletic ability, but from authenticity, positivity, trusted relationships, and owning your narrative—on and off the pitch.

Notable Quickfire Takeaways:

• Non-negotiables: Confidence & belief, right people around you, hard work ([54:28])
• Best advice: “Express yourself always.” – Jay-Jay Okocha ([56:12])
• On identity: “I’m human first.” ([53:41])
• High performance defined: “Play the way you train, train the way you play.” ([58:07])

A memorable, honest window into the complexities—and the joys—of life at football’s highest level.