Sheffield Wednesday's newest addition has said all the right things ahead of goal mission
Ali Al-Hamadi is a Sheffield Wednesday player having joined on loan from Ipswich Town.
The signing of a big, strong forward has been a priority task for Sheffield Wednesday for some weeks.
And with Ali Al-Hamadi on board after the confirmation of his loan from Ipswich Town, all the right noises are being made that he can be the sort of grafter that will resonate with supporters - and most importantly deliver a playing style that can edge the Owls forward in these early weeks of their monster rebuild effort.
The Iraq international has played in the Premier League and is coming off a summer that saw him feature in the World Cup but in his opening gambit with club media spoke about the pressures and difficulties the nature of League One football can present. Having come through a so-so period in his career following a scene-bursting spell at AFC Wimbledon, the 24-year-old appears ready to perform an important role for the club.
Sporting director Simon Wilson offered quotes to suggest Al-Hamadi’s personality and character were as aligned with Wednesday’s needs as his athletic, aggressive playing style and his first club interview certainly seems to bear that out.
“There’s no kind of hiding that it’s been a difficult year for me,” he admitted. “I’ve had a couple of injuries and I’ve not hit the heights that I’ve wanted to, part-reason has been myself and part of the reason is out of my control. I think what people are getting is a really hungry Ali at this moment in time. I have something to prove and I’m feeling the best I have physically and mentally for a long time.
“You can expect to see someone who gives their all and wears their heart on their sleeve. I’ve always had a good relationship with fans wherever I’ve played and whatever club I’ve been. I’m someone who gets it, I’ve always tried to buy in to the team and the culture of the club and will try my best to embed myself into the people of the club as well.”
There’s no need to reel off the difficulties that Wednesday have suffered in the last 18 months or longer and in signing on at S6 after a testing period, both player and club seem aligned in their motivations. In a grounded and well-received club interview, Al-Hamadi expressed the ‘top to bottom’ good feeling in the club’s football operation and made clear he feels Hillsborough is the right destination for him at this stage of his career.
He said: “As the years are going on and I’m learning every year in my career, you do have to look at that side of things in a football club. Using last year as an example, I joined an amazing club in Luton, a great club. But they had some difficulty and a difficult atmosphere around the football club. Obviously that affects players. You’ll have seen last year how that affects players.
“From what I’ve spoken to everybody about so far, it’s clear how united everybody is, even through the difficulties of last year. That’s testament to the people here and I’m really looking forward to being a part of it.”