Efe Ambrose has given a fascinating insight into his football addiction.
The image of the modern footballer isn’t the greatest with many appearing to put in the minimal amount of work without any real love for the game.
Ambrose has always appeared a bit of a maverick with his ‘holiday’ routine contrasting with that of his peers who seem to head to Vegas or Dubai at the drop of a hat with football far from their mind.
Explaining why he needs next to no rest time the defender said: “The medical team don’t know my body like I do. Of course they will say I need a rest but if you give me a rest it gets me down and it’s harder to lift myself again.
“I play with my friends and sometimes I play in charity matches. That is what I enjoy.Â
“In Nigeria I get up at six in the morning to play. Sometimes we will play for two hours – and then do it again in the evening but that is pleasure, not work. In these matches at home I play in midfield – I never play in defence because then I would have to tackle!
“When I have a day off and I wake up in the morning I feel sad. Maybe I will watch football on television instead because that is still part of my job – if you are not playing then you can watch. My wife knew what I was like when we married.”