Jon Otsemobor on Liverpool, Playing in the EFL and Life After Football | OneFootball

You came through the youth system at Liverpool and represented the first team during your time there as well. What was it like playing for such a historic club and training alongside the likes of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher?

“Obviously, me being a Liverpool lad and a Liverpool supporter, it was a bit surreal at the time. But once you go into training every day and you’re speaking to them every day, afterwards you really take it all in — if that makes sense.

“You don’t take it for granted, because they’re your teammates and you see them every day. But when I look back now, I realise how privileged I was to be amongst those types of players, especially the likes of Jamie and Stevie, because they epitomised everything a Scouse Liverpool supporter wants to be and achieve.

“They come very few and far between, so to be able to say that I had that opportunity to train with them and be part of Liverpool at that time is a great honour, really.”

During your time at Liverpool, you had loan spells at Hull, Bolton and Crewe. How important were those loan spells for your development?

“They were very important because they gave me the belief that I could actually go out and play proper football. At the time, I was playing under-18s, under-17s and reserve football, but it doesn’t compare to playing real league football.

“My first loan was at Hull City and I really enjoyed my time there. Peter Taylor was the manager – he was also England Under-21 manager at the time – and he really looked after me. That experience gave me a taste for it. It made me want to push to play first-team football, whether that was at Liverpool or somewhere else.

“When you turn 16 or 17 and sign your pro contract, you’re technically a professional footballer, but you’re not really until you’re playing games that mean something. So those loans put me in great stead to push on.”

You later joined Crewe Alexandra permanently after your initial loan. You were named in the League One Team of the Year alongside Luke Varney. What was that period like?

“When I first went on loan to Crewe, they were desperate to keep me, but my heart was telling me to go back to Liverpool and try to break into the first team, which I did for a spell.

“Crewe’s philosophy was very similar to Liverpool’s, in the way they wanted to play football, so it suited me perfectly. We had some great players – Rob Scott, Billy Jones, Nicky Maynard, Kenny Lunt – all lads who went on to have good careers.

“That was a really special time for me. I still speak to a lot of them now – I still talk to Nicky and Luke. They’ve become proper mates. That Crewe team meant a lot to me.”

There was a lot of interest in you that season, and you eventually joined Norwich City. What was it like playing through that period of speculation?

“To be honest, I always knew I was going to leave Crewe. Dario Gradi was open about the club’s model – they needed to sell players to keep running. Once I told them I wasn’t going to sign a new deal, I didn’t play much football after that, which was a bit worrying.

“I was thinking, ‘I’m not playing, will the interest still be there at the end of the season?’ Thankfully, it was. I was about 23 or 24 at the time and playing really well, so that gave me confidence. Crewe’s style of play really helped me shine and get that move.”

“When I first went to Norwich, I knew straight away I wanted to be there. It’s one of those cities where everyone supports the club, everyone’s rooting for you.

“They’d just come down from the Premier League, so the expectation was to bounce straight back up. We had a good squad, but it didn’t quite happen that way. Over the next couple of seasons, we had a lot of managerial changes – I think I saw about eight managers come and go in three years!

“It became very disjointed, especially with so many loan players coming in. At one point, I counted only three of us actually contracted to the club. It made things difficult, but I still really enjoyed my time there overall.”

You played in that infamous 7–1 defeat to Colchester, and Paul Lambert, the man who managed Colchester that day, became your new manager a week later. What was that like?

“(Laughs) Yeah, that was a mad time. Before Paul Lambert came in, we’d had a few managers – Peter Grant, then Jim Duffy, then Bryan Gunn. It was all over the place.

“After that Colchester game – which was the first day of the season – losing 7–1, it was a nightmare. But when Lambert came in, he turned things around. He was probably one of the best managers I ever worked under.

“He took everything from the warm-ups, the training, even the cool-downs. He was so involved with the players. He made you feel part of it again. That result still sticks with me, even now, but Lambert’s impact was massive.”

You then moved to Southampton and played alongside players like José Fonte, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert. What was that experience like?

“José Fonte came from Crystal Palace, and you could tell straight away he was a top defender. I didn’t expect him to go on and win the Euros and the French title, but he deserves it — he’s had an amazing career.

That team had real quality. Lallana, Puncheon, Lambert – all of them went on to the Premier League and international football. I was only there for six months, but I loved it.

“I was gutted to leave. The club wanted to bring in Nathaniel Clyne, and even though that move didn’t happen straight away, it meant I had to go. I’d have loved to stay longer.”

You later joined Sheffield Wednesday, another huge club. Was that maybe the right club but the wrong time?

“That’s probably fair. Sheffield Wednesday are a massive club with a huge fanbase and big history. When a club like that comes in, it’s hard to say no.

“I went there full of ambition to get promoted, to get back to the Championship and push on. But I had a few injuries, and the team was a bit disjointed at the time.

“Alan Irvine was the manager, and he was brilliant. One of the best I’ve worked with. He didn’t really get a fair crack at it, but I really enjoyed working under him.”

You’ve spoken really positively about your time at MK Dons under Karl Robinson. What made that spell so enjoyable?

“I’ve known Karl since we were kids at Liverpool – his dad used to pick me up for training! So when I joined MK Dons, it felt like coming home.

“He actually tried to sign me a year earlier, but I went the following season, and I’m glad I did. I had some mates there already and settled in straight away.

It’s probably the most at home I’ve felt at a club since leaving Liverpool. The footballing style suited me perfectly – we played good, attacking football, and I really enjoyed it.”

When it came time to retire, how did you find that process?

“Honestly, I didn’t adapt well at all. When I left MK Dons, I went to the USA to train with San Jose Earthquakes and New England Revolution, hoping to play in MLS.

I was desperate to play abroad, but I was 30 or 31 and struggling with injuries – Achilles, hamstring, and knee operations. I broke down twice while on trial out there, and it just wasn’t meant to be.

“When I came back, I spoke to my family, and my brother said, ‘If I were you, I’d retire.’ At first, I was angry and frustrated, but he was probably right.

“I struggled with retirement for a few years. You don’t realise how much your identity is tied to football. From 16 to 31, that’s all I’d ever known. When it stops, and you’re suddenly in the real world, it’s tough.”

“My first manager, Gérard Houllier, has to be number one. At Liverpool, I was young and a bit of a handful, but he stuck with me when others might have given up. He believed in me and gave me my debut, and I’ll always be proud of that.

“Number two would be Paul Lambert. His man-management was second to none. Whether you were in the team or not, you felt part of it.

“Then, I’d say Karl Robinson and Alan Irvine together for third. Their sessions were brilliant – always fresh, always challenging. You actually looked forward to training every day under them, and they all had a positive impact on me.”