Socceroos striker Andrew Nabbout says he feels quicker and sharper than ever
After exercising some strong festive season discipline, Andrew Nabbout is ready to make up for lost time in the Socceroos’ Asian Cup defence.
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After exercising some strong festive season discipline, Andrew Nabbout is ready to make up for lost time in the Socceroos’ Asian Cup defence.
The World Cup bolter’s Russia 2018 campaign ended prematurely when he dislocated his shoulder in the draw with Denmark, before a miraculous recovery saw him return in good time.
Nabbout, 26, concedes he is a different person to the one that signed for Japanese giants Urawa Red Diamonds last March — and that includes his culinary outlook.
“I thought I knew sushi when I was in Australia, but you don’t know it until you go over there. ‘Yakitori’ (chicken skewers) I was smashing the last few weeks because my wife went back to (Melbourne) the last few weeks so I was out for dinner with the boys most nights and always tried something different,’’ Nabbout said.
“Just before I returned to Australia I ate raw chicken (‘torisashi’ or chicken sashimi).
“Everyone at the table started picking at it. I thought, ‘Surely I’m not the only one that will get sick’. A lot of restaurants serve it — raw or medium rare. It’s just a raw fillet and they put ginger and garlic on it. It was OK.
“Most places don’t have English menus, so that’s challenging. But often I just say, ‘I’ll eat what you boys eat’.
“It’s generally very healthy, not much of it is fried, the rice is steamed, so I lost a few kilos and I feel lighter, quicker, sharper and more agile.”
Coming from a Lebanese family, Christmas posed an obvious problem for Nabbout, just days before he was due to join Graham Arnold’s Socceroos squad in United Arab Emirates.
A Lebanese barbecue and associated rich, flavoursome dishes were replaced by a catered lunch, albeit with an Arab twist.
“That’s why it’s always tough coming back home because I have to kind of isolate myself from all the food. The Lebanese food is completely different (to Japanese),’’ Nabbout said.
“Christmas entails a lot of food with a Lebanese family but I tried and hold off as much as I could because I didn’t want to go into camp heavy.
“I didn’t want to spoil it for everyone else — it’s an important part of the year for everyone. So I just tucked myself away in a corner, watched everyone else and tucked into a chicken salad.”
Nabbout snuck in a Herald-Sun photoshoot during his Melbourne pit stop en route to the Asian Cup, and returned to his junior club Brunswick City. The visit made him reflect on an extraordinary journey.
Dumped by Melbourne Victory and a Malaysian second-tier club before he failed in a trial with A-League battler Central Coast, Newcastle Jets offered him an olive branch.
And just to underline how subjective soccer can be, Bert van Marwijk rated Nabbout as the most impressive A-League player he saw during a whistlestop local tour.
Van Marwijk not only elevated him into the squad but picked him as his No.1 striker ahead of regulars Tim Cahill and Tomi Juric.
“I feel like a different player now,’’ Nabbout said.
“To step out on to the pitch for the national team in a World Cup is amazing. You can’t really describe it in words — it’s a different level to anything I’ve ever felt before.
“I remember the first game against France and Millsy (Mark Milligan) turned around to me and said, ‘I just want you to soak it all in before we step out on the pitch and focus on your job’. And that’s exactly what I did.
“It was a massive confidence boost. It took a bit of a hit once I got injured because it took a while to get back, but you rise to a different level after playing (at a World Cup) and I carried it on to (Japan) and now hopefully the Asian Cup.”
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Originally published as Socceroos striker Andrew Nabbout says he feels quicker and sharper than ever
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