Joe Lolley interview: Ex-Nottingham Forest midfielder on why he swapped the City Ground for Sydney FC | Football News

Joe Lolley turns his phone around and reveals the spectacular view from his clifftop home, which overlooks Sydney’s famous coastline.

It’s 7pm in Australia, where summer has arrived. Groups of beachgoers remain on the sand, catching the last of the evening sun, while golden hour illuminates the 30-year-old’s kitchen as he makes time for a chat with Sky Sports’ Dan Long.

This is Lolley’s life now.

It is a world away from the brisk British winter setting in 10,500 miles away in Nottingham, where he had spent the last four-and-a-half seasons playing for Nottingham Forest.

Earlier this year, the final two of his 171 appearances in Garibaldi red helped the historic giants of English football reach the Championship play-off final, in which they would triumph over Huddersfield – ironically, his former club – to secure a return to the Premier League after almost a quarter-of-a-century away.

It begs the question: what prompted a move to the other side of the world just under seven months later?

« I wasn’t a regular starter in the season we got promoted, but I had a year left on my contract, so I was thinking about whether to try and find somewhere to play regular football, » Lolley explains in an exclusive interview.

« In the end, I decided to stay for a year and do what I could to just be around the squad and help in whatever way I could. Then, a week into pre-season, I found out I wasn’t part of the plans.

« I wasn’t bitter that I had to leave, but the way in which it was done. I’d played a lot of games for the club, was very close with a lot of players and I had a good relationship with the club and the fans, who deserve to be in the Premier League.

« In many ways, I guess they took it out of my hands and it made the decision easier that it was time to leave. »

From there, the process of finding a new club accelerated at a rapid – almost breakneck – pace.

During the first week of August, Lolley was reported to be training with Forest’s U23 side; by August 15, he had signed a two-year deal with Sydney FC, who have former Premier League players Adam Le Fondre and Jack Rodwell in their squad.

It was he who initiated first contact, too.

« I’d always wanted to play abroad, » he admits. « I played close to nine years in the Championship and had been promoted twice, so I felt like what was there sort of left to achieve and prove in the Championship?

« There were talks with other clubs and a bit of interest, but nothing that really stood out and was exciting. Funnily enough, it was me who messaged Adam. I knew him a little bit, but we weren’t friends as such.

« He then spoke to the people at the top at Sydney who called me straight away, said they really wanted me. It all became very real very quickly and because they wanted me and I wanted to go, it made things a lot easier.

« I felt like a little kid again. You just don’t get lucky enough to come and live somewhere as beautiful as this as well as doing something that you love.

« And it helped, especially the first few days, to have faces I was familiar with and English boys with a lot of mutual connections. The lads here are all just nice, down to Earth guys and within a week, I felt like I was right in the mix and part of a really good dressing room.

« You’re not really pampered as much here either; everyone has got to chip in and do little things, which is refreshing. »

The 2022/23 A-League season began on October 8 and four-time winners Sydney, who finished, uncharacteristically, eighth last season have got off to something of a sluggish start, with two wins and three defeats from six games.

Steve Corica’s men are yet to taste league victory at the newly rebuild Allianz Stadium, though they did beat Celtic 2-1 in the Sydney Super Cup on November 17.

Lolley, meanwhile, has got off to a solid start in his new environment, scoring twice in six competitive appearances, and he says the extra pre-season period afforded to him was beneficial.

He adds: « When I left Forest, there was four or five weeks in between that and signing for Sydney. I almost didn’t train from after the play-off final for three months apart from the first week when I went back after pre-season, so I needed it when I first came over. It was good to have that little bit of extra time to get up to speed in terms of fitness.

« One of the reasons I want to join was being able to be back playing in my position further forward on the right and sometimes go on the left as well. Those are the positions where I want to be.

« We did unbelievably at Forest last year, but I was coming on as a No 10, which I’ve never really played as, and it gets you a bit because, as much as you just accept the position because how well the team is doing, part of you wants to enjoy playing and enjoy playing in your position.

« I’ve been able to come out and get back to enjoying football again and enjoying the things I’ve done throughout my career. I feel like I’m back to two or three years ago.

« You are run a lot over here; the lads are fit and we’re expected to run a lot. The games become quite open, especially in the last 30 minutes. All the teams just try and win, but the standard and the quality is very good and we do play fewer games here, which is helpful and allows me to manage my body a little better. »

As well as being able to pursue a new, more fruitful future on the pitch, Lolly admits this was a lifestyle choice, too.

« I’m very lucky in that I can just walk down to the beach within 20 seconds, » he says with a grin.

« When the weather’s nice, I’m always down there. I love being by the sea and just relaxing – it’s a pretty nice way to live. I had my family over recently and we went into the city, too. I’ve seen plenty already, but when I get the opportunity, I’ll be able to go and explore a few more things.

« I do miss playing golf with my mates back home, but the weather is rubbish now anyway, so I probably wouldn’t be playing much over the next three or four months! Naturally, I miss my friends and family, but apart from that, I don’t miss a lot.

« I can see myself staying here for as long as I possibly can, to be honest. »

So is it Christmas on the beach this year?

« It looks like it! We’ve got a game on Christmas Eve, so we’ve got Christmas Day off, which will be the first time in a while. It’s not as hectic a schedule either, so we don’t have a game for a week until New Year’s Day.

« It will be nice to enjoy a few drinks on the beach on Christmas Day and get into the spirit of things. »

« When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, » the cheesy saying goes. That is exactly what Joe Lolley has done.