Ollie Watkins Embraces New Challenge at Al-Hilal
Ollie Watkins says his move to Al-Hilal is about far more than a lucrative contract or a change of shirt. For the England international, it is a life reset.
The former Aston Villa striker, who joined the Saudi Roshn League champions this summer, has already begun to make his mark on the pitch. He came off the bench to score in the 3-0 win over Al-Ahli last Tuesday, then earned his first start in yesterday’s 2-0 victory over Al-Shabab, a game in which he failed to score but completed the full 90 minutes.
A new challenge, a new life
Speaking after the win over Al-Shabab, in quotes carried by Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Watkins laid out the thinking behind his decision.
“Personally, I wanted to take on a new challenge that was offered to me and my family,” he said.
For Watkins, this is not just a football move; it is a relocation of an entire life.
“We have lived in the United Kingdom our whole lives, and moving here and exploring a new culture is a very wonderful experience,” he explained.
The 28-year-old stressed how quickly he and his family have been embraced in Riyadh.
“Everyone welcomed us warmly and were not sparing with any help,” he said, describing a soft landing in what could have been a jarring transition.
Embracing Al-Hilal’s weight of expectation
Watkins is under no illusions about the size of the club he has joined.
“Playing for a club the size of Al-Hilal, as the biggest of Saudi Arabia's clubs, is an amazing opportunity for me,” he said. “I came here to win championships and titles.”
That is the bar at Al-Hilal: trophies, not just goals. Yet Watkins knows his role in that pursuit, and he did not shy away from a bold promise.
“I promise the fans to score plenty of goals,” he declared.
Adapting to the Saudi game
Two games in, Watkins is still feeling his way into a very different environment. The heat, the rhythm, the style — all of it demands adjustment.
“The tempo of play is very good,” he said when asked about the league’s level. “It is natural for the pace of the match to slow down at times because of the high temperatures, but the league features players of extremely high quality, and I will adapt quickly to the weather conditions.”
He freely admitted he is not yet at full tilt.
“I did not take part in the pre-season preparations, so I am currently working on fully regaining my fitness and physical rhythm,” Watkins said. Then came a teaser for what he believes is around the corner: “Wait for me soon, as you may see me score more than one goal in a single match in the upcoming games.”
Building chemistry
Against Al-Shabab, Watkins finally got a full match under his belt, an important step for a player dropped into a squad still being reshaped.
“Today I played a full match, in different conditions,” he noted. “There are new elements that recently joined Al-Hilal, and I am one of them, and we are all going through a phase of integration and adaptation at the moment.”
That process, he insists, will sharpen with time.
“The harmony and chemistry between us will certainly develop over time,” he concluded. “But the most important thing for us today is to achieve the win and collect all the points.”
The goals, he has promised, will come. The question now is how quickly he can turn that vow into the kind of ruthless scoring run that defines a season in Riyadh.
