‘No Bystanders” reads the message on one of Tosin Adarabioyo’s T-shirts. They are lyrics from the American rapper Travis Scott, but the Fulham centre back smiles at the idea that the words also capture his mindset.
“No bystanders! That’s definitely my approach to life,” Tosin says. “That’s been my personality from a young age.” Growing up in Whalley Range, a mile from Old Trafford where he is set to play for Fulham on Saturday, Tosin’s approach has always been: don’t just stand by, don’t just watch, get involved, seize the moment. Assertiveness shapes his career, leaving Manchester City when he felt the pathway narrow, and opening up at Fulham.
Tosin, the name that adorns his Fulham No 4 shirt, is very driven. “Hard work is part of it but the determining factor is my focus,” he says. “I know where I want to go and the levels I’m able to achieve.”
We meet for an hour on Thursday, in a quiet cafe near his Thameside home, after which Tosin goes back to watch clips of Rasmus Hojlund, United’s in-form forward, and then to research others on Friday when it emerged that the Dane was injured.
The 26-year-old relishes the challenge of elite attackers. Even though Fulham lost their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool, Tosin prevented Darwin Núñez scoring in the second leg, a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.
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“He’s powerful, doesn’t stop running, can score goals, he’s a nuisance,” Tosin says of the Uruguayan. “I did my research on him. There are certain times where the ball is in certain places where he makes certain runs. Núñez loves to run behind. He’s unbelievably quick, so I’m glad I’m able to match that with my pace.”
He tried to match Erling Haaland at the Cottage last April, and at least stopped the City forward from scoring in open play. “Let’s start with him being physically absolutely unbelievable,” Tosin says. “He never stops making those runs into the six-yard box, you can’t switch off at any moment. It’s a physical and mental challenge with Haaland.
“With Arsenal, there’s a completely different challenge to Haaland because you’ve not really got somebody to mark, which can be strange at times. You just have to be careful because they like to drag centre halves out of position and exploit behind them.”
Tosin has always been a defender, playing with the children from his street and his two brothers in Whalley Range.
“My brothers are elder than me and that helped,” he says. “I learned that ‘no bystanders’ thing from them. I’d always be outside playing football after school but mum was, ‘Hey, get your homework done.’ ”
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Local clubs soon queued up to get Tosin to train with them. “My mum was driving me all over,” he says. “To The Cliff at United, Platt Lane for City and one of the scouts at Blackburn picked me up to go to Brockhall [training grounds].
“My mum made every sacrifice needed. She’d leave the house at crazy times, to do a cleaning job. It was tough for her. There were times when she had bills to pay, but as a spoiled, ridiculous kid I was crying for a McDonald’s after school. All she had was £10 left, and she spent that on me to get food. She played the lottery that day, won £20! She was crying, thanking God — ‘I’ve got enough money to pay the bills’.
“My mum taught me a lot of values. How to speak to people, be courteous, be on time. A lot which I am very thankful for because I’ve turned out to be a half-decent man.”
Having joined City aged five, strong guidance also came from the likes of Des Coffey, the club’s player care and support officer, and Jason Wilcox, his under-18s coach now at Southampton and tipped for a role at United. “The coaching was top level,” he says. “I learned so much from Jason. He was always pushing me, telling me I need to get close to the first team and supporting me, and I managed to do so.”
Tosin made his City debut at 19 under Manuel Pellegrini in a 5-1 FA Cup defeat by Chelsea. Loan spells at West Bromwich Albion and especially Blackburn Rovers accelerated his development.
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“I absolutely loved Tony Mowbray at Rovers. My prayers are with him [Mowbray is fighting a medical condition]. I hope he’s well. Amazing guy. Being a centre half, he gave me advice. I had some bad habits but Tony got them out of me.”
At the time, Tosin would get drawn out of his right centre-back position if the left winger had the ball. Mowbray got him to concentrate more, and get back into position quicker. “I make numerous clearances from crosses now,” Tosin says.
He was part of a talented City generation with Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden coming through. Sancho’s career has drifted but Tosin knows he will bounce back. “Sanch is a top player. He’s going to find his level again. I have full belief in him.”
As for Foden, Tosin says: “Since he was a young boy in the academy you’d hear stories about things Phil would do. His technical ability is absurd. He’s just so technically clean, everything seems so easy for him. He manipulates the ball however he wants.
“I think his best position is midfield in the pocket. Phil on the half-turn is something else. Him and [Kevin] De Bruyne in those pockets are ridiculous.”
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Tosin learned so much, training and playing briefly with Vincent Kompany and John Stones. “Vinny was always giving me advice which I always appreciated, maybe I was out of position or in a position too early and Vinny would go, ‘Hold your horses and then push out wide’ or know when to be aggressive on a striker,” he says.
“I learned a lot from Stonesy. He’s one of the best centre backs in the Premier League with his understanding of the game, playing ability and positioning. I very rarely see him struggling. I still watch him now. Watching Stonesy is when I really understood where to move the ball. Stonesy implements Pep’s [Guardiola’s] philosophy into his game perfectly.
“My ball-playing went to another level under Pep. What makes Pep special? Countless things! I don’t think anybody understands the game like Pep. A lot of players have said, ‘I thought I understood football until I played under Pep’. That’s the truth.
“The pre-game tactics [talks] are amazing. He’s very good at psychology. He understands what things would make the opposition player do certain actions — a simple bounce pass, for example, Pep knows will make a certain player turn left.”
Tosin played eight times for City before deciding to leave aged 23. “I became a bit impatient. I was coming to an end at City. I needed to get out there and play regular football.” No bystanders? “Correct.”
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Fulham beckoned for a bargain £2 million. “It is special playing there, a bit smaller than other grounds but it’s kept that heritage, keeping the cottage,” he says.
Tosin loves playing under Marco Silva. “He’s demanding, but we really enjoy it,” he says of the Fulham head coach. “They [training sessions] are lengthy and it can be quite intense. I think he gets carried away sometimes but he just wants the best for us and team. His man-management and tactics are brilliant.”
Silva needs his man-management skills to juggle four centre backs; Tim Ream, Calvin Bassey, Issa Diop and Tosin. In a recent fans’ poll, the Tosin-Bassey axis featured prominently. “Me and Calvin have had some good games together this season,” he says. “We have that trust that when either gives an instruction we know that, ‘OK, I can commit to this 100 per cent because I know Calvin is there to cover or I’m there for him.’ ”
Tosin could have been at the Africa Cup of Nations with Bassey and Nigeria. Also eligible for England, he could even be at the Euros. “England have good centre halves like Stones, but I’d definitely back myself to be a top international footballer,” he says.
“Every player has ambitions to reach those tournaments, just like I have the ambitions to reach the highest points of club football, too. We all know my contract’s up in the summer but all things are still possible. My main focus is on having a good end to the season.”
Is he a Champions League level player? “I believe so.” He made four appearances for City in Europe’s elite competition. Sergio Ramos, the former Real Madrid centre back, was someone he looked up to.
“He’s all in. Do what you’ve got to do to win, I believe, do everything to win at all costs,” Tosin says. Simulation? “I can’t say I’m pro-diving at all, of course not. VAR is now there to protect us from diving and referees are a lot better at spotting dives now.”
I ask Tosin if there’s one thing he’d change about the game. After a long pause, he replies: “I’d just get rid of VAR. Only use VAR for offsides. Let the refs do the rest of the officiating.”
Tosin talks up João Palhinha, Fulham’s in-demand midfielder. “As a No 6, he’s able to cover so much ground which just helps the team recover the ball, and start that transition again. You can see the amount of interceptions and tackles he makes. It’s ridiculous. The impact he’s able to have on the team is massive.”
There are no bystanders in this team, certainly not Tosin.
“As soon as I see the pitch, I’m ready to go, especially once I touch the ball,” he says. “A chemical reaction happens in your body. There’s not many better feelings than having a ball at your feet, making some amazing passes. I love the game. I’d be playing five-a-sides with my friends if I wasn’t playing professionally.”
Tosin Adarabioyo: always the participant, never the bystander.
