Wycombe striker Ali Al-Hamadi on his first team opportunities

Ali Al-Hamadi, who has two caps for the Iraqi national team, joined the Adams Park outfit on November 20, and was an unused substitute in the Chairboys’ 2-2 draw against AFC Wimbledon on December 11.

The striker has impressed manager Gareth Ainsworth in recent training sessions, but it was a chat with Mr Wycombe that initially instigated the former Swansea’s man move to South Bucks.

Newest kid on the block.@alikalhamadi was on target in a 5-0 practice match win over Kinetic Academy yesterday, and featured on the bench for the first time against Wimbledon.

He chatted to us about his decision to join Wycombe and how he's settled in so far.#Chairboys pic.twitter.com/2X8e52Gcdg

— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) December 15, 2021

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Speaking to the club, he said: “It’s been unbelievable.

“I have never been at a club like this before to be honest, and that is not just me saying it for the sake of it.

“Genuinely, everyone here are nice people and it was actually Blooms who was a big part of me coming here and I think a lot of people don’t know that.

“We actually crossed paths over a year ago and when he found out that I was leaving Swansea, he got in contact with me.”

The forward also hopes to learn off Adebayo Akinfenwa and Sam Vokes in order to help him make his first team debut.

Good couple of weeks. We keep it stepping in the right direction. My drive is being motivation for the trenches. 🙏🏽 #Chairboys pic.twitter.com/wZEEhqFsXm

— Ali Al-Hamadi (@alikalhamadi) December 15, 2021

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The youngster believes that the experience the two forwards possess will benefit his career, after he admitted that Wycombe's style of play is something he isn't used to.

Collectively, Vokes and Akinfenwa have scored 10 goals so far this campaign.

Al-Hamadi continued: “I’m in dreamland right now as I have got two of the most experienced strikers in the league, maybe in the top three leagues in England.

“They’ve got their own strengths in how they play which is probably a bit different to what I am used to because at Swansea, they like to play football on the floor.

“But, adding parts of their game to mine should help and they have been brilliant since I have arrived.

“They have offered me advice and they said if there’s anything I need, they are open to have a chat with me.

“I speak to Anis and Chris a lot, and seeing what they’re doing is exactly why I came here. The club believes in youth, and giving chances, and now it’s down to me to impress.”#Chairboys

— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) December 15, 2021

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“Just seeing what they are doing is exactly why I joined this club because they believe in youth and given people chances.

“But, it is down to me and I haven’t got a god given opportunity just because I have come from Swansea.

“I need to go out and prove it which I am hopefully doing in training, and then, hopefully in games.”

Al-Hamadi hopes to make his first team debut during the festive period, as Wycombe played Bolton on December 18, Cambridge on Boxing Day, Ipswich on December 29 and Charlton on New Year’s Day.