Exclusive: Inside Precision FC – why Dubai third-tier team are signing ex-Man Utd stars and EFL legends

Ravel Morrison this week joined Precision FC in the largest statement acquisition made thus far by a British-owned team in the UAE’s third tier, who claim Harry Arter and Joel Lynch among its ranks

Ravel Morrison was going to informal kickabouts with friends in Dubai when the opportunity to join an upstart club in the UAE’s third division arose.

This week marks two years since the former Manchester United sensation last began a meaningful game.

But when Morrison heard about Precision FC, a British-owned team in its second season, he asked manager and founder Sonny Cobbs whether there was room in a roster stacked with veterans like Matt Lowton and Harry Arter.

Morrison made his debut last Friday, coming off the bench in a 4-3 defeat to Elite Falcons, which included 13 British and Irish players.

And, as Cobbs puts it, Morrison’s arrival is a “landmark moment” for a team that wants to “become a movement” and eventually play in the Asian Champions League.

They may not have existed when Morrison made his final appearance for DC United, but Cobbs Precision FC is the result of almost a decade of effort.

Cobbs moved to Dubai twelve years ago with his sister, who worked for Emirates, and he noticed a vacuum in the market. He was a former Brighton youth team captain who had already opted to pursue a coaching career after falling down the ranks. And he quickly saw that the UAE’s infrastructure was ready for investment.

“I planned to play overseas but ended up in Beirut. But when I moved to Dubai, I committed myself to coaching,” he explains. “I felt Dubai was 10 or 20 years behind the UK so I wanted to create this new centre to give people opportunities.”

Plans have taken off from there. Cobbs, who has received considerable investment from undisclosed UK property investors, has spent £10 million on a training facility that he believes is one of the best in the Middle East.

Luke Shaw and Ross Barkley have visited for off-season exercises, as have the Wolves and Southampton young squads.

It has cutting-edge technology and, most importantly, a bar and restaurant where new fans can interact during games in a league that is often watched by a small group of friends and family.

Cobbs claims that the initial team is only one component of the larger project, but it is the one that has garnered the most attention.

The goal is to be promoted again this season, and he has already identified property to build a new stadium. “The players aren’t getting paid huge amounts of money,” he says. “They are here because they love it, because they’re enjoying it.”

Skipper Joel Lynch, who played with Cobbs in Brighton’s academy before leaving Crawley in the final year of his contract to become Precision’s first signing, backs up that allegation.

“I feel like I’ve seen everything in football, the ups and downs and different characters,” adds the quarterback. “But this was from scratch. It’s been like a huge, enjoyable game for us. It’s really thrilling and fast-paced.

“Ultimately, we are here to win. It’s rigorous and professional, but I want a changing room climate that encourages players to work hard.