United’s engine room needs some energy, is a forgotten England midfielder the man for the job?

Hargreaves is sorely missed in Manchester Utd's engine room

It’s always after a defeat in football that the critical post mortem of a team begins, with every reason for a loss being dissected and discussed. That’s probably what is happening right now in the minds of Manchester United fans after their disappointing performance in their 2-0 defeat against arch-rivals Liverpool.

Coming into the match, the contrasting fortunes in both teams was striking. United had been on a successful run of games without defeat, culminating in the midweek Champions League victory over CSKA Moscow in Russia. Not vintage Manchester United, but doing enough to get the job done. Meanwhile Liverpool had suffered a miserable week, cursing their anger towards a red beach ball that cost them three points against Sunderland, and then conceding a last minute goal against Lyon at Anfield as first signs of discontent were muttered around Anfield. Manager Rafael Benitez has been on the receiving end of rumours and questions about his future, but has remained calm in the face of it all.

But, from a Liverpool perspective, there’s no better way to alleviate the pressure by getting the result of beating champions United at Anfield, without skipper Steven Gerrard although striker Fernando Torres returned and had an impact in the final outcome of the game.

Torres opened the deadlock in the 65th minute after being put through by Yossi Benayoun and shrugging off Rio Ferdinand to slam the ball past a helpless Edwin Van Der Sar in the United net. After the Spaniard was substituted, his replacement, Daniel N’gog got on the scoresheet in the final seconds to put the result to bed.

United were left scratching their heads as to how they could have performed disappointingly in a game in which they were coming into, in the right frame of mind after victory in midweek. But their defeat brought a question of the missing ingredient lacking in the United engine room, the grafter who runs and harasses the opposition midfield and is able to keep control of possession whilst looking for a positive ball forward. In the past year, that ingredient has been Scotland captain Darren Fletcher, much maligned in gone years but has now become a firm fans favourite after impressing when called upon.

But after shelling out £18m for him, United are eagerly keen to welcome back England midfielder Owen Hargreaves into their squad after nearing recovery from worrying knee problems. Rumours surfaced that Hargreaves’ career may come to a premature end but the Canadian born defensive midfielder is three weeks away from a possible first team comeback.

Fletcher has to be praised for becoming a mainstay in United’s side but it’s the all around experience of Hargreaves is what fans would most love and why Sir Alex Ferguson signed him from Bayern Munich in 2006. Hargreaves, winner of many medals in Germany and of a European Cup with Bayern (he added another European Cup medal after helping United to a penalty shootout win against Chelsea in 2008), his experience in big game situations has been sorely missed.

He impressed in his first season at Old Trafford, injury permitting and his big game showings against Arsenal in the league, and the Champions League final against Chelsea showed what he brought in the midfield area.

The long standing injury problem had to be resolved and after spending a year out on the sidelines, Hargreaves’ return will add much needed energy into the engine room which despite Fletcher’s performances, still needs that extra bit so United can avoid defeat in the big four games.

Not only domestically do United need Hargreaves’ hard graft, but also in Europe where last season ended on a disappointing note after suffering a 2-0 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League final. Thus ending their hopes of being the first team to successfully defend the trophy since it’s re-branding. Barcelona midfielders Xavi and Andres Iniesta showed their immense technical quality, leaving skipper Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick and Anderson trailing in their wake as they helped secure the Catalan giants’ third European Cup.

United will have to survive without Hargreaves for another three weeks at least as Ferguson keeps him wrapped in cotton wool to avoid another setback. But, once fully fit and firing, Hargreaves could become a new midfield signing who could provide Fabio Capello with a dilemma heading into next year’s World Cup in South Africa.

The curtain raiser to the new season edges near…

Ancelotti and Ferguson set to meet again, this time on English soil

Time flies quickly in the footballing world, it wasn’t too long ago when Manchester United’s players were standing around in the Stadio Olympico feeling deflated, minutes after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League final. Months later, with arrivals and departures in the players lounge, the new season draws near and the expectations rise again.

In the summer of big spending, United have been relatively low key in their purchases. Spending the money received from Cristiano Ronaldo’s world record transfer to Real Madrid, they bought Wigan’s Luis Antonio Valencia for £17m, another £3m on unknown Frenchman Gabriel Obertan and a shock free signing of ex-Liverpool forward Michael Owen. A far cry from the big names United, in the aftermath of Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez’s exit from Old Trafford, were linked with Franck Ribery, David Silva, Karim Benzema and other international stars.

But what Manchester United, unlike Real Madrid, are not a team of ‘Galacticos’. The strength and success at United is down to good squad conditioning, buying experienced players such as Owen alongside promising individuals like Valencia and Obertan.

It would have been too easy to spend £50-60m on Ribery, just to satisfy those fans wanting a ‘big name’ to replace Ronaldo but history shows that the unknown can prove to be a better player than the huge star. When David Beckham left in 2003 to join Madrid, it was a certain Portuguese at the age of 17, who wore the number seven shirt and showed his wizardary on the wing.

That’s why the Ecuadorian Valencia could be a perfect signing and a different type of player to Ronaldo, who used his skills, energy and pace to burst his way into the goal socring charts over the past three years. Valencia will not offer the number of goals Ronaldo could, but has shown in the pre-season games that he will be more the provider and that can only bode well for the United strike force.

Frenchman Obertan was a surprise signing from French champions Bordeaux, he is another unknown but potential star. Playing mainly on the left wing, he is seen as another replacement for Ryan Giggs but he is currently on the treatment table recovering from an injury.

Out of all the signings, Owen has shown excellent pre-season form and hinting that his signing by Sir Alex Ferguson could prove to be a bargain signing. He’s looked deadly in the box and scored a beauty of a goal on the tour in the Far East after an exquisite touch by Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov, who also should reap the benefits of the exits of Ronaldo and Tevez.

United boss Ferguson has injury issues ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield clash with Chelsea, with goalkeeper and defensive problems. Edwin Van Der Sar, Nemanja Vidic, Gary Neville and Wes Brown are unavailable with Ben Foster and Tomasz Kusczak looking to replace the Dutchman in goal for the eight weeks he will be out for.

All eyes are on the Community Shield, as United and Chelsea will nudge up the pre-season energy levels. Chelsea, under the management of Carlo Ancelotti will be looking for an early trophy to boost their own confidence under a new manager. I’m not expecting any huge fireworks, but an energetic kick about in the Wembley sun.

Khan seals his place as The King after winning the WBA World light-welterweight crown

Khan puts in his best performance to date to win his first World title

It was dubbed “The Man Who Would Be King” and Amir Khan showed why he deserved that title after putting in his finest performance to date to beat Ukraining Andreas Kotelnik and grab the WBA World light-weltweight crown in the MEN Arena in Manchester.

His rehabilitation under renowned American trainer Freddie Roach came full circle as he produced a dominant display against Kotelnik and brush any memories of his devastating 52 second knockout by Breidis Prescott last September, well and truly under the carpet.

At the start of his professional career, Khan became known for knocking out his mediocre opponents quickly and thus every fight brought the question, which round will he knock him out? It was the same question that shadowed his loss to Prescott and his urgency to send him sprawling to the canvas backfired badly.

This time, Khan put in a performance of maturity, composure and concentration and will have silenced some his critics, myself included. Despite beating former world champion Marco Antonio Barrera due to a nasty the cut Mexican got, I was still unsure whether Khan had really improved, although the signs were there. Tonight, he went through only his second twelve round battle and came through with flying colours and the world title he so badly wanted.

Roach, who’s masterminded the fortunes of the pound for pound king Manny Pacquaio, has only accelerated his reputation as the finest boxing trainer on the planet at the moment. Khan’s improvement in his footwork, more thought out combinations in his punching and refusing to go down, is all down to Roach’s wizardary as a trainer.

For Khan, only good thing await the Olympic silver medalist. I for one, hope he will resist the lure of fighting good mate Ricky Hatton and go on to a huge fight in the States. The man from Bolton, is now well and truly, The King.

Soho Square’s reaction to scandal and controversies are revealed by Davies

Don't expect any new blockbuster revelations but just honesty and passion from Davies

England’s football team has had its fair share of triumph, tragedy and penalty heartaches over the years. With no silverware in the cabinet since the 1966 World Cup win over Germany, since then, the Football Association has been a regular visitor of the sports’ back pages for whatever reason. Former executive director David Davies gives a behind the scenes look inside the governing body, in his book FA Confidential.

Since joining the FA in 1994, Davies has seen the highs and lows of a footballing organisation under constant surveillance by the football community and the media. From England players’ drunken night antics before the European Championships in 1996, to witnessing the revolving door at FA HQ in Soho Square bringing in a new England manager. Working under four England managers (Terry Venables, Glenn Hoddle, Kevin Keegan and Sven Goran Eriksson), Davies was in the midst of fire-fighting on negative stories on England, and trying to move the organisation forward.

Under Eriksson’s reign, the Swedish coach delivered in competitive games and has an excellent record during his five years as England coach. But, Eriksson’s tenure as manager will also be remembered for the scandals, affairs and controversy and one, which drew in an innocent Davies. When his PA, Faria Alam accused the FA of unfair dismissal and sexual harassment by Davies, he was plunged into despair and shockingly, not given any backing by his employers. Always a confident figure in public, Davies fought back resiliently which resulted in Alam’s case being dismissed emphatically. Alam’s behaviour encapsulated what is wrong with Britain’s society today as she made £410,000 in selling her story to newspapers and TV whilst humiliating Davies, who was a caring employer and who was keen to improve women’s roles within the FA.

Most football fans wonder what life is like inside the plush headquarters of English football, and this book reveals the lid on the frantic working in the FA. If you’re expecting a conveyor belt of ‘revelations’ then you might be disappointed. There aren’t any jaw dropping bits of news, but just shows the behind the scenes work of when stories such as scandals and affairs have rocked the FA.

What you don’t get in revelations, Davies’ book delivers on his passion for the game. Having witnessed the World Cup triumph in 1966, and his subsequent love for Manchester United, Davies has a clear footballing passion that shows through as he explains his early life, schooling, meeting his wife and a career in journalism. This lead to a position at the FA, where his face was always associated with the FA.

FA Confidential is a good read for any football fan, to discover how the country’s football body privately dealt with the scandals and stories that stunned the organisation. Davies comes out looking as a very well respected person within the game and who strived to make a difference in the sport which he loved so much.

FA Confidential, David Davies, Simon & Schuster, 347 pages, £17.99

The darker side of Saudi Arabia’s regime besides it’s successes from oil

Sandy Mitchell, was stuck in Saudi jail for two and a half years for a crime he didn't commit

Imagine you’re enjoying the sunshine in a foreign country, when out of the blue, you’re hustled into a car and on the way to a place in a dark and dirty jail cell and accused of a crime you didn’t commit. Then follows an inhumane time of torture, interrogation and beatings. That’s what Scottish anesthetic technican Sandy Mitchell endured in two and a half years in jail in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Babylon: Torture, Corruption and Cover Up In the House of Saud gives a detailed insight into what Mitchell and other Westerners suffered at the hands of sadistic Saudi intelligence officers, keen to show no mercy to the people they had locked up. But it’s not all grim, the book gives an interesting historical story on the origins of Saudi Arabia and it’s huge Royal family.

The middle part of the book is like a movie that has too many sub-plots and the main storyline has left the audience absolutely confused. It goes into detail to describe the make up of the House of Saud and the companies, contracts that the various Prince’s hold control of.

At the same time it’s hugely intriguing the vast amounts of money that the Royal family deals in, some Prince’s have a vast property catalogue that has luxurious houses in Los Angeles and other exotic places in the world. But also big yachts, and millions of dollars of deals taking place. The life of a Saudi prince must so hard with all that money and lavish lifestyle on hand to cater to there every move, isn’t it?

With huge incomings of money can see corruption take place and the book has comments on Prince’s receiving millions of dollars worth of bribes, for their own little piggy bank. While the majority of the Saudi public, most of the mainly young, suffering from unemployment and a lack of job opportunities.

The overriding feeling on the book is the shocking, harrowing and brutally descriptive torture of Mitchell and other Westerners, all of them who were innocent people, charged with crimes they couldn’t have thought of even committing. It was done by the Saudi regime to brush under the carpet the notion of Islamic terrorism in their country and bury themselves into a deep state of denial.

Margeret Dunn, the sister of Mitchell, is left with feelings of anguish and despair as she tries to get her brother released from Saudi Arabia. Here, she comes up against a big, bricked wall in the form of the Foreign Office, who show a serious lack of urgency to help Sandy and are more concerned about upsetting their friends in Saudi.

Saudi Babylon is an informative book as it looks at the history of Saudi Arabia which is keen for it’s deserts and lands filled with oil, but it delves deeper into the darker, dangerous side of the regime that allows torture to innocent people.

Saudi Babylon: Torture, Corruption and Cover Up in the House of Saud, Mainstream Publishing, 239 pages, £15.99

Husain’s journey from an Islamist to his own personal reformation in his religious beliefs

A book I wasnt initially keen on reading at first but was left impressed

“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” is what the saying goes, something that I did all too quickly when plucking out The Islamist by Ed Husain from a bookshelf in my local library. I made an assumption that I knew what the book about Islamic extremists would include, but after reading, I was left pleasantly surprised.

My initial feelings before reading were that it would be about how Husain went from extremism to a dramatic transformation where he renounced his previous beliefs. The book cover entitled ‘Why I joined radical Islam in Britain, what I saw inside and why I left’ gave me an eerie feeling that my thoughts about the book were correct.  To some degree it was, but it added unique depth into his turn around as he went digging deeper to find some much needed relaxation to him as a person.

Husain reveals the journey he went through from being a 16-year-old and joining radical organisations to his own personal scepticisms of what he was promoting, to undergoing his own deeper investigation into Islam and its different understandings. This involved trips to Syria and then Saudi Arabia, where he continued to show the other side of the country where Islam’s holiest sites are based. It also looks at the cultural differences in the Arab world and the UK, as he tries to understand the view point of different form of Islam such as Wahabbism.

I found myself agreeing with some of Husain’s post-extremism life, especially in the last few chapters as he discusses his return to Britain after a two year spell in Syria and Saudi Arabia. Such as his feelings on the political situation here, and the role of race and religion that played in voting for political party candidates. Something that I have noticed the trend of voting because “We know this guy and he’s Pakistani” or Muslim etc, so lets vote for him. In the local elections this year, I decided to vote for the Liberal Democrats rather than vote for Labour, as some of my family members were as one of the candidates was something who we knew.

Personally, anyone who decides to transform their lives from bad or incorrect ways and genuinely tries to become a better person deserves recognition for being able to realise that they need to make a change.

But in the circles of Islamic extremism, these ‘transformations’ are viewed very cynically as a money making opportunity and a chance to avoid a spell in Her Majesty’s pleasure in a jail cell. An example of this would be ex-extremist Hasan Butt, who I do remember renouncing his ways and was about to start work on a book, so it’s expected to attract thoughts of earning some pounds to their bank balances.

With Husain’s book, I get the feeling he was someone who was impressionable and found himself in a web of mixed emotions. After a student was stabbed to death by a friend of his, it began a long journey of establishing a peaceful soul within himself.

To conclude, it’s easy to have a cynical point of view and say “He did it for the money” which he is entitled to earn a living from his experiences. But as a first time reader of this particular type of book, it was an insight into a world that I fortunately, have never gone and never will go close to.

The Islamist, Ed Hussain, Penguin Books, 286 pages, £8.99

Ferguson keeps the pennies in the bank to buy a transfer ‘bargain’…

Owen cut a frustrated figure in an injury hit spell at Newcastle

In the heyday of when he scored goals in front a delirious Kop at Anfield and a national treasure, the sentence of “Michael Owen to join Manchester United” would never even have come into the mind of the striker himself. But as a troublesome season came to an end in relegation at Villa Park, the ex-Liverpool forward is set to resurrect his career at Old Trafford.

News filtered through late afternoon that United had exploratory talks with Owen’s advisors, but come this morning, the 29-year-old had already undergone a stern medical on his knee and close to joining the Premier League champions.

A couple of weeks ago, Owen had probably resigned himself to accepting that he’d have to join the likes of Hull or Stoke to continue playing in the Premier League to have a chance of resurrecting his England career. But Sir Alex Ferguson has given Owen a lifeline with a golden ticket return to the big time, by joining the club Liverpool fans have a passion of hate for.

At first, it was a bizarre choice by the Old Trafford supremo. Why sign a striker who’d ended last season with a relegated club, had spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch and seemed a player who’s sell by date was nearing?

But, in the cold light of day, it could turn out to be a bargain buy for the Old Trafford club. No transfer fee to pay which means no money to be taken out of the £80m transfer kitty that United have got due to the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo, buying a striker who has a proven goalscoring record at Premier League level and has that finishing ability that at times last season, eluded United’s attacking array of talent.

And finally, it’s no win no lose situation. If Owen fails due to injury or unable to produce the goals, then with a reduced salary, it’s no big loss. However, United’s squad is littered with attacking service and that has been improved with the signing of Wigan’s Luis Antonio Valencia, it seems inconceiveable that Owen will struggle to get help in putting the ball into the back of the net.

Also, Owen’s arrival could impact on his one-time England strike partner Wayne Rooney. Last season, Rooney at times played on the left wing where he showed promise but Owen’s entry could see the ex-Everton forward play in the role that he’s good at, and importantly enjoys playing in.

In the midst of transfer speculation and big names linked to Old Trafford, Owen was the last name United fans expected to be joining the players at Carrington when they resume pre-season training next week. But, Owen could turn out to be Sir Alex’s best instinct purchases in recent years.

“The King of Sting” reveals all on how the Sheikh has succeeded in the world of tabloid journalism

Mahmood, after years of investigative journalism, has revealed how his big scoops were done

Ever dreamed of what life must be like as a rich, flamboyant Sheikh living in the sunny climates of the Arab world? The News of the World’s investigative journalist Mazher Mahmood became a Sheikh himself, not to take advantage of the plush lifestyle that accompanies the title (He can’t afford it anyway!) but as a disguise to fool the wealthy and prosperous personas in the public eye.

“The King of Sting” reveals all in his book, Confessions Of A Fake Sheik how he fooled some of the world’s biggest personalities into his fake Sheikh persona and get front page splashes for his paper.

Mahmood’s first investigative scoop came back in his home city of Birmingham, where he uncovered the sales of pirate videos being sold. This was the spark that ignited his fire for investigative journalism. After phone calls and discussions with the News of the World, it wasn’t long till he had his desk at the newspaper, the man behind their investigations team.

Thus began a journey filled with exposes of football chairman’s lining their pockets at the expense of their fans, raunchy meetings with porn stars and one who charged a mad $60,000 for just one night of passion and meeting royalty in the form of the Countess of Wessex.

The News of the World, as a entertaining, celebrity driven red top has similar characteristic to Mahmood’s book as it’s written with humour, but also genuine disgust at the people he’s uncovered and successfully brought charges against.

One example is the raiding of a children’s hostel that was owned by Terry Vaivona and his wife Rosemary, a seemingly caring, law abiding couple. After a tip off, Mahmood went undercover and obtained a gruesome video tape that showed the couple abusing young girls and boys. This resulted in one young girl writing to the NoW journalist to thank him for saving her life.

Mahmood does have his critics, which he believes is unjust. Broadsheet writers have attacked the Birmingham-born reporter for his journalistic methods, but Mahmood has strenuously rejected their thoughts.

Investigative journalism is a tool that is needed by journalists to uncover those of wrongdoing, when children are saved from abuse by those who are supposed to be looking after them, Mahmood deserves nothing but praise.

Although admittedly, some of the scoops entailed in his book, I do wonder what the motivation was for them besides an easy front page splash. Did the public really want to know the world’s most expensive hooker wanted $60,000 for a night of sex?

His book is still an enjoyable read for those who wanted the inside track on how Mahmood created the Sheikh after purchasing the costume from an Islamic shop in Birmingham, to laying on parties on expensive yachts and dining in fancy restaurants, all in the name of exposing the rich and famous the things they don’t want you to know.

Confessions of a Fake Sheik by Mazher Mahmood, Harper Collins, 303 pages, £16.99

Book Review: Blood spilled on the sand’s of Saudi Arabia as Frank Gardner’s horrifying ordeal is told

Frank Gardner's book was published in 2006, two years after he was brutally attacked in Riyadh

If you’re not Piers Morgan, or any other journalist-turned-TV star then you’ll know that reporters who spend day in, day out on writing stories that give us our dosage of news, don’t like becoming the news themselves. That can be said for BBC journalist Frank Gardner, who made headlines unintentionally after a trip to Saudi Arabia nearly saw him lose his life, and witness the death of his cameraman Simon Cumbers.

In his book, Blood & Sand, Gardner begins by retelling the horrid story of when he and Cumbers were attacked in Riyadh in 2004. During filming for a TV report, an Arabic gentleman casually walked up and said the traditional Islamic greeting of ‘Assalam-Wa-Alaikum’ (‘Peace be upon you’). Gardner, having travelled all over the Arab world as an intrigued traveller in his teens and as a reporter, returned the Islamic greeting. The Arabic gentleman then pulled out a gun as a frantic Gardner tried in vain to prevent the carnage that was due to occur in the next few moments. Once it was over, the aftermath of the bloodshed was undeniably shocking. Irishman Cumbers was dead and Gardner was sat up, whilst his shirt was soaked in blood and his legs twisted that equalled a nasty scene in sunny Riyadh.

But this book is not all about that attack in Saudi Arabia. It tells Gardner’s story from his encounter with traveller Wilfred Theisger, who planted the seeds of exploration in the journalist’s mind at a young age, to his student travels through the Middle East and the shocking attempt on his life in Riyadh. The consequences of it are grimly written as Gardner reveals the pain, anguish and time spent in hospitals in Saudi Arabia and in London, with constant injections, tubes and treatment given to him at most intervals in a day. His written memoir is hugely uplifting towards the end. Despite knowing he will be stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, he has accepted his fate and does the best he can to move forward in life and resign the nasty memories of Riyadh to the back of his mind.

He’s a man who’s soaked the sights and information on his travels like a sponge, and it shows as he discusses the threat of al-Qaeda and the threat of British Islamic extremism in this country with well constructed opinions.

Gardner’s book is more than bloodshed in Riyadh, it’s a brilliantly written journey of a man who travelled to understand the Islamic faith and it’s complexities. Someone who did not deserve to be on the receiving end of the bullets that day, but who has bravely spent time in rehabilitation, culminating in his receiving of an OBE from the Queen in 2005.

It hasn’t broken Gardner’s resolve to bring the news from the Arab world to our news bulletins, and is publicly showing the consequences of the attack and giving hope to any person in a wheelchair. His bravery shows that life in a wheelchair is not as bad as it may seem as it is better to live and spend cherished time with loved ones, than not see them at all.

Frank Gardner: Blood & Sand, Bantam Press, 374 pages. £18.99

Zesh Rehman on his journey up the professional football ladder

Zesh Rehman speaks to Sensasianal Sport about playing football in the backyards of Birmingham to experiencing the Premier League thrill.

By Akhlaq Hanif

Asian players have a passion for football and end up playing the game in their spare time, with some aspiring to play at the highest level. But, the elusive question remains as to why they haven’t yet began to emerge in the Premier League.

Chelsea Football Club, now managed by Italian Carlo Ancelotti, announced a special coaching project to discover Asian talent within the game.

Zesh Rehman, a 25-year old British Asian is one of the few to gain some Premiership exposure. Born and bred in the Aston area of Birmingham, he began playing football at the age of eight with his brothers and friends. And as he describes it, “everywhere where I went was on a football pitch”.

Having played football alongside his brothers and then for Sunday league teams, Rehman was spotted by Fulham and plied his trade with their district side.

After a two week trial, Rehman played for Fulham’s youth team which ended up with him receiving a scholarship and then signing professional forms.

He told me how Chris Coleman, Fulham’s manager at the time, had a positive impression on the young player from Aston.

“He was brilliant. He was one of my favourite players and after I got my scholarship, I asked him if I could clean his boots. By the time he got manager, he knew me as a player and a person,” said Rehman.

One of the issues in the minds of hopeful Asian professional footballers might be how they would fit into a dressing room full of international superstars. But for Rehman, being a Muslim, he didn’t encounter any problems.

“When it eventually happened, it was relief because of all the hard work I had put in. I had experienced players like Andy Cole and Edwin Van Der Sar who gave me advice and were always available,” added Rehman.

The taste of Premiership football only motivated him to continue playing at that level, but opportunities to feature in the first team were hard to come by. It was that point, Rehman decided to leave Craven Cottage for more opportunities in the lower leagues.

Rehman said: “At the time I was 22, by the time I was 24, the manager said I needed to have played 40 games or so. After two years, I’ve played 60 games, it’s been worth it and I’ve played under different coaches.”

International football is the pinnacle for many players, representing your country of birth in a match. With established players such as John Terry and Rio Ferdinand occupying the central defensive slots in the England side, Rehman chose to play for Pakistan.

“At the time, it seemed like the right thing to do to play for Pakistan and play for longer period in international football. My family were 100% supportive.”

Rehman, captain of the Pakistan football team has encouraging words for the development of more Asians in the highest tiers of professional football.

“There aren’t enough role models to look up to. Hopefully my presence in the game can be inspired by. The Governing bodies are doing a lot, all the events, kick it out etc. As soon as more people pick it up football, the numbers will go up,” adds Rehman.

England’s 20/20 dream ends at the gloomy Oval

By Akhlaq Hanif

England’s hopes of winning the ICC World Twenty20 ended in miserable and gloomy overcast conditions last night at the Oval, but hopes of finishing the tournament with silverware would have been undeserving for a side, who failed to find any consistency throughout.

It’s surprising to believe that before the ICC World Twenty20 tournament go underway at Lords few weeks ago, that the current champions of India were the favourites to regain their crown and not the hosts. The England Cricket Board (ECB) were the men who were behind the idea and you would have thought England would be the masters of the game, but not to be.

A reason why teams such as India, Pakistan and South Africa have done so well in this year’s tournament has been the fact that they 20/20 game is played alot by their players. Whether it be playing for their country, or earning megabucks in India whilst entertaining packed crowds in the Indian Premier League, they play alot of it. Meanwhile, it was only this year that England’s Kevin Pietersen and all rounder Andrew Flintoff were allowed by the ECB to play in this year’s IPL tournament.

Pietersen was England’s best player in the tournament, come to the fore with crucial innings against Pakistan and India to help provide some much needed impotus for his team. But as the South African born Pietersen is the main star of the show, the supporting cast failed to help him in their quest for glory. Although notable mentions to opener Ravi Bopara, Owais Shah, who did their best to help get some big hits in their batting.

England lacked some sixes and except for Pietersen, there wasnt many others who stepped up to the plate to deliver the entertainment that full houses in the country’s cricket grounds had gone to see.

But some positives for them. Wicketkeeper James Foster proved why he should have been a contender for the position in all forms of the game with some quick thinking to his stumpings and general play. Graeme Swann and Adil Rashid showed why the use of two spinners in the 20/20 game can be so useful in helping slowing down the run rate in the middle overs. Pakistan and Sri Lanka have both proved how using two spinners can be runs and wicket taking opportunities for the fielding side. Rashid, playing his first competitive games for his country, impressed the pundits and commentators, with even some hinting towards the Yorkshireman to get a shock inclusion in the forthcoming Ashes squad.

The 20/20 game isn’t something England will be losing any sleep about, but if they want to improve their standing in this format of the game, then as the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect”. The ECB should allow players such as Pietersen, Flintoff and the likes of Graham Napier to play in tournaments such as the IPL. But this exit from the ICC World Twenty20 will be forgotten soon as a showdown with the men from Down Under awaits.

Ronaldo will finally get to realise his “dream”….

By Akhlaq Hanif

It was the worst kept secret in world football, really it was. Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to join Real Madrid and fulfull his “dream”. Well, he’s not too far away from achieving his personal ambition.

There have been interviews, transfer rumours, claim and counter claim from Real Madrid and Manchester United but today, all that has finally been put to bed.

I was told of the news via a text message from my brother which said “Ronaldo’s going to Real Madrid for £80m”. I briefly read the message, before getting back to my much needed sleep, I just assumed it was one of those press stories making the rounds in Spain. The constant stories that Ronaldo would join Madrid, nothing new I thought.

But after awakening and putting on the TV, it was confirmed as being official. United had accepted a world record £80m offer for the Portuguese international and the statement released by the Old Trafford side told the whole story.

The statement said: “Manchester United have received a world-record, unconditional offer of £80million for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.

At the request of Cristiano – who has again expressed his desire to leave – and after discussion with the player’s representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player.

Matters are expected to be concluded by 30 June. The club will not comment until further notice.”

Ronaldo has talked about his dream move to Madrid, well for ages now. And it seems clear again that despite winning the Premier League again for a third straight season and coming close to being the first team to retain the Champions League, the lure of Madrid’s big bucks was not enough.

The transfer should be completed within days in my opinion, and Manchester United will have a juicy £80m to put into their coffers, not a bad return for a player they paid £12m for in 2003, when he was a raw 17-year-old.

After an indifferent first few seasons, Ronaldo’s talent began to shine through and he reached his peak with an incredible 42 goals in the 2007/08 season. Injury problems haltered his start to the last campaign, but still he was able to contribute with goals and some slight prima donna incidents towards the end of the campaign.

Madrid are getting a fantastically gifted 24-year-old, who should shine in La Liga and playing alongside another Galactico signing, Brazilian Kaka, who signed earlier on in the week for a then world record of £56m.

I feel the majority of Manchester United supporters will feel, like myself, that the deal represents good bit of business. My surprise is that it has been sorted out with the minimal amount of fuss and not the drawn out transfer saga that we experienced last summer. Maybe Sir Alex Ferguson didnt want another summer of going over the same old questions, and realised he could use the money to strengthen areas of the team that needed reinforcements.

United’s transfer activity for the summer will now begin, with tons of back page rumours as a cream of the world’s top footballers are linked with a move to Manchester.

Personally, I think Franck Ribery would be the ideal replacement for Ronaldo but Bayern Munich aren’t keen to sell their French star and apparently, Ribery doesn’t want to move to England – because of the weather.

David Silva of Valencia put in a promising performance at the European Championships in 2007, and with his club in reported £400m in debt, a tempting offer by United could see Silva trade sunny Spain to wear the number seven shirt vacated by the FIFA World Player of the Year.

Carlos Tevez, who’s future is in doubt at Old Trafford, could be saved by the new cash injection the club has received but I still feel a permanent Tevez signing would be least beneficial since striker Wayne Rooney does a similiar job to the Argentinian and scores more goals.

Klass Jan Huntelaar, a reported target of Man United could be a striking solution. He’s plying his trade at Real Madrid but has not been given opportunities in the line up, could United tempt the Dutchman with a way out by moving to Old Trafford?

Whatever happens, it remains to be seen but Cristiano Ronaldo’s six year career at Manchester United is over. How will the English league cope without his magic box of tricks, his trademark run up before a free kick, his prima donna antics at times? They will be happy. It’s the end of a tremendous time at United for Ronaldo, where he really began to show what a bargain purchase it was for Sir Alex to sign him for £12m, and six years later, to sell him for £80m.

Welcome To Sheesh Kebab Talk

Welcome to Sheesh Kebab Talk

Sheesh Kebab Talk aims to encourage debate and comment relating to sports within the country but also anything that I feel discussing about. If you would like to contribute, or alert me to any news stories, please do not hesitate to contact me.

You might be slightly puzzled about the name of the blog, it’s weird I know. I was sat in front of my laptop, puzzled what to name it. Then I thought of one of my invented slang words I brandish about at home, “Sheesh Kebab”.