Brits Pull Rank On Star Iraqi Despite Mess In Homeland

Sun Herald

Sunday February 3, 2008

Matthew Hall

The British government scored a spectacular own goal last week, denying a work permit for star Iraqi player Nashat Akram. The 23-year- old, who starred at last year's Asian Cup, was offered a contract by Manchester City but rejected for a work permit because - get this - Iraq's average ranking over the past two years is 72 in FIFA's ranking system, two places outside the top-70 rating that the Brits demand for import players. Perhaps if Iraq had a functioning domestic league and its national team was able to play matches at home rather than outside its war-torn country, its ranking might be high enough to satisfy the British government, which had a hands-on role in Iraq being in the state it's in.

Roos hard at it

SYDNEY'S Mark Milligan (pictured) on Socceroos training with Pim Verbeek: "Every training session is flat out. We don't train this hard with our clubs back in the season, so it's a bit of a reality check when you come in and everybody is trying to impress and is working hard." So what makes the A-League a place to slack off?

Drogbakeeps peace

AFRICAN Cup of Nations hero No.1: Didier Drogba, who rushed to Ivory Coast fans after scoring a goal in a 3-0 win over Mali. At full-time, the Chelsea striker crossed the pitch to commiserate with Mali fans , whose team had been eliminated in defeat. Drogba's wife is from Mali, so maybe he was just avoiding any grief from the missus when he got home.

Is this a Wise move?

NEWCASTLE UNITED took a successful step in re-branding themselves as 'Keegan's - England's top comedy club' after Dennis Wise last week quit his job as Leeds manager to take over player recruitment at the Magpies. Wise will carry out his duties from his home - in London. Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan was offered the same job last year. "The guy who goes in would be a fool to accept it," he said then, when turning it down.

Butcher bounces back

SERIOUSLY, does Terry Butcher know something we don't? Fired by Sydney and then sacked by English fourth-tier side Brentford late last year, the former England captain and part-time connoisseur of Aussie wines has been appointed assistant coach of - drum roll, bagpipes - Scotland!

World according to...

CRISTIANO RONALDO: "It can be very exciting because you can be there waiting for a long time for just the one number to make the game complete. Then you see one of your friends you are playing against get his lucky number before you." The Man United wing whiz has a new hobby - bingo.

Prez blasts balls-up

ITALY? Love it. Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini called for his club's 1-0 loss to Roma last Saturday to be annulled after an enthusiastic ball-boy apparently returned the ball "too quickly" during the match. Roma scored their winner from the subsequent, snappily-taken corner after the enthusiastic ball-boy ran from behind advertising boards to collect the stray ball. "I have dispatched my lawyers and I have asked for a 3-0 win or at least for the match to be replayed," Zamparini said. "We have read the rules. The ball-boys must stay behind the advertising boards and throw the ball to the nearest player."

Goal of the week

SHEFFIELD UNITED's opener in their 2-1 FA Cup win over Man City last Sunday was credited to Luton Shelton but could easily have been claimed by A. Balloon. There was penalty-box chaos after balloons drifted onto the pitch and when City staff asked for play to be stopped to clear them, an official suggested City's goalkeeper jump on them when play went up the other end. "You can ask a goalkeeper to stamp on one or two balloons, but not 30," countered City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson. Shelton was also disappointed. "I dreamed about scoring in the FA Cup as a kid. Trust me to have my thunder stolen by a few balloons."

Tomorrow's news today

VIDEO reveals Qatar training session includes diving drills, rolling around appearing fatally injured, and miracle recoveries ...

© 2008 Sun Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home