Iraqs Karimi will be joining Man City

[kaebi kabab]

Iraq midfielder Nashat Akram claims he has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Manchester City, subject to being granted a work permit.
Akram, who has been training with City this week, says he will complete his move after finalising terms with his previous club Al Ain in Abu Dhabi.

The 23-year-old told Middle Eastern TV channel MBC: "The negotiations with Manchester City started long time ago.

"These negotiations continued until we had a successful agreement."

Akram, who has played in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, added: "I've signed a contract with City after finishing the medical tests.

"The financial terms are good although I don't prefer to talk in such matters."

City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson said on Thursday that he has been impressed by Akram's displays at the club's Carrington training ground.

"He is a very good football player," Eriksson told his club's website.

"He will need to get used to the style of English football but he's a very elegant player and in the Asian Cup he was one of the very best in the tournament.

"He reminds me a bit of Michael Johnson, in that he can do a little bit of everything in both attack and defence.

"I think he is one for the future, I'm not sure if he's ready to play this season but I've seen him train and he's good. He's a technically correct player."

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ty/7183461.stm

[The]

And this has to do with Iran because ...

[The Joker]

I hope he succeed out there in Europe!!! May god be with him

[Siavash]

I heard that on fox sport.

[Crooked I]

nice,saudi failed but iraqi made it nice

[EKBATAN]

damesh garm


I'm very happy for him, Iraq and Asian football

[Shervin.]

I hope he succeed out there in Europe!!! May god be with him

exactly. all the best, it doesnt matter if hes Iraqi no Enlgishman could tell the difference. It will at least open peoples eyes to the middle east and football and that they are not mutually exclusive.

[Sumerian]

He's Iraq's Nekounam.

[Spyder]

His going to be really good for them.

[Bling Dawg]

I'm happy for him and Iraqi football.

[Sumerian]

I think he'll probably play in the reserves at least for the rest of this season (he's signed for 2 1/2 seasons):

"He is a very good football player," Eriksson told his club's website.

"He will need to get used to the style of English football but he's a very elegant player and in the Asian Cup he was one of the very best in the tournament.

"He reminds me a bit of Michael Johnson, in that he can do a little bit of everything in both attack and defence.

"I think he is one for the future, I'm not sure if he's ready to play this season but I've seen him train and he's good. He's a technically correct player."

[persian boy]

stop with the nashat and man city threads!! theres like 10000

do you expect people on the iranian forums to break out the champagne or something if its posted enough times?

[yashar_fasihnia]

He's Iraq's Nekounam.

his vision is better than nekounams, his vision is like navidkias..
but nekounam is better defensively and aerially. nashat akram inspite of his good physique both in terms of height and built is poor in the air..

[Sumerian]

Nashat Akram permit bid rejected

25/01/2008 12:35

Manchester City has been unsuccessful in our appeal against the rejection of a work permit for Iraqi midfielder Nashat Akram.

Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson headed a high-powered City delegation that travelled to the Home Office in London for the hearing.

And in spite of the 21-year-old having an impressive international record with the current Asia Cup holders, the panel rejected the Club’s request to allow the midfielder to ply his trade.

City had agreed to transfer Akram from the Al-Ain club in the UAE and he had impressed the coaching staff during a recent training stint at our Carrington complex.

Sven said, “This is a big blow and a great disappointment to us. I have huge sympathy for Nashat. He is a very good footballer with an excellent international pedigree. He has now returned to the Middle East and we will keep in touch with him. He is somebody who we will maintain an interest in for the long term.”

Akram was one of the stars of the Iraq side that won last year’s Asian Cup and had featured when they went to the semi-finals of the 2004 Olympic soccer tournament.

Tim Oscroft

Source

[Sumerian]

Iraqis have no luck.

His playing percentage was 71% (and if they considered his suspension by the IFA it would be 91%). While Iraq's average FIFA ranking in the past two years was 72 place. He was only 2 places off. However he was Asia's second best player of 2007 and won the Asian Cup. I have seen players getting work permits with less credentials!

Why would they reject him?

I remember Teymourian hadn't played most of his NT games, and Bolton appealed citing Adranik as a special talent, and it went through fine? Actually, countless players from all over the world have been able to get permits in the UK, with most of their credentials not even coming close to Nashat's.

If it was the FIFA ranking issue, then that is extremely harsh because it was a couple of ranks off, and everyone already knows FIFA ranking is ridiculously flawed!