From OS
Kuwaiti football's hottest property, Bader Al-Mutawa, is set to begin a month-long trial with Nottingham Forest.
The 27 year old striker is due to link up with Sean O'Driscoll's Forest over the weekend and will start training with The Reds on Monday.
Al-Mutawa has been capped 118 times by Kuwait and has scored 39 international goals.
He currently plays for Kuwait's leading club, Qadsia SC, but has also had loan spells with clubs in Saudi Arabia and Qatar and been linked with Spanish La Liga side Malaga CF.
Al-Mutawa is looking forward to the challenge of making an impact in the English game, saying: "It's a great honour to be trialling at Nottingham Forest.
"The club's reputation for attractive football is well known in the Middle East, and it's exciting to be coming here when a new manager is looking to play the kind of football that I want to be part of.
"I realise that the English Championship has a tough standard of play, but I'm confident that my goal-scoring and team-working skills will transfer, and that I can play a major part in Mr O'Driscoll's plans going forwards."
Al-Mutawa has been nominated for Asia Player of the Year twice, finishing second in 2006 and third in 2010.
Blessed with an ability to change a game by virtue of his passing and vision, he also doubles up as a prolific goal-scorer and match winner.
According to the International Football Federation of History and Statistics, Al-Mutawa was the world's best Goal Getter in 2010, based on a formula of goals, game winning goals, first goals and other statistics.
By comparison, Samuel Eto'o and David Villa finished second and third respectively.
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Interesting statistic at the end, but I suppose you can make anyone the best at anything with certain stats!
It can't do any harm having this guy on trial, you never know he might be a hidden treasure! Hopefully he won't get forced on SOD and the gaffer will get to make the final call on him.
Kuwaiti Trailist
posted on 21/7/12
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 21/7/12
a thread about work permits: http://www.forestforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32852&p=1534304#post1534304
interesting points about icelandic players at Stoke and Eidur Gudjonsen - they're ranked lower than Kuwait and have all played over here
posted on 21/7/12
English football is massive in the whole middle east been in pubs (hotel bars) packed to the rafters watching average FA cup games and there's plenty of highlights and channels showing matches, plus the wonders of the Internet. Another criteria of work permits depends on how what percentage of your current workforce is on a work permit. Not sure what the ceiling is but the likelihood is that we'd only be able to hire a couple of these guys at most. We already have Findley on a WP so not feasible that we could be permitted to sign 5 or 6 more making a third of our squad non EU
posted on 21/7/12
The Championship is the 3rd most watched league in the world.
posted on 21/7/12
Kuwait ranked 93 and Qatar 98 according to wiki.
There has been a Middle Eastern Forest supporter for years putting up vids on youtube. Can't remember his name. Al Jareez maybe?
posted on 21/7/12
Anyone notice how big Andy Reid's ears are in that bbc interview
posted on 21/7/12
Comment Deleted by Article Creator
posted on 21/7/12
It was an honest question.
Apparently you can make a case on the player being head and shoulders above the standard his country play at. I think that means we could only get 1 or 2 players from Kuwait if that's the case so worries about an influx into the squad should be put to bed.
posted on 21/7/12
http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/RulesandRegulations/FARegulations/NewsAndFeatures/2009/work_permits_players.aspx
For anyone who can be bothered, here's a link to the FA rules re work permits.
posted on 21/7/12
"There has been a Middle Eastern Forest supporter for years putting up vids on youtube. Can't remember his name. Al Jareez maybe? "
Alhaidareeforest - a great source of Forest vids on Youtube.
I don't see why Kuwait's low rating as a whole means they don't have some good players - Northern Island are ranked lower, and we have their keeper.