Iraqi Force Can Be A Pass Master
AFTER his success in both Wrexham and Fleetwood red last season, it seems Blue Square Bet Premier managers are looking for their Lee Fowler for the coming campaign.
Regular viewers of Conference football will know that means a man who can receive the ball in tight areas, keep it moving with close control and quick feet, then spray pinpoint passes from the quarter-back role in the middle of midfield.
Tamworth boss Marcus Law was open with his ideas a couple of weeks ago, when he said he'd signed Lee Hendrie to play a different role to that he's played as an attacking midfielder at Aston Villa, Stoke, Sheffield United, Bradford and Kidderminster.
“We've seen how effective a Lee Fowler or an Adam Murray can be in this division,” said Law.
“At 35, Lee (Hendrie) can do that for us and play for another four or five years in that role, getting on the ball more and dictating play, rather than waiting for the ball to come to him.”
So while Law looks to an ex-Premier League star, and Mansfield boss Paul Cox has the aforementioned Murray and Gary Roberts able to perform that function, Luton manager Paul Buckle has turned to the Championship for his quarter-back.
Yaser Kasim is an Iraq Under-23 international who came through the ranks at Tottenham, before moving to Brighton two years ago.
Having signed on an initial six-month loan at Kenilworth Road, this boy looks like he could have the kind of impact on a Conference club's season as Scott Davies had on Aldershot's five years ago.
Davies was a different kind of midfielder, playing in a more advanced role. But the 11 goals he blasted – all from outside the box – in his 33 starts were a striking feature of the Shots' title romp.
OK, it was only against AFC Dunstable, a Step 5 side who were already six goals down by the time Kasim came on at half-time.
But the 21-year-old was economical with his touches, turned out of trouble a couple of times with a drop of the shoulder, and was generally clever in his link play.
One run into the Dunstable box was like a Maradona dribble, with an impudent backheel straight into Stuart Fleetwood's path for a shot at goal at the end of it.
Another spin away from his marker in the centre-circle bought him time to arrow a lovely ball to Scott Rendell, whose touch set up Fleetwood for the Hatters' seventh.
Upon signing the class act, Buckle said:”He can come and do the business and play to his full potential he will put a lot of bums on seats at home and away games, so only good can come from it.”
He added: “In building this squad we are able to play in different ways. With Yaser, he wants to have the ball from back four, it' his strength. He wants to go and pick up the ball and invite teams on to us and try to play through.”
Put simply, while Jon Shaw, Rendell and Ronnie Henry – stars of Conference seasons past – have attracted the Hatters' headlines this summer, I've got Yaser down as the master passer for 2012-13.
The boy from Baghdad could prove a great one for Buckle to bag.
JJs and BJ Feel At Home At Blues' Gr8 New Stadium
THE last time I went to Creasey Park to play for Hitchin against Dunstable Town, the dressing room ceiling leaked and the lads were cautious having had their valuables stolen on their previous visit.
Last Saturday I saw that the recent £3m redevelopment has turned a blemish on the Non-League landscape into a smart stadium that meets two Step 5 clubs' needs perfectly.
One look at the teamsheet, however, told me that society is moving on in some not-so-positive ways as the ‘Initialisation' of the English language continues apace with txt spk encouraging the use of an initial in place of a full name.
Thus, our footballers are starting to sound like characters from Dallas or cricketers of yesteryear.
Having got rid of JP Kissock on loan to Macclesfield, Luton now draw on the creative skills of JJ O'Donnell in midfield.
And the hosts, AFC Dunstable, had a JJ of their own in midfielder Billy (that's his surname, not christian), while the ODs (they are nicknamed after their former club name, Old Dunstablians) consolation goal in a 7-1 loss was scored by BJ Christie.
So, to summarise: Ground grading A-OK. Match rating OK. Player names WTF!
Stanley Had Mills In A Right Fine Mess
IT WAS a week after his side's play-off final win that I asked York City manager Gary Mills for his toughest opponent in Non-League.
Without a second's hesitation, he replied: “Every time I played in midfield against Moor
Green (as player-manager of Tamworth), I could never get the ball off Jai Stanley. I used to dread playing against him.”
Coming from a man who played in, and won, a European Cup final, it is some reference.
This summer, after a fairly nomadic career at the likes of Bedworth United, Nuneaton Borough, Worcester City, AFC Telford, Atherstone Town, Shepshed Dynamo and Barwell, 34-year-old Stanley has confirmed his decision to hang up his boots.
The playmaker's last manager, Jimmy Ginnelly, told me this week: “Jai pulled me at the end of the season and said he wanted to give me plenty of warning, but he'd just got married and was thinking of packing up.
“I said ‘Yeah, OK, we'll talk you round'. But unfortunately we haven't been able to. Jai was our player of the year, a gentleman around the club and a quality player for many in this area.
“I read that bit from Gary Mills on my sunbed on holiday, and there'll be a few managers glad to see him hang the boots up. There'll also be a few reading this who'll be picking the phone up trying to tempt him back, I'm sure!”
You may be in League Two now Millsy, but if you're reading this, I've got his number if you
need it!
