NST Online: Sports

Zuhairi's future crushed in freak accident

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 07:23 PM PDT

2011/09/17
By Zainuddin Muhammad

T-Team President's Cup defender Zuhairi Ahmad points to his deformed right hand. — Picture by Rozainah Zakaria

ALL he ever wanted was to play professional football.

But Zuhairi Ahmad may not have a chance to take his football career to greater heights after losing four fingers and the thumb on his right hand in a freak accident while operating a sugar cane grinder over a month ago.

The 21-year-old T-Team President's Cup defender wanted to make extra money for Hari Raya by selling sugar cane drinks but as fate would have it, he did not have much to celebrate after spending almost two weeks in hospital.

If that was not bad enough, the youngest of five siblings -- who had played football for his school, district and state since his primary school days -- was told over the telephone by his coach Yusof Ali that his contract with T-Team would not be renewed.

"I have been playing for T-Team since 2009 and when I heard the news from the coach, it was as if the whole world had collapsed.

"I know I will not be a complete player without fingers especially when it comes taking throw-ins but before I talked to the coach, I kind of thought that I could still contribute something to the team," he said when met during a visit by Rhu Rendang Umno development officer Nik Dir Nik Wan Ku at his family home Rhu Muda, Marang, yesterday.

The Marang-born footballer, who received a personal donation and Hari Raya gifts from Nik Dir, said no one from the team management had visited him.

"I was hoping someone from the management would come to see me especially on Hari Raya but I guess, they were all busy.

"I still have some money owed to me and hopefully, I will have a chance to talk to the management to clear things up," said Zuhairi, who admitted he had trouble paying his medical bills.

He needs more than RM500 a week to cover his medical expenses which include medications and daily trips to the hospital.

"The last time I received my pay from T-Team was in June and with my medical bills piling up, I need the money now more than ever.

"It will take a few months for my wounds to heal and until then, I do not want my financial burden to fall on my parents."

Allofs: Bremen hunting points, not Bayern

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 07:09 PM PDT

BERLIN: Werder Bremen boss Klaus Allofs insists his side are hunting points rather than German league leaders Bayern Munich as they prepare to take on Nuremberg today.

Bremen are second in the Bundesliga behind Bayern as both sides have won four of their first five games this season, but Bayern already have a massive goal difference of 15 after last Saturday's 7-0 hammering of Freiburg.

Werder flirted with relegation at the end of last season and managing director Allofs said the club are more interested in getting back into the Champions League for next year, rather than chasing Bayern.

"We have always said we aren't Bayern hunters, we are points hunters," said Allofs.

"In the medium term, it is our goal to get back into international competition."

Bremen have injury concerns in midfielders Tim Borowski and Marko Marin who are both carrying leg injuries and Bremen's ex-Nuremberg midfielder Mehmet Ekici is expected to come into the starting line-up.

With leaders Bayern at Schalke tomorrow, victory would send Bremen top for at least 24 hours.

TODAY: Bayer Leverkusen v Cologne, Hamburg v Borussia M'gladbach, Nuremberg v Werder Bremen, Hoffenheim v VfL Wolfsburg, Hertha Berlin v Augsburg, Kaiserslautern v Mainz 05; TOMORROW: Hanover 96 v Borussia Dortmund Schalke 04 v Bayern Munich. -- AFP

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Jumaat, 16 September 2011

NST Online: Sports

NST Online: Sports

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