Twenty-year-old Watford midfielder Al Bangura has become a firm crowd favourite since joining the club on the outskirts of London three years ago, but they recently came close to losing him … not, as you might expect, to another club, but rather to the threat of deportation because Bangura did not have the correct work permit to stay in England. Bangura had fled to England from his war-torn homeland of Sierra Leone at the age of 15 and had been granted discretionary leave to stay in the country, only to finally see his request for asylum denied.
Then, a few months ago, Bangura – who now has a British girlfriend and recently also became a father -was informed that his deportation was imminent. That acted as a call to arms for music legend and former Watford chairman Sir Elton John, local politicians, player unions and even fans of other clubs to create an online petition and campaign for Bangura to be allowed to stay in the UK. Their efforts ultimately paid off because the decision was overturned in January and Bangura can now settle down in England. It was the most significant victory yet for the humble African.

1. Which national team does Sweden’s Pia Sundhage coach?
A: USA B: Sweden C: China PR
2. With which Dutch club did Brazil’s Afonso Alves become top goalscorer in the 2006-2007 season?
A: Heerenveen B: Alkmaar C: PSV Eindhoven
3. How old was Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel when he moved from Brondby to Manchester United?
A: 22 B: 25 C:28
4. Jose Pekerman was Argentina coach during the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. Whom is he coaching now?
A: River Plate (Argentina) B: Deportivo Toluca (Mexico) C: Valladolid (Spain)
5. Emmanuel Olisadebe is a Nigerian-born striker with a Polish passport. Where is he now playing club football?
A: Cyprus B: Greece C: Turkey
6. Where are the Oceania Football Confederation’s headquarters situated?
A: Sydney B: Auckland C: Wellington
7. Pietro Vierchowod, nicknamed “The Tsar” because of his Russian roots, played for Italy from 1981 to 1993. What record does the former midfielder hold to this day?
A: He was sent off more often than any other player in international matches.
B: He scored three own goals in a friendly against Sweden in 1989.
C: He is the oldest player to have scored a goal for Italy.
8. Which country will Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva be representing at EURO 2008 in Austria and Switzerland?
A: Spain B: Portugal C: Croatia
9. With which club did Brazilian internationals Robinho (now Real Madrid) and Diego (Werder Bremen) become league champions in 2002?
A: Palmeiras B: Goias C: Santos
10. When was the last time that Lyon were not French league champions?
A: 1997 B: 2001 C: 2004
11. From which club did coach Juande Ramos move to Tottenham Hotspur earlier this season?
A: Deportivo La Coruna B: Sevilla C: Athletic Bilbao
12. Which Tunisian club took part in the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan?
A: Etoile Sportive du Sahel B: Esperance Sportive de Tunis C: Club Africain Tunis
13. Who was the Asian Player of the Year in 2007?
A: Yasser Al Qahtani B: Naohiro Takahara C: Mohsen Bengar
14. Who holds the all-time goalscoring record in the Russian first division?
A: Egor Titov B: Oleg Veretennikov C: Vagner Love
15. How many transfer periods are there per year according to the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players?
A: One B: Two C: Three
16. What do former top-class referees Pierluigi Collina (Italy), Horacio Elizondo (Argentina) and Urs Meier (Switzerland) have in common?
A: They have each refereed a World Cup final. B: They were all born in the same year. C: They have remained involved in refereeing since retiring.
17. Who is the chairman of the newly formed European Club Association (ECA), to which 103 European clubs belong?
A: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge B: Michel Platini C: Zbigniew Boniek
18. Which national team does Pascal Feindouno, show-stopper at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, represent?
A: Cameroon B: South Africa C: Guinea
19. English hero Kevin Keegan returned to Newcastle United as manager in January. When did he play for them?
A: 1977-1980 B: 1980-1982 C: 1982-1984
20. What do Austria’s national coach, Josef Hickersberger, and his Swiss counterpart, Jakob Kuhn, have in common?
A: They will be stepping down after EURO 2008 in Austria and Switzerland. B: They have overseen more than 100 international matches. C: They love fishing.

1. What does football mean to you?
A great deal. I’ve put a lot of effort into the game and it has given me even more in return.
2. Which football club did you support as a child?
Red Star Belgrade.
3. Did you ever have an idol?
Yes. When I was a teenager, I used to admire the former Italian international striker, Christian Vieri.
4. What is your fondest footballing memory?
When I signed for Red Star Belgrade. I came from a small club and had never played in the top division before – then suddenly a contract with my favourite club! What a fabulous feeling!
5. What has been your biggest disappointment?
When Red Star Belgrade and I failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
6. If you had not become a professional footballer, what would you have been?
I’d have probably become a basketball or volleyball player.
7. What is your favourite type of music?
I listen to practically all kinds of music. I don’t have any special preference.
8. And your favourite book?
I can’t remember when I last read a book. Most of the time, I read newspapers and magazines.
9. Your favourite film?
88 Minutes, starring Al Pacino.
10. Your favourite city?
Belgrade.
11. What is your favourite food?
Anything. I’m not fussy.
12. What is your favourite hobby?
I like films, mainly on DVD or on television.
13. What do you spend most of your money on?
Silly things like Matchbox cars, video games and things like that.
14. What was your first job?
When I was 16, I worked as an apprentice mechanic in a maintenance and repair shop for agricultural machines in my home tome.
15. Who has been the most influential figure in world history?
Nikola Tesla.
16. What are you afraid of?
I haven’t really thought about it. Of course, no-one wants to fall ill or be injured.
17. What has been your most embarrassing experience?
Once I unfortunately elbowed an opponent, Milos Bajalica, in the face during an aerial battle in a league game against OFK Belgrade. His left eye was injured and, after the first diagnosis, they were afraid he might lose the sight of that eye. Thank God everything turned out well. Six weeks later Bajalica was playing again.
18. How do you see the future of the world?
As long as we’re not attacked by extraterrestrials, everything should turn out all right.
19. Where would you like to go on holiday?
To Thailand. I would also love to see the wonderful palaces in St Petersburg in Russia.
20. Whom would you most like to meet?
Mr Bean, or the man who plays him, Rowan Atkinson.

YES OR NO?
Would you also have been a successful professional basketball player? – Yes
Is there too much football on television? – No
Do you ever dream of football and scoring goals? – No
Will Serbia qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™? – Yes
Are you sometimes homesick? – Yes