Football: Winning Formula

Abu Dhabi : Unsung heroes. That's the best way you could describe the medical team at any professional football club. They are hardly regarded as juicy material for front-page headlines, but over the years their contribution to a club's success on the pitch has repeatedly proven to be as valuable as that of any player or coach. And the fact has not been lost on UFL side Al Jazira.

While clubs are normally prone to the trend of unveiling star players ahead of a new season, the Abu Dhabi giants have proudly announced the capture of former Liverpool and England under-21 doctor Mark Waller as their new medical services director. The move sends out a clear signal to Jazira's rivals that last year's runners-up are looking to excel in all departments in order to become a dominant force on both domestic and continental fronts.

The 53-year-old Dr Waller arrives in the UAE on the back of a two-decade spell with the Reds. "I felt that I needed a change," he said shortly before giving XPRESS an exclusive behind the scenes look into his work with the players. "It probably sounds a wee bit crazy giving up a club like Liverpool [and England the under-21 side] but I'd done both of them for quite a long time. There comes a time in your life when you want to try something different, and in England the weather is not quite as nice as it is in the Emirates," he added.

Raising the bar

It's been just over a couple of weeks since Dr Waller arrived but he is steadily nestling into his quarters.

"The facility here is very good. What I've seen here is very impressive. My plan will be to make this a very high-quality medical department for both Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club and for the players we have here," he said.

Dr Waller does not believe the gulf in fitness levels between Middle East players and their counterparts from Europe is huge but said he could definitely help raise levels further. "At the moment I don't see a huge difference, but I've come in at the end of the pre-season. But what I do see is perhaps there are certain things that I can do to improve the levels of fitness and various other things for the sport.

"The structure is very different in European football. We are much more proactive in prevention as well as treatment of injury. We are quite objective about fitness levels rather than subjective. The important thing is we are going to use techniques that we have used in Europe for a number of years."

Dr Waller's appointment has clearly gone down well with the players and coaching staff. "He has worked in the Premier League before. For us that's very good because that's a high-level competition," said head coach Abel Braga. "With all the experience he has got, he will bring a lot of positives to the team."

Ace midfielder Ebrahim Diyaki said: "It's always important for a football team to have a good doctor. I have done some sessions with him. He's very good and knows exactly what he's talking about. We are glad he is with the club."

It's safe to say that with the appointment of Dr Waller, Al Jazira are in good hands.

Man who rebuilt Cisse

Dubai : French striker Djibril Cisse will be the first to admit that if he is still walking today it is because of the skill of Dr Mark Waller. It was October 30, 2004, when Cisse suffered a horrific injury in a Premier League match against Blackburn Rovers. While challenging for the ball with Jay McEveley, Cisse's boot got caught in the turf resulting in a broken tibia and fibula.

It was initially thought he would be sidelined for 18 months. Not only did he return to the pitch in an astonishing 163 days, Cisse, who now plays for Panathinaikos, would come on as a substitute in the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan in Istanbul where he scored in the penalty shootout win for the Reds.

A gift to remember

Recalling the episode, Dr. Waller said: "He said to me a few months before the Champions League final: ‘If we get to the final, Doc, and you get me fit, I'll give you something on the day.' When he came on as a sub, when we had actually won, you may notice that he had no boots on when we went to get the trophy. That's because he had taken his boots off and he gave them to me. They were embroidered with his name, the date of the game, his children's names and he said, ‘They are my boots, I wouldn't be here without you.' I've got them in a glass case on the wall of my house. And they still have the bunting from the celebrations."