London: A keen interest in camel racing is not one you can easily pursue around Wigan in winter, but at least Ali Al Habsi has been able to put his knowledge of fire fighting to good use in English football.
Few goalkeepers are called upon to rescue their team quite as frequently as Al Habsi, whether it was bailing out his old club Bolton or answering the call of duty on a regular basis for Wigan.
That the 29-year-old does it with an easy smile and a humble nature is even more admirable considering he has not only kept goal at the wrong end of the table throughout his career in England, but he also carries the responsibility of being the only player from the Arabian Gulf in the Premier League at a time of huge Arab interest in football.
It has been a fascinating journey for Al Habsi — from an upbringing in the deserts of Oman and his job as an airport fireman, to the freezing climes of Norway and eventually east Lancashire.
As the dark clouds gather over Wigan's training ground, he is aware of the expectation from a distant part of the world, where he enjoys almost iconic status.
"Yes, of course, it's a huge pressure," says Al Habsi. "It's not just Oman. It's Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and all the Arab countries. They all follow me every game I play. You can't believe how much they love Wigan and the Premier League."
Position change
Al Habsi didn't plan for a career in Europe, or to be a goalkeeper for that matter. He was a striker until the age of 16, when his brother, Abdul Aziz, coach of their home-town team in Al Mudhaibi, advised him to change position.
Four more of Al Habsi's nine brothers — his father Abdullah and mother Aza also have six daughters — played for the team in Oman's third division, although the absence of grass meant they trained on sand and played home games in a neighbouring town.
Indeed, Al Mudhaibi, 120 kilometres from Muscat, is famous for its Al Fath camel racing track. A third of the 56,000 population are said to work in the sport.
"I love that village," says Al Habsi. "It's the most famous place in Oman for camel racing. All my friends train and ride camels. I've had a try — not going fast, just walking.
"When I go home I love to go there all the time to watch how they train and feed them."
Even though he was only playing for Al Mudhaibi in the lower leagues, Al Habsi earned a call-up to the under-17 national team. His career changed from the moment John Burridge, the much-travelled veteran English goalkeeper and coach who was working with Oman's senior squad, saw him save a penalty.
‘I just laughed'
"He thought I could make it in England," recalls Al Habsi. "To be honest I just laughed. No player from the Middle East had been given a trial or played in Europe. He was telling me I could play in the Premier League."
Burridge is mentioned in reverential tones. On the coach's advice, Al Habsi moved to Muscat, where he got a job as a fireman at Seeb Airport and split his shifts around training with his mentor, who also helped him to learn English. In summer, Al Habsi would travel 26km by bus to start sessions at 5am before the heat hit 50C.
"It was hard, but when someone believes in you, you do everything," says Al Habsi. "John Burridge said he wasn't going to leave me until he'd put me in the Premier League. When I was 18 he brought me to England. I trained with Bolton and had a trial with Man United. "He took a picture of me at Old Trafford. He said, ‘It's to remind you, Ali. You will play here and you will be a star'. When I played there for Bolton, I got man-of-the-match and John was there. It was brilliant."
Work-permit problem
Burridge paid for the trip, such was his belief in Al Habsi. Sir Alex Ferguson wanted the youngster, as did Kevin Keegan at Manchester City and Sam Allardyce at Bolton, but work-permit problems meant that he headed for a three-year stint with Lyn Oslo instead.
"When I got to Norway there was snow everywhere and it was minus 15. In the first week of training we were outside on the artificial grass. Afterwards I sat there looking at my frozen hands and feet," he said.
Al Habsi got his move to the Premier League with Bolton in 2006.
He struggled to displace Jussi Jaaskelainen despite an impressive stint at the end of the 2007-08 campaign that helped keep Bolton in the top flight. He had more luck taking Chris Kirkland's place when he moved to Wigan on loan last season, winning the club's player-of-the-year award.
The deal, which turned into a £3 million (Dh16.98 million) transfer in the summer, also meant he did not have to uproot his wife, Basma, and their four-year-old daughter Renaad.
A sunny disposition has served him well at Wigan. After avoiding relegation on the final day of last season, Roberto Martinez's men are now locked in another survival battle.
