Refugee goalie 'over the moon' to coach for England

A Syrian refugee is coaching an England football squad, almost 10 years after his family were resettled in Nottinghamshire.

Fahd Saleh was a professional goalkeeper at one of Syria's top football clubs before fleeing the civil war.

He now works with under-15 players at the FA's St George's Park training ground in Staffordshire and will join them at the Vlatko Marković International Tournament at Čakovec in Croatia next week.

Fahd said he was "absolutely buzzing" to be coaching national players and felt very proud to wear the team's three lions badge on his shirt.

Fahd said he also felt "very lucky" to represent the country that had taken him in as a refugee.

"The country hosted my family and I, opened their hands, opened the schools for us. Having this opportunity to give something back to the country is really important," he said.

Fahd spends three to four days a month at St George's Park as part of a one-year FA coaching contract and said the "fantastic" staff there had made him feel "part of the family".

He added: "I'm grateful and honoured to have this opportunity to work with England, the country that brought me and my family here.

"It's [a way] to say thank you and give back."

Fahd played for Al-Karamah, based in his home city of Homs, before the war.

He fled after his home was destroyed, and some of his teammates were arrested or disappeared. One was reportedly tortured to death in prison.

Fahd spent three and a half years in Jordan, where the UN Refugee Agency selected him for a relocation scheme for vulnerable families.

He arrived in the UK with his wife and two young sons in December 2015. He now has another son and daughter.

They were one of four Syrian families resettled in Mansfield, a former mining town, which Fahd now describes as home.

"We came here anxious inside. A new environment, new culture, new food. Also without any English words at all, it was really tough," he said.

"With time we managed to improve our English, which was the golden key, to speak to people, to know you more and to help you settle into the area.

"I love it. I love my neighbours - they are very nice. We like the area. We like the people there."

Fahd recalled an appointment at the job centre, where he said he wanted to resume his goalkeeping career as a coach.

"She looked at me and said 'this is a dream job'. In reality, it's not. I wanted someone to push and encourage me rather than put a barrier in front of the wheels," he said.

Fahd joined an activity leadership course at West Nottinghamshire College.

That led to a PE teaching job at a local primary school and a part-time coaching role at League One outfit Mansfield Town.

Now Fahd has a full-time job at Championship side Sheffield United, where he is lead goalkeeper coach for the under-nine to under-16 players.

'Don't be afraid'

Fahd said leaving the country where he was born had been "emotional" but was the right decision for his family.

He described how his life had "changed massively" after he started working again.

"The job was the real opportunity to increase my vocabulary, to speak to people, to get involved social-wise. It really pushed me forward," he said.

Fahd now has British citizenship and has his own advice for refugees who struggle to integrate into life in the UK.

"Not being shy," he said. "Not being afraid to try to speak to people. I know the language is a massive barrier. But if you try, even if you make mistakes, people appreciate that."

Fahd added that he wanted to put on record his thanks to everyone in the football world, as well as Mansfield, who had supported him and his family.

Fahd said working at St George's Park had been a great chance to learn from "fantastic players and talented coaches".

"Having an England shirt on my chest is something really big for me," he said.

And there was little doubt that football had helped him learn colloquial English, as Fahd explained how proud he felt.

"Absolutely over the moon. Over the moon with it," he added.

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