Before becoming the top goalscorer in the Premiership, Amr Zaki was not a global household name. But he is fast becoming one. Inas Mazhar reports on an Egyptian star shining in the best and most famous soccer league in the world It was only 12 minutes to go for the Egypt vs Senegal semi-final match in the Africa Nations Cup in 2006. It was 1-1 at Cairo International Stadium when coach Hassan Shehata pulled superstar Mido out of the match to be substituted by Amr Zaki. Mido launched his famous touchline row with Shehata but two minutes later Zaki scored the winner for Egypt, vindicating Shehata's decision. The goal took Egypt to the final which it eventually won. Zaki repeated this stellar performance two years later in the ANC 2008, scoring a goal against Zambia in the group stage and another in the quarter-final against Angola before adding two more in the semi-final match against the Ivory Coast. Egypt went on to win the title for a second consecutive time and a record sixth. Zaki was chosen in the ANC 2008 all-star starting XI. Then came the move that changed Zaki's life forever. On 22 July of this year, Wigan Athletic completed a one-year loan deal to bring Zaki from Zamalek to the JJB Stadium. After scoring two goals in his two pre-season appearances for Wigan, Zaki scored on his league debut on 16 August against West Ham United. On 30 August he scored his first brace for Wigan when scoring twice in a 5--0 victory over Premier new boys Hull City. On 13 September he scored his fourth goal in as many games in the Premier League as Wigan drew with Sunderland, putting him on top of the scoring charts alongside Jermain Defoe. On 28 September, Zaki scored again in the Premier League from the penalty spot against Manchester City, followed by a brace against Liverpool which included a spectacular bicycle kick. Currently, Zaki has eight goals from 11 games, tied with Nicholas Anelka of Chelsea for the league scoring lead. Zaki's most recent strike was on 1 November, a penalty against Portsmouth. Wigan won 2-1. The accolades from the normally critical British press have been pouring. The Guardian's Stuart James ' headline said 'Bruce wards off Zaki suitors while chasing a long-term deal'. In his profile and history article, James wrote that Wigan coach Steve Bruce had sought to bring an end to the speculation surrounding Zaki's future by insisting the Egyptian would remain at the JJB Stadium until the end of the season on loan as Wigan step up their attempts to complete a permanent deal for the striker. The Wigan manager dismissed reports linking Manchester City with Zaki as "tittle tattle" and claimed talks would be opened with Zamalek, the player's club side, over the coming weeks. Bruce hopes those discussions will lead to Zaki signing a long-term contract but is realistic enough to realise that the 25-year-old's sensational form since arriving in England three months ago means Zamalek are sure to hike their asking price from the �7.25m fee that was agreed, "in principle", in the summer. With nothing in writing, Wigan appear to have left themselves open to Zamalek taking advantage of Zaki's impact in the Premier League. "I want to put the record straight because, at the minute, everyone wants a piece of the fellow," said Bruce, alluding to the interest in Zaki that has gathered since he moved to the top of the goal scoring charts. "The truth of the matter is he is on loan with us until June. That's a fact. Over the next few weeks, or however long it takes, we will try and open negotiations with Zamalek and do everything in our power to try and make sure he stays here. "Zamalek were hoping, and that's why they took the deal, that he would do well," continued Bruce, who revealed Wigan will have to pay a further �500,000 on top of the �1.25m loan fee when Zaki scores his 10th Premier League goal. "Obviously the better he does the bigger the [transfer] fee. [But] he's our player, so we're in the driving seat. We haven't got first refusal on anything. But we have got to see if we can agree a transfer fee with Zamalek." Bruce admits he now regrets not signing Zaki on a permanent deal in the summer but, at the time, he felt the fee represented "a risk". "Of course, with hindsight, it would have been nice for him to have been ours," he added. "But we have still got a chance -- that is the most important thing -- and we will do our utmost. I know the chairman thinks the world of him, so we will try to strike a deal." After scoring his two goals against Liverpool, Zaki made more headlines. The independent's Ian Herbert called him "Wigan's jewel of the Nile" and said that Zaki "is currently the Premier League's top goal scoring commodity but it will require a brave or extremely wealthy individual to secure the services of Amr Zaki on a permanent basis". The Telegraph's Henry Winter on his report on Wigan Athletic beating Manchester City 2-1 wrote the headline, 'Amr Zaki's Wigan Athletic graft puts Manchester City millionaires in shade'. In the report, the Telegraph quoted Bruce describing Zaki as "a throwback: an old- fashioned, physical, powerful centre-forward.'' Smiled Bruce of his energetic loan signing from Zamalek, "It's a delight to work with such hunger." Again against Man City, The Mirror wrote, "Praise for Amr Zaki after man-of-the-match performance in Wigan's win over Man City. In the Mirror report, Emille Heskey, Zaki's teammate, revealed he was enjoying being paired with Zaki, despite a problem with the language. "Players from not-so-wealthy countries, like Honduras [Wilson Palacios and Figueroa], Egypt [Zaki] and Ecuador [Valencia], want to prove themselves and want to do well," Bruce said." Zaki doesn't speak English. I may as well speak to the wall but he's now a big, big crowd hero here. "Every supporter loves him because everyone loves a trier and Zaki gives you every last drop. He and Heskey knew they would have to take the physical battering against Dunne and Richards [of Manchester City]. Zaki reminds me of Mark [Hughes], certainly his physique, although he's livelier than Mark off the pitch.'' "When you are playing football it is more than talking, it is telepathic," said Heskey, an England international about his relationship with his non- English speaking teammate. "Communication is difficult when you try to explain some stuff but he has done brilliantly since he came here." "Zaki played with enormous appetite, he is as strong as a bull, and both Richard Dunne and Micah Richards know they have been in a game," Bruce said after the Man City match. The BBC's Alistair Magowan wrote under 'Zaki's Premier League ambition' that Zaki's ability may have been slow to come into view in England, but with the 2010 World Cup looming, Egypt will hope he can help reverse their awful qualifying record. If all goes to plan, by then the player sometimes known as the Egyptian Gladiator could be playing for a team which can help him go further at the highest level.' Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan likened Zaki to former Newcastle and England striker Alan Shearer. "When you look at this lad and his build, he is the same height, weight, everything about him, he is like Alan Shearer. He has the same confidence when he gets the ball, he knows where the goal is, he doesn't need to look up, he has this instinct. Strikers like that have an instinct as to where the goal is. You can't describe it, you can't give it to anybody ." Bruce has told the press he believes Zaki is "awesome. If he keeps playing like he's been playing he is going to have a real future in the Premier League. His physique is great, he has awesome power and pace and of course he wants to score goals which is the important thing." Zaki was born in Mansoura. And like all Egyptian boys, he was crazy about football and joined his friends playing the game on the streets and then on to the agriculture school courts where most Mansoura club players begin. However, Zaki left to Port Said with his father to join Al-Maaref club together with his brother Saber. Being a small club of no particular importance, he only practised and played some friendly matches. At that time he was spotted by officials of Al-Marrikh club, a team that used to play in the Egyptian Premier League. But talks were halted after Zaki's father returned to Mansoura. In Mansoura, Zaki joined the club's juniors and was coached by numerous tutors, including Hosni Antar, Adel Said, Ashraf El-Mougi and Bolbol Bayoumi. His U-16 coach Hamdi El-Sabbagh selected him to the first team and Mansoura coach Hassan Megahed was impressed. Zaki played for Mansoura for four seasons, scoring 20 goals. He was instrumental in saving Mansoura from relegation twice. At the beginning of the 2003/2004 season, Zaki moved to Enppi in a deal that was described then as the most expensive in Egypt. Zaki signed a LE1.5 contract. His coach was the famous former player Taha Basri. Scoring against powerhouses Ahli and Zamalek, Zaki made headlines and came into the spotlight. He led Enppi to its first FA Cup in 2005. By the end of the first half of the 2005/2006 season he was the league's top scorer and earned a place on the national team which was preparing for the 2006 Africa Nations Cup. Leading the national team to 2006 Nations Cup victory, Zaki was a target of several scouts from abroad. Enppi settled on Lokomotiv club of Russia for 1.7 million euros. Again, it was the most expensive deal for any Egyptian player abroad. But Zaki's attempt to play in Russia failed -- he did not play a single game -- and returned to Egypt. "I couldn't stand the cold, besides the language barrier," Zaki told Al-Ahram Weekly. "Life there was very difficult. And I was injured. All these factors made it hard for me to continue. So when I found out that both Ahli and Zamalek were interested, I decided to cancel my contract and return." After his heroics in the ANC, Zamalek won the tug-of-war that went on for months over the player. Zaki signed a LE12 million contract for four years. His career at Zamalek started on 10 August 2006 and he scored his first goal against his old team Enppi. Zamalek won 3-0. Then came Wigan and international stardom. "I'm so determined to succeed this time and continue my journey as a professional player," Zaki told the Weekly. "England is very cold but this time I'll beat the cold. "Playing in the Premier League has always been my dream especially after the 2008 Nations Cup. Many clubs contacted me but I was waiting for an English side." Zaki belongs to a family which supports Zamalek enthusiastically. He is the second of four children -- three boys and a girl. His father, Hassan, says his son had always shown interest in football since his early years, and believed his son was talented enough. "Amr always referred back to me and took my opinion," says Hassan Zaki who adds his son has not changed after becoming a star. "He's still very close to the family and very modest with everyone." Zaki's mother says that although he was not the eldest son, "he was always a responsible boy. Besides playing football, he worked in various jobs to support himself." She described him as a passionate, loving and a caring person for his family. "Zaki calls us up before any game, whether he was in Enppi, Zamalek and when he moved to England." Referees agree that Zaki is one of the most obedient and disciplined players on the field. According to Egypt's top international referee Essam Abdel-Fattah, Amr's weapon in the field is his fighting spirit and enthusiasm. "He understands the rules of the game and that's what makes him agree with the referee's decisions." Abdel-Fattah believes that Wigan understood Zaki very well "and guided him into one of the most dangerous strikers in the world." Samir Osman, another referee, says that because he understands the rules of refereeing, Zaki might argue with the referee but within the limits, and without showing strong disapproval. Osman says that Zaki is one of the rare forwards who has never simulated a foul to earn a penalty in the box. Hazem Emam, Zamalek's former captain who played with Zaki a year before his retirement, says Zaki was a valuable addition to Zamalek and had helped the club a lot. He scored the winner that gave Zamalek the FA Cup title. Emam, a current board member of the club, says Zaki's achievements with Wigan has made Zamalek "very proud of him." Gamal Hamza, Zamalek's forward, says he misses Zaki after they used to play together on the front line. Hamza claims that rumours that the pair were not on good terms were not true. "We like each other and he was loyal to Zamalek." Ahli defender Wa'el Gomaa describes Zaki as a gifted and skillful player whose abilities can make him one of the greatest players in the world. "Zaki is a humorous and modest person and we always keep in touch," Gomaa said. Zaki's achievements have earned him a contending finalist spot among four other players for the African player of the year award along with country teammate and Ahli playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika. The announcement will be made in Cotonou, Benin in December. It is the first time Zaki has been nominated for the coveted prize.
