I recently did an interview with ESPN Asia talking about my recent move to Hong Kong including the reasons for the decision. To read the article visit the following link:
I would like to place on record my thanks to Gillingham Football Club for giving me the opportunity to return to UK last season, I really enjoyed my time at the club and am now considering numerous other offers.
Yesterday I spoke to the guys at Four Four Two in Asia about the keys to having a successful stint abroad and some of the key issue you are likely to have to deal with. I hope the article can help a few people thinking of embarking on a career abroad in football or any other work, the same principles apply. To read the article visit the following link:
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/my/features/zesh-rehman-key-surviving-asia?page=0%2C2
I spoke to ESPN recently about my return to the UK with Gillingham Football Club and reflecting on my time in Asia. To read the article visit the following link:
Yesterday we played in a very important game to determine whether we would avoid relegation away to Northampton. We drew the game 0-0 which gave us the vital point to finish above the drop zone and maintain Gillingham Football Club league One status for next season. It was a game for ca=lm experienced heads, I was pleased to be able to use all of my experience to maximum affect and help us stay up. It has been a tough few months but the most important thing was to make sure we survived by hook or by crook which we have done. I played 10 games in the two months, scoring one goal and helping us pick up 14 points. I will now switch off for a little while, regather my energy before weighing up my options ahead of next season. I would like to thank all of the Gillingham, fans for sticking by the team and especially to the travelling fans yesterday who contributed to a tremendous end of season atmosphere.
Yesterday we played promotion chasing fleetwood in an entertaining game which resulted in an agonising last minute defeat for us which leaves us going into the last game of the season to make sure we stay up in League One. I was pleased to score my first goal for the club but would happily have swapped that for 3 points. We are still in control of our destiny and not relying on other results, however if Walsall do us a favour and beat Port Vale midweek we could be safe ahead of the final game next weekend. It has been a testing few months which will be drawn to a close one way or another in a weeks time so we will be preparing as well as we can to make sure we have every chance of pro longing the clubs stay in the division. It is an extremely competitive league which makes it hard to predict results regardless of where the teams are currently sitting in the standings.
On Easter Friday we recorded a very important 3-1 win over Play off hopefuls Bristol Rovers. The win moves us four points above the relegation places with 3 games remaining and was a massive boost for us to get the 3 points in front of our brilliant home fans. We now have Chalton away on Easter Monday which is another very big game for us.
Yesterday we drew 1-1 with Millwall at home in a very hard fought game, we were boosted by the fantastic support from the home fans who were brilliant from the first minute unit the last. Millwall are a well organised side who are pushing hard for a play off spot so there was a lot on the game for both sides. The point keeps us one point above the relegation places with four games to home. If we go into those remaining games with the same application and determination as yesterday we will no doubt get the points we need to beat the drop. I am looking forward to the run in as is the rest of the squad.
On Saturday afternoon we let ourselves and our fans down by failing to take at least a point from the away game against MK Dons which leave us just one place above the relegation zone with only 5 games left. The next few weeks are absolutely crucial in all of our careers and we will be doing absolutely everything to make sure we win against Millwall at home next weekend to make it a little easier for our self in the remaining fixtures after that. We will need the fans to continue their excellent support and be the 12th man as they have always been at the Prestfield Stadium.
Yesterday was a very frustrating day at the office again with a heavy defeat away to Rochdale, on a personal note I was very disappointed to receive my first red card of my career. We still have 7 games left, we are currently four points above the relegation places and must continue to stick together and fight until the last day of the season. I have every confidence in the squad that we can maintain our league 1 status, it will be a tough ask but we must stick together, keep the belief and keep fighting until the very last day of the season.
On Tuesday night we lost 4-0 at home to promotion favourites Bolton Wanderers at home in a very disappointing game, after the recent wins it was a hard blow to take. We must remain positive as we have won 3 games from the last 5 games and put out selves in a good position to finish out of the relegation places with 8 games to go. We have to learn from this game, dust ourselves down and regroup ahead of another very tough game at the weekend away to Rochdale.
We will stick together as a group as we are all fighting for the same cause from now until the end of the season which is to regain the League One status for next season.
Yesterdays game against Championship promotion chasers Scunthorpe United was certainly a memorable one. 0n the 78th minute we were trailing by two goals and then showed unbelievable character and fighting spirit to come back to win the game 3-2 in the last 10 minutes. It was great to register another victory, hopefully we can keep getting those vital wins between now and the end of the season to ensure our safety in League One.
Yesterday was the third game in a week for my new club Gillingham away to Bury who had been flying high recently with 3 back to back wins and were unbeaten in five games. We battled and fought right until the final whistle to come away with a 2-1 victory. The three points were crucial for our relegation battle. On a personal note I was pleased with my performance and very happy to register two wins from the three games I have played so far. We now have a week to prepare for our next game at home against Scunthorpe.
On Tuesday night we lost to fellow relegation strugglers Swindon Town which was very disappointing. We still have 11 games to play and need at least four wins to be safe, it will be a tough challenge but one I am relishing. There are no easy games in this division, the next game away to Bury will be very tough, we need to stick together and fight in every game from now until the end of the season to secure our safety in League one.
I was delighted to get off to a winning start on my official debut for Gillingham Fc yesterday with a 2-1 Victory over Southend United Fc who were flying high in league. The performance was full of commitment and fighting spirit which is exactly what is needed in a relegation battle. The fans contributed to a great atmosphere, its important to make the home ground a fortress and a difficult place for opposing teams to come and get a result. We now have two days to recover and get ready for another battle midweek away to Swindon Town. On a personal note I was pleased with my performance and hopefully can continue to use my experience to help steer us away from the relegation places and closer to the middle of the table.
I am delighted to have signed for Gillingham FC. Having clocked up 200 games over the last 6 years in Asia its great to be back in England, plying my trade in the home of football. My experiences abroad have broadened my horizons and allowed me to establish a good network of contacts. I had several interesting options abroad and in the UK but felt it was the right stage of my career to come back home.
Having played in all four leagues in the UK I am relishing the challenge of playing for Gillingham Fc and looking forward to working with Adrian Pennock and his coaching staff. Im looking to play as long as possible and use my experience help this young squad until the end of the season and then access the situation both in the UK and overseas.
To read the article of the interview with the Football League Paper in the UK visit the following link:
I recently spoke to the Football league paper about my time playing in all four leagues in the UK and in particular about the last 6 years playing in Asia. My time in Thailand, Malaysia and Hong Kong provided me with some wonderful memories and life experiences, both on and off the pitch which I was happy to share with the readers of the Football League Paper in England.
I have been back in the UK for the past few months working on maintaining my fitness ahead of what ever comes up next in my career. It is very important for all players to stay on top of their fitness at all times and even more so once they get into their 30s. With modern science in terms of recovery and injury prevention I believe players will start to beyond the usual retirement age of 34/35 because they are taking care of their bodies better in terms of recovery, training and most importantly diet. A footballers diet must be well balanced with ample carbs, protein, fruit, veg and good fats to maintain a good balance. Below working on my core strength by doing the plank excercise which is an excellent way to stabilise the body and isolate the abdominal area.
I have reached an amicable agreement with Pahang FC to mutually terminate my contract for reasons which will remain confidential. It was an honour to play in Malaysia for Pahang FC for the last 3 years & experience being Club Captain. I am very happy with my contribution to the club. Played 94 from a possible 100 games. Malaysia Cup, Charity Shield & FA Cup winner in 2014. 2015 Malaysia Cup & FA Cup semi finalists, League runner... highest League finish for Pahang in the last 10 years & created history for the club by reaching the AFC Cup 1/4 finals. Managed to Scored 13 goals, 8 assists & top scoring defender in the Malaysia Super League.
I would love a future return in a coaching role, something which was offered to me at the start of this season but was not the right moment for me.
I will be back to visit my sons birth place of Kuantan. Pahang have the best fans in Malaysia & are by far the best I have played for. Leaving here on excellent terms with the hierarchy, fantastic memories & many formed friendships. Good luck to all the staff & team for the rest of the season. Thank you.
http://www.espnfc.com/blog/football-asia/153/post/2903679/former-fulham-defender-zesh-
On Wednesday we secured our place in the Malaysia cup by being in the top best 11 teams in the Malaysia Super League after the first round of games. The Malaysia Cup is the most prestigious cup competition in Malaysia so it was vital we qualified for that. The game away to JDT was a game of two halves, first half we were very solid and in the second half could not contain their attack. We look forward to facing them again this weekend at our home stadium.
We stretched our unbeaten run to 3 games with a home win over Kelantan and an away draw at Sarawak. We are now off the foot of the table and in the 10th place, we have two games to go until the end of the 1st leg where will need to finish in the 11th spot minimum to compete in the Malaysia Cup this season. The next game is at home against Kedah. We will be going all out to make sure we finish in a Malaysia Cup spot because it is by far the most prestigious competition in Malaysia.
I am grateful to the Almighty for reaching a personal milestone o playing 200 competitive games in Asia for both Club and Country. It has been a wonderful football and life experience so far which I have tried to embrace to the fullest every single day. The games across many different Countries and has included 1000s of air miles but its all part of the journey!
Last night we won 4-3 away at Perak in an end to end game. It was pleasing to get our first league win of the season and keep our chances of sealing a Malaysia Cup place alive. The win will do wonders for the confidence of the squad ahead of the East Coast Derby against Kelantan next week.
On Tuesday night we lost 2-0 against PDRM in a hugely frustrating game, the two goals we conceded were very soft, 1 from a corner and 1 from a penatly. We must continue to work to improve our league position starting with the weekend game away at Perak. Its never easy in Perak but we must beleive we can get a positive result.
On Friday we register our first win of the campaign with a hard fought 2-1 win over fellow Super League outfit T-team in the FA Cup. The game went to extra time and was a good display of our fitness levels to dominate the game in extra time despite it being our third game in a week. The win was a timely booster for the confidence levels of the team ahead of some crucial games coming up next week against Selangor to start with. I am pleased the youngsters learned some valuable lessons from the previous game and put them right in this game which is a positive sign.
We lost the second league game of the season 4-1 away to Penang FC. Two early goals put a dent in our hopes of getting anything from the game and from which point it was an uphill struggle. The game will serve as a major lesson for some of our young players who will need to adapt quickly to life in the Super league this season.
I recently sat down to an interview with Sky Sports reflection on my time last season with Gillingham Fc and the new challenge ahead in the Hong Kong Premier League with Southern District FC. 
I recently did an interview with ESPN Asia talking about my recent move to Hong Kong including the reasons for the decision. To read the article visit the following link:
Delighted to have signed for Southern Fc in Hong Kong. An ambitious, progressive and competitive club with a great family atmosphere. After weighing up several offers in England & other parts of the world a return to the Far East was far too good to refuse for me and my family. Looking forward to working again with Head Coach Cheng Siu Chung who is an excellent man manager, very passionate and knowledgeable on the game. To read more about the move visit the following link:
Yesterday I spoke to the guys at Four Four Two in Asia about the keys to having a successful stint abroad and some of the key issue you are likely to have to deal with. I hope the article can help a few people thinking of embarking on a career abroad in football or any other work, the same principles apply. To read the article visit the following link:
I spoke to ESPN recently about my return to the UK with Gillingham Football Club and reflecting on my time in Asia. To read the article visit the following link:
Yesterday we played in a very important game to determine whether we would avoid relegation away to Northampton. We drew the game 0-0 which gave us the vital point to finish above the drop zone and maintain Gillingham Football Club league One status for next season. It was a game for ca=lm experienced heads, I was pleased to be able to use all of my experience to maximum affect and help us stay up. It has been a tough few months but the most important thing was to make sure we survived by hook or by crook which we have done. I played 10 games in the two months, scoring one goal and helping us pick up 14 points. I will now switch off for a little while, regather my energy before weighing up my options ahead of next season. I would like to thank all of the Gillingham, fans for sticking by the team and especially to the travelling fans yesterday who contributed to a tremendous end of season atmosphere. 
On Easter Friday we recorded a very important 3-1 win over Play off hopefuls Bristol Rovers. The win moves us four points above the relegation places with 3 games remaining and was a massive boost for us to get the 3 points in front of our brilliant home fans. We now have Chalton away on Easter Monday which is another very big game for us. 
Yesterday we drew 1-1 with Millwall at home in a very hard fought game, we were boosted by the fantastic support from the home fans who were brilliant from the first minute unit the last. Millwall are a well organised side who are pushing hard for a play off spot so there was a lot on the game for both sides. The point keeps us one point above the relegation places with four games to home. If we go into those remaining games with the same application and determination as yesterday we will no doubt get the points we need to beat the drop. I am looking forward to the run in as is the rest of the squad. 
On Saturday afternoon we let ourselves and our fans down by failing to take at least a point from the away game against MK Dons which leave us just one place above the relegation zone with only 5 games left. The next few weeks are absolutely crucial in all of our careers and we will be doing absolutely everything to make sure we win against Millwall at home next weekend to make it a little easier for our self in the remaining fixtures after that. We will need the fans to continue their excellent support and be the 12th man as they have always been at the Prestfield Stadium. 
The Daily Star Newspaper did a double page feature on my time playing in Asia and my recent return to English Football with Gillingham in League one. To read the article visit the following link:
Yesterday was a very frustrating day at the office again with a heavy defeat away to Rochdale, on a personal note I was very disappointed to receive my first red card of my career. We still have 7 games left, we are currently four points above the relegation places and must continue to stick together and fight until the last day of the season. I have every confidence in the squad that we can maintain our league 1 status, it will be a tough ask but we must stick together, keep the belief and keep fighting until the very last day of the season. 
On Tuesday night we lost 4-0 at home to promotion favourites Bolton Wanderers at home in a very disappointing game, after the recent wins it was a hard blow to take. We must remain positive as we have won 3 games from the last 5 games and put out selves in a good position to finish out of the relegation places with 8 games to go. We have to learn from this game, dust ourselves down and regroup ahead of another very tough game at the weekend away to Rochdale. 
Yesterdays game against Championship promotion chasers Scunthorpe United was certainly a memorable one. 0n the 78th minute we were trailing by two goals and then showed unbelievable character and fighting spirit to come back to win the game 3-2 in the last 10 minutes. It was great to register another victory, hopefully we can keep getting those vital wins between now and the end of the season to ensure our safety in League One. 
Yesterday was the third game in a week for my new club Gillingham away to Bury who had been flying high recently with 3 back to back wins and were unbeaten in five games. We battled and fought right until the final whistle to come away with a 2-1 victory. The three points were crucial for our relegation battle. On a personal note I was pleased with my performance and very happy to register two wins from the three games I have played so far. We now have a week to prepare for our next game at home against Scunthorpe. 
On Tuesday night we lost to fellow relegation strugglers Swindon Town which was very disappointing. We still have 11 games to play and need at least four wins to be safe, it will be a tough challenge but one I am relishing. There are no easy games in this division, the next game away to Bury will be very tough, we need to stick together and fight in every game from now until the end of the season to secure our safety in League one. 
We stretched our unbeaten run to 3 games with a home win over Kelantan and an away draw at Sarawak. We are now off the foot of the table and in the 10th place, we have two games to go until the end of the 1st leg where will need to finish in the 11th spot minimum to compete in the Malaysia Cup this season. The next game is at home against Kedah. We will be going all out to make sure we finish in a Malaysia Cup spot because it is by far the most prestigious competition in Malaysia. 
I am grateful to the Almighty for reaching a personal milestone o playing 200 competitive games in Asia for both Club and Country. It has been a wonderful football and life experience so far which I have tried to embrace to the fullest every single day. The games across many different Countries and has included 1000s of air miles but its all part of the journey!
On Friday we register our first win of the campaign with a hard fought 2-1 win over fellow Super League outfit T-team in the FA Cup. The game went to extra time and was a good display of our fitness levels to dominate the game in extra time despite it being our third game in a week. The win was a timely booster for the confidence levels of the team ahead of some crucial games coming up next week against Selangor to start with. I am pleased the youngsters learned some valuable lessons from the previous game and put them right in this game which is a positive sign. 
We lost the second league game of the season 4-1 away to Penang FC. Two early goals put a dent in our hopes of getting anything from the game and from which point it was an uphill struggle. The game will serve as a major lesson for some of our young players who will need to adapt quickly to life in the Super league this season. 
