Nottingham Takes Step Toward Premiership

By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

The new Kuwaiti owners of English football club Nottingham Forest have welcomed the team’s winning start to the season and hinted that more new players may be brought in. Fawaz Al Hasawi, who along with brother Abdulaziz and cousin Oman finalized their purchase of the Championship club last month, was at the opening game of the season on Saturday.

The club’s majority shareholder arrived with his family from Kuwait towards the end of the first half. He told the website: “I’m really happy to be here – I came late but I saw the goal and we won the game, that’s the most important thing. This is a good start. We did well in the cup game on Monday and did well in this game also and I hope things will carry on like this. The players are new players, they are not used to each other, but when they play more with each other Nottingham Forest will do better.”

The Al Hasawi family has sanctioned the signing of eight players since completing their takeover, but Fawaz hinted at another new arrival before the transfer window closes at the end of August. He said: “We are looking now to get a right winger because the manager is asking for one.”

Nottingham Forest currently sit in the Championship League, which is one level down from the English Premier League. The Al Hasawis are of course targeting a return to the Premier League. “We are working very hard to get to the Premier League. It is very much our target, our ambition,” said Abdulaziz last month.

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