Karachi’s Football Hub

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Aga Khan Road, Asian Games, Block 14, Dalmia Road, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Hobnob Bakery, home of football, Jail Chowrangi, Kakri Ground, Karachi, Karsaz Road, Lyari, Mashriq Centre, McDonald’s, National Coaching Centre, NCC, Pakistan Sports Board, Pie in the Sky, PSB Coaching Centre, PSB sports board, PSB sports complex, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Shayan Shakeel, Stadium Bridge, The World Cup, Time Medico, Zainab Market

Plenty of children and adults play football at the NCC (photo: Tahir Jamal/White Star)

If Lyari wasn’t the battleground it has become, Kakri Ground would be the home of football in Karachi. Instead, the National Coaching Centre (NCC) has become an alternative for anyone wishing to put on some cleats and play football – or any other sport.

City Central…Located in Block 14, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, the NCC is easily accessible from all parts of Karachi via some of the city’s largest thoroughfares; Dalmia Road connects it with Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Karsaz Road with Shahrah-e-Faisal, and the Aga Khan Road with all areas near Jail Chowrangi.

A full-sized football pitch (photo: Tahir Jamal/White Star)

Where sport lives… In full view of the National Stadium, the NCC houses a full-sized football pitch, fully equipped gymnasium, badminton, squash and tennis courts, as well as track and field facilities. Some of the facilities might not be world class, but the fact that they exist allows a lot of people to come and train there.

Waiting for kick-off (photo: Tahir Jamal/White Star)

What you will see… The NCC is open to public membership, and attracts people from all walks of life who have a passion for fitness and sport. On any given day, you can watch players on the football pitch, health conscious athletes sprinting on the tracks or big-armed fitness buffs pumping iron in the gym.

For the not so sporty… The area around the NCC has several shopping options. The pocket which houses Time Medico (a supermarket) also has a number of bookstores and cigar shops. Mashriq Centre, considered to be Gulshan’s answer to Zainab Market thanks to the apparel available there (as well as art supplies), is a popular shopping venue.

Take a foodie break… Have a burger and milkshake at the nearby McDonald’s; and if you are looking for barbecued protein, venture over to one of the many sajji and barbeque joints in Block 14. There is a Hobnob Bakery across the road from the NCC and a Pie in the Sky nearby to give you a sugar fix and make up the lost calories.

In a nutshell…. The World Cup would be a stretch, but a view of the NCC and its adjoining areas while coming off the Stadium Bridge could convince anyone that the Asian Games or a smaller event could certainly be held there. No multi-million dollar construction would be needed, just a little maintenance would do the trick.

– Shayan Shakeel
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First published in the Real Estate Section of The DAWN National Weekend Advertiser on June 10, 2012.

Beckingham Palace On The Market

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1930s Georgian style mansion, Beckingham Palace, Britain’s cultural heritage, David and Victoria Beckham, David and Victoria fans, English country home, Euro 2012, football’s first couple, Grade II building in the UK, Hertfordshire, Kim Kardashian, Leila Mahfooz Barry, London, Rowneybury House, Sawbridgeworth, top 10 most desirable locations to live in

Rowneybury House, better known as Beckingham Palace is currently owned by football’s first couple, David and Victoria Beckham. The glamorous couple however are permanently moving to Los Angles and have decided to sell their sprawling, English country home which is now on the market for an estimated £18 million.

Beckingham Palace is located in the quiet, rural town of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire. Recent property and lifestyle surveys have shown that Hertfordshire in general, and Sawbridgeworth in particular, is one of the top 10 most desirable locations to live in while commuting to work in London. Sawbridgeworth has a population of about 9,000 and is approximately an hour’s drive away from London.

The house is a 1930s Georgian style mansion built on an expansive 22-acre estate. The property is listed as a Grade II building in the UK (it is considered part of Britain’s cultural heritage and is thus protected from reconstruction or demolition); it was previously a council-owned children’s home.

The Beckhams acquired the seven-bedroom mansion in 1999 for the sum of £2.5 million and carried out extensive and expensive additions and renovations amounting to an estimated £18 million. The amount spent on renovations considerably exceeds the current market value of the property.

In addition to seven bedrooms, lavish entertainment areas, state-of-the-art kitchens and beautifully manicured gardens, the house has a snooker room, a recording studio and gym. Beckingham Palace also boasts indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a golf course, flood-lit tennis courts, a helipad, three gazebos, and a petting zoo for children.
The latest news is that reality show star Kim Kardashian has her eye on the property which she plans to use when her family is in the UK. Rumour also has it that she will rent out the house to David and Victoria fans while she is away.

– Leila Mahfooz Barry
First published in the Real Estate Section of The DAWN National Weekend Advertiser on June 10, 2012.

Train To Be A Football Star

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core strength, Euro Cup, European Nations Cup, fitness enthusiast, health, Karachi Bodybuilding Championship, one of the most prestigious competitions on the football calendar for European teams, speed, stamina, Stephan Andrew, strength

Originally known as the European Nations Cup, the Euro Cup has been considered one of the most prestigious competitions on the football calendar for European teams since 1960.

One of the largest tournaments in terms of viewership (over 200 million viewers worldwide), the Euro Cup is stiff competition. It’s no wonder then that athletes and even referees go through tough and strenuous training to build speed, strength and stamina.

If you want to have a football player’s physique, head to the gym at least four times a week, and follow this exercise regimen:

1. For strong legs that can help you jump high and kick hard, do squats to strengthen your leg muscles. Squats also help develop the back and abdominal region. Use weights with which you can do at least four sets, each comprising five reps.

2. To strengthen your core (your abdomen) and thereby improve your balance and coordination, do some hanging exercises (pull-ups and chin raises), lying leg raises and stomach crunches; do four sets of these exercise, each comprising 20 reps.

3. For upper body strength do bench presses using weights that are at least 60% of your body weight; do four sets, each comprising eight reps.

Of course, an exercise regimen is ineffective without eating right. And because footballers need immense amounts of energy, they should follow a diet that is high in carbohydrates and protein which provide energy and build muscle respectively.
Foods that will do the trick include beetroot juice, beans, whole wheat bread, brown rice, chicken breast fillets, boiled or scrambled egg whites and fish. And, of course, generous helpings of fresh fruits and vegetables.

– Stephan Andrew
The writer is a fitness enthusiast; he was a finalist at the Karachi Bodybuilding Championship.

First published in the Health Advertiser Section of The DAWN National Weekend Advertiser on June 10, 2012.