How you can put your name to the #savehakeem campaign

The sheer scale of the campaign to have Hakeem Al-Araiabi released is extraordinary and now is the time to add your support to free the refugee footballer. PLUS, so long Aussie Pim.

Thailand's government insists it cannot free Hakeem until hearings on Bahrain's request for his extradition are completed. (Lillian Suwanrumpha / AFP)

• Stajcic still in the dark over Matildas sacking
• FFA boycott Thailand over Hakeem saga

The sheer scale of the campaign to have Hakeem Al-Araiabi released by Thailand is extraordinary, with Twitter revealing that almost one million #savehakeem tweets have been posted around the world.

Now that the refugee footballer looks like facing another two and a half months in a Bangkok jail, it’s not the only hashtag gaining currency, with #boycottthailand repeatedly trending in Thailand itself.

In Australia, diverse figures including Sydney FC CEO Danny Townsend, trades unions leader Sally McManus and Senator Derryn Hinch have called for action against Thailand if it extradites Al-Araiabi back to a country where he fears being tortured again, whether a tourism boycott or formal sanctions.

Thailand's government insists it cannot free Hakeem until hearings on Bahrain's request for his extradition are completed. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

With Bahrain trying to steamroller Thailand into extraditing Hakeem, and the Thai government trying to pitch itself as caught helplessly in the middle, Hakeem’s plight demands even more pressure to be brought to bear.

According to the Australian-Thailand Business Council, Thailand is Australia’s eight-largest trading partner, with Australia investing around $4.5 billion in Thailand. On top of that roughly 800,000 Australians visit Thailand each year. That’s a lot of economic clout.

Football has powered the campaign to free Hakeem, and football fans can warn of the economic consequences if he isn’t. So let’s start with the Thailand Tourism board in Sydney — [e-mail] or 02 9247 7549 — to let them know what’s at stake, also the Consulate General, the Thai Government’s representative here — 02 9241 2542 or www.facebook.com/sydthaiconsulate.

After all, while FIFA debates the possibility of sanctions, there’s nothing stopping individuals putting their own in place.

Wanderers coach Markus Babbel plans to raid his homeland. (AAP Image/Brendon Thorne)

BABBEL’S WANDERING EYE

AS his team continues to feel the cutting edge of Markus Babbel’s tongue, it looks like the head coach is steaming ahead with plans for next season.

We hear discreet inquiries have been made of several players hailing not a million miles away from his native Germany. With 13 players coming off contract, there’s plenty of room to move.

THREE CHEERS, AUSSIE PIM

Pim saw the last of the so-called golden generation.

This column would like to send its best wishes for a contented retirement to former Socceroos boss Pim Verbeek, after he dropped the curtain on his near four-decade management career.

The 62-year-old, whose Oman side was knocked out in the round of 16 at last month’s Asian Cup, worked in his native Holland, South Korea, Japan and the Gulf along with his two and a half year stint in Australia. Indeed, one of his biggest career highlights was guiding Australia to the 2010 World Cup “on my own two feet”.

“Unbeaten in the qualification,” Verbeek told Dutch radio station NPO Radio 1.

“I think being at the World Cup as a trainer is the highlight of every coach's career. Unfortunately, on goal difference we didn't make it into the next round."

Verbeek, who has recently been in ill health, cited a desire to settle in Holland and spend time with family.

“Twenty years abroad, it's been enough,” he said.

“I've had an amazing time, but it's time to be in the Netherlands and to have a great time with family, friends, and grandkids, who I haven't always seen a whole lot the last couple of years."

The football meant nothing compared to Awer Mabil’s tragic loss. (Francois Nel/Getty Images)

FORGET FOOTBALL

The Socceroos squad thought they were dealing with shock when they were knocked out of the Asian Cup late last month. But that was nothing on returning to the team hotel in the United Arab Emirates and learning Awer Mabil’s sister had died in a car accident. Right-back Rhyan Grant described the sadness of the entire squad on behalf of their teammate.

“For something so heavy like that to happen just puts everything in perspective, and football sort of means nothing at times like that,” Grant said.

“Very tragic, very very sad for him and his family … being knocked out of a tournament doesn't really mean too much when life's so short like that.

"He was with some staff members. It wasn't my place to go and say anything. Everyone had flown out pretty much the next morning, it was a pretty quick turnaround. He was going through his own thing.”

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There was something in the water(s) when Sydney FC star Milos Ninkovic named his newborn son Novak. The Serbian playmaker’s third child — he has two girls already with wife Dejana — was born more than a week before Djokovic won the Australian Open. “I knew he would win,” Nikovic said of the name choice.

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