Looking just Fab

The Fabio Cannavaro visit, has been finalised. He'll be in Phnom Penh for three nights, lording it at the plush Sofitel after arriving on Sunday afternoon. Next morning will be a press conference, though Fabio's faltering English will mean a three-way translation will be required. He'll also be doing television interviews before a trip to Friends to donate footy kit and footballs to some of the street kids; with a 'sport is better than drugs' message. Without time to breathe, he'll be whisked off to the Olympic Stadium for a session on the pitch with the Cambodian U-21 squad, who are currently in training camp. Then its a meet-the-fans session at the Gold Dragon shop, opposite the Olympic Stadium front entrance, before a breather and then a cocktail dinner with sponsors and guests. He's allowed to sleep before an early start at the Phnom Penh Crown HQ in Tuol Kork next day (Tuesday at 9.30am), where the Crown Academy boys will benefit from a football clinic from the maestro, and the first-teamers will be on hand as well. Fabio has asked for an afternoon off so he can take in the sights of the city and he will take his leave the following morning. The trip will allow him to promote and support the emergence of football in the Kingdom, especially amongst the youth and disadvantaged. The hope is that someone as big a name as Fabio, will make more people sit up and take notice of the game here. Without doubt, he's the brightest star to come to Cambodia on a football gig, having won nearly every major honour in the game, including captaining Italy to the 2006 World Cup and getting the FIFA Player of the Year award from his fellow pro's in the same year. They don't come much bigger than that.