It's the way he tells 'em

When he eventually retires from football, Mehdi Nafti can either start up a business as a translator or do a few stints at the Glee Club.

The midfielder had her Majesty's press corps in fits when he provided his customary expertise interpreting for Mauro Zarate.

Nafti put the questions to the Argentinian striker in Spanish and explained his answers - with plenty of dry asides too.

A deadpan quip following a question by the man from Qatar television, dispatched to Wast Hills to get the scoop on Zarate's future, started things rolling.

Question: "You have a strong left foot and a strong right foot, which leg do you prefer?"

Nafti: "The middle one".

Question: "If Manchester United come in, you wouldn't want to play for them instead of Birmingham?"

Nafti: "Who? Manchester United? I wouldn't think so."

Question: "Why did Mauro go to Qatar in the first place?"

Nafti: "For football of course, not the money . . . "

By now, Nafti was having fun, especially with our man from Qatar.

Question: "You are going to be a big star in the future - are you ready for that?"

Question: "The reaction here is that you are going to be a big star on the pitch?"

Nafti: "If you keep saying that, you will bring him bad luck, huh?"

John Curtis, of the Press Association agency, asked a rambling question.

Nafti: "Can someone translate that for me, please?"

Then it was onto Nafti's linguistic skills, and with it a nod to the manager who, it seems, even he finds difficult to comprehend.

Nafti: "I am helping Mauro learn English, his first step is with me. Then after English, we try Scottish!"