Soccer: Salley's Knight time prayers

Laurent Blanc would famously plant a kiss on the bald head of French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez before each match. England's 1966 World Cup winning midfielder Nobby Stiles would rub oil on his chest, face and hands. And former Argentinian goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea could often be seen hitching up his shorts and urinating on the pitch before a penalty shootout.

Footballers, like a lot of sportsmen and women, can be a superstitious lot. England captain John Terry has to sit in the same seat on the bus, listen to the same CD in his car, wrap tape around his socks three times and cut his tubular grip for his shinpads the same size every game.

Former England striker Gary Lineker would never shoot at goal in a warm-up because he didn't want to waste a goal. He would change his shirt at halftime if he hadn't scored or he would get a haircut if the goals ever dried up.

For powerful Knights midfielder Jonas Salley, his pre-game ritual is done for different reasons.

While his team-mates wait for the referee to start the game, the 24-year-old can be found on the side of the pitch, arms outstretched, looking to the heavens while deep in prayer.

Of course, praying before a game is nothing new. Brazilians are perhaps the best known for crossing themselves before taking the pitch but few gestures are as noticeable as Salley's.

"Before every game, I pray to God and I ask him to help us and protect us," Salley says in his thick French-African accent.

His ritual is a moment of serenity that, in a curious kind of way, belies the reputation he's developing as a physical player who takes pleasure in breaking up opposition attacks.

Last Saturday, he bossed the middle of the park against more illustrious Adelaide adversaries used to getting their own way - and they didn't like it. They even resorted to off-the-ball tactics in an attempt to unsettle Salley, which provoked a reaction from a handful of Knights players.

Mention all this to the quietly-spoken Salley and, except for the two yellow cards he's picked up, he smiles broadly. "I love it," he declares. "They try to intimidate me but, for me, it's good when they complain.

"Football is a contest and I always want to be above the person I play against, not below. I'm not a girl. I like to play hard and to win every challenge. Sometimes I might be a little bit hard but I'm not out there to hurt someone, I'm going for the ball. It's not like I'm trying to kill someone."

His robust words bely his nature off the pitch. Among the Knights, he is respected and liked because of his honest approach and it's an honesty he will take on the pitch when he lines up against Melbourne this afternoon.

Along with Richard Johnson, Salley has added much-needed bite to the Knights midfield.

The pair hunt together and have the classy Scot Gemmill beside them directing traffic in a three-man central midfield.

While Salley is quickly developing a reputation in the A-League, he was a virtual unknown when signed by the Knights in the off-season.

Born in the Ivory Coast in West Africa, he played first division football there before moving in April last year to Melbourne, where his father had been living for 15 years.

Although he arrived with virtually no English and a broken ankle, he quickly set about trying to find a club and finally managed to persuade South Melbourne, who now play in the Victorian state league, to let him train with them ahead of the 2006 season.

He made his debut when the season kicked off in January but it wasn't long before he was being linked to A-League clubs, including the Knights, and manager Paul Nevin made a special trip to Melbourne to watch Salley play.

"From what I saw of him in a couple of games," Nevin explains, "I felt he was the perfect holding midfielder in the mould of [French midfielder Claude] Makelele, who could break things up and give the ball easily.

"To play against, he would be an absolute nightmare. Guys are desperate to get on his team in training. He upsets opponents but that's his job and he's very good at it."

Salley has dreams of playing in Europe, something most footballers from the Ivory Coast aspire to, but for now he loves his life in Auckland playing in a league he rates as better than the one back home.

Today the Knights host A-League leaders Melbourne Victory when Salley will no doubt again get under the skin of his opposition.

He won't do it, however, without first going through his pre-game ritual on the sidelines.

Rituals of the weird and famous

When it comes to sport, superstitions and rituals are almost as common as Richie McCaw being targeted in a test match.

Some are subtle, others less discreet, while some can be downright weird. And it's something that affects even the best.

Take Steffi Graf, the former world No 1 tennis player who won 22 Grand Slams. Graf would stand compulsively at the baseline between points and rub her finger from ear to chin as if brushing away sweat.

Basketballer Michael Jordan wore his college team shorts underneath his uniform when playing in the NBA. Former England footballer Jack Charlton would habitually change his studs at the last minute and couldn't end a warm-up without scoring. Ice hockey luminary Wayne Gretzky tucked in the right side of his jersey.

Some superstitions and rituals, however, have been a little more unusual. Italy's Giovanni Trapattoni was often seen sprinkling holy water from a bottle provided by his sister, who was a nun, while French football coach Raymond Domenech has admitted he takes players' star signs into consideration.

NZ Knights (from) - Danny Milosevic, Darren Bazeley (c), Greg Duruz, Che Bunce, Neil Emblen, Richard Johnson, Scot Gemmill, Sean Devine, Jonti Richter, Jonas Salley, Malik Buari, Adam Casey, Michael White, Sime Kovacevic, Michael Turnbull.

Melbourne Victory (from) - Michael Theoklitos, Kevin Muscat (c), Daniel Piorkowski, Steve Pantelidis, Daniel Allsopp, Archie Thompson, Vince Lia, Rodrigo Vargas, Kristian Sarkies, Adrian Caceres, Adrian Leijer, Simon Storey, Grant Brebner, Alessandro, Claudinho, Eugene Galekovic.