Abdi Sharif looking to put international experience to use in Europe

For Connah’s Quay Nomads midfielder Abdi Sharif, performing on football’s biggest occasions is nothing new.

The 25-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough first season with the Nomads, which saw him earn multiple call-ups to the Somalia national team and gain valuable experience on the international stage.

His Cymru Premier debut for Connah’s Quay was away to Colwyn Bay on the opening day of last season and his Player of the Match performance caught the attention of Somalia manager Yusuf Ali Nur, earning him a return to the national squad. 

Sharif featured for the Ocean Stars in both FIFA World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, while he also helped his country record a memorable 2-1 friendly victory over Bahrain last November – Somalia’s first international win for six years.

Sharif believes those experiences have provided the ideal preparation for another major challenge, this time with the Nomads, who host Kosovo’s FC Ballkani at the Blue Turtle Arena on Wednesday, 8 July. 

“These experiences with Somalia are massive for me,” said Sharif. “Playing in AFCON and World Cup qualifying means you’re competing in high-pressure environments and representing a large number of people which teaches you how to stay focused and handle expectations.

“It’s all helped me prepare for European football with the Nomads and this is a fantastic opportunity for the club. I know what this means to the supporters, the staff and the whole community. It’s a chance to put our club on a bigger stage and we’re all eager to make the most of that opportunity. 

“Personally, I’m proud of what I’ve achieved with my country so far and now I’m equally determined to give everything for Connah’s Quay.”

It has been a transitional summer with the Nomads after a squad overhaul. 

Some key names such as Ben Nash, Rhys Hughes, Declan Poole, Noah Edwards, Kai Edwards and Dan Roberts have all switched to different Cymru Premier clubs. 

However, the Nomads are opening everybody’s eyes to players outside of Wales with nine new signings from the English, Scottish and Irish pyramids. Eight of those arrivals are aged 25 or younger, which shows the Nomads’ willingness to strengthen their hybrid model. 

Two more signings who are well known to Welsh domestic football fans are former Bala Town striker Hussein Mehasseb and former Flint Town United striker Darren Stephenson. 

Along with Sharif, the Nomads have five players with prior youth or senior international experience, which Sharif believes will only lead to a positive outcome. 

“Obviously there’s been a lot of change over the summer and whenever that happens, people will speculate, but the lads who have come in are hungry,” said Sharif. “They’ve bought into what we’re trying to achieve and having players in a more full-time environment now gives us more time on the training pitch to work on details, improve our fitness and build relationships as a group. 

“We’ve got a young squad that’s eager to learn, and if we can combine that with the experience that we still have in the dressing room, there’s no reason why we can’t be competitive against Ballkani. 

“We know we’ll have to be at our best, but we’ll go into both legs believing we can give a good account of ourselves and hopefully make it a successful campaign overall.” 

The Nomads’ switch to a more full-time capacity is spearheaded by manager John Disney, whose first campaign in the dugout was another standout story in the Cymru Premier last season. 

The Nomads finished eighth in the 2024/25 Cymru Premier and were runners-up to The New Saints in that season’s Welsh Cup final, which is where Disney announced his retirement as a player and hinted he would become the new Nomads boss. 

Fast forward a year, the 34-year-old built a totally new revolution, brought the Nomads back into Europe with a second-place finish, strengthened an entire community and picked up the Cymru Premier Manager of the Season award. 

Sharif was an important part of the success last season and having filled in the midfield role Disney once held, the Nomads boss was able to get the best out of the former Liverpool academy star in his breakthrough season. 

“Yes, last season was right up there for me,” said Sharif. “I felt really settled throughout the season and a lot of that came down to the environment around me. John has known me for a long time, right back to my Aberystwyth days, so there is already that trust and understanding there.”

Disney was determined to lead the Nomads out onto the European stage when he first took the job and on Wednesday, 8 July, he will get the chance to do just that.

A European win is one of the biggest achievements any Welsh domestic club can hope for, so Sharif and his teammates know how much and how hard Disney and his staff will study their UEFA Conference League opponents FC Ballkani. 

“It gives us confidence heading into the Ballkani tie, knowing that Dis and the coaching staff will put in the hard work,” added Sharif. “They leave no stone unturned and as players, the detail is exactly what we want. We’re studying everything we need to and we’re as ready as we can be, so that gives us all belief.”