Once in a while you just have to take your cap off to a football club and give them the credit they deserve for doing something to make a difference in the wider world.

And, oh boy, do Roma deserve a huge heap of credit.

Back in July the Italian club started including photos of missing children in their social media posts announcing new singings – bringing much-needed attention to several urgent and unsolved cases.

Last week a 15-year-old English boy was reunited with his family as a result of the campaign – making him the sixth child that Roma have helped locate.

That is truly brilliant.

The missing boy had originally featured in the club’s media post announcing the signing of Turkish defender Mert Cetin in August last year.

The player himself was said to be overwhelmed that his transfer had played a part in solving the case. “As soon as I received the news that another missing child had been found, my heart filled with joy,” Cetin said.

As I said at the start, I cannot give Roma enough praise for running this campaign which they are doing in conjunction with the charity Missing People.

It just goes to show how powerful football clubs and social media can be when they combine forces for good.

The only frustration I have with this entire story, to be honest, is that other clubs haven’t jumped on this charitable bandwagon. Roma’s actions have made a huge difference to six young people’s lives so far.

But imagine how many lives could be saved and how many missing people could be returned home if all of the world’s big clubs did the same, simple thing as Roma. And it would cost them absolutely nothing.

I’m not saying it should be mandatory – I hate that type of imposition even when it is for a good cause.

But I don’t think it would hurt if we all started urging the respective clubs we support to follow Roma’s lead…

Ronaldo looking for the hat-trick grand slam?

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first Juventus hat-trick in their midweek win over Cagliari – taking his career total of trebles to a staggering 56.

His three goals in last Monday’s game mean he has now scored hat-tricks in Italy, Spain and England, arguably three of the four most competitive leagues in Europe.

Interestingly, however, he isn’t the first player to achieve that feat – that record belongs to Alexis Sanchez who did it with Udinese, Arsenal and Barcelona.

Imagine how many lives could be saved and how many missing people could be returned home if all of the world’s big clubs did the same, simple thing as Roma

Makes you wonder if Ronaldo might not think about swapping Serie A for the Bundesliga in a year or two’s time just so he can bag another treble and complete the European Hat-trick Grand Slam.

I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see him turn up at Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund before he hangs his boots up for good. And I would be even less surprised if he then popped up with another hat-trick or 12.

Charlie Austin is still doing his thing

I have written about Charlie Austin on several occasions over the years – mostly wondering how one of the most natural goalscorers in English football has never made it to the very top.

After a frustrating four-year spell with Southampton, where he never really got the opportunity to show what he was all about, Austin is now plying his trade at West Bromwich Albion and once again doing what he does best – finding the back of the net.

So far this season he has scored seven times in 19 appearances, many of which have come from the bench. That means he has over 250 goals in barely 450 appearances.

Compare that with Michael Owen, one of England’s other most naturally gifted goalscorers, who scored 222 goals in 482 appearances. Austin is more prolific than Owen despite the fact he never played for a top team where chances are easier to come by.

The sort of instinctive ability to put away goals that he has is normally snapped up at the earliest opportunity by big clubs. Yet Austin has been allowed to while away his career at places like Swindon Town, Poole Town, Burnley and Queens Park Rangers, when his talent should have seen him playing for the Liverpools or Chelseas of this world.

I just find it strange that a big club never took a gamble on Austin. And, at 30, I would imagine there is little chance they will now.

I’m sure he’s happy and has no regrets. And I’m equally certain he is enjoying his life at West Brom, who seem to be heading back to the top flight. But I can’t help but feel his career was a missed opportunity in some shape or form.

Zip up, it’s cold outside

Meanwhile, over in Spain, Malaga manager Victor Sanchez has been suspended by his club after footage of him exposing himself was released online.

In the video, which I have been fortunate enough not to see, he apparently unleashes his bits and pieces while dressed in a Malaga training top. Club loyal to a fault, that man.

According to a rather angry Sanchez, someone had been blackmailing him with the footage in which he exposed his man sausage, and it is now in the hands of the police.

The blackmail case, that is, not the man sausage.

His club, somewhat understandably, have decided to put him on gardening leave while investigations are under way. What a manager gets up to in his free time is entirely his own business, of course.

But when what he gets up to involves having his danglies splashed across the internet, it becomes his employer’s business too.

Having said all that, a little look at the Spanish second division suggests suspending Sanchez might not be an entire disaster for the club. Malaga are 16th in the league, have only won once in the last five games, and are just one point above the relegation zone. Unfortunately for the police, that is going to complicate their investigations into who released the video – people with a possible motive include everyone from the club’s directors to the fans…

james@findit.com.mt
Twitter: @maltablade