REGRETS? Zesh Rehman can think of 100,000 reasons why moving to the Far East has reignited his passion for playing football.

The former City club captain has been in England for a flying family visit. While “the kids love the cold weather”, Rehman could not wait to get back to more exotic climes.

It’s not simply the more agreeable temperature that continues to appeal for the globe-trotting central defender but the continuing rise of the game in that region.

Proof of that came when he skippered Pahang to Malaysian Cup final success – in front of a crowd of over 100,000. They beat JDT on a penalty shoot-out, with Rehman converting one of the spot-kicks.

He admitted: “I had goosebumps seeing so many fans packed into the stadium two hours before kick off. It was amazing and a far cry from the likes of Gresty Road and Boundary Park on a Tuesday night.

“I felt confident before I stepped up for my penalty. We’d practised them all season long and playing regularly in front of 20,000-30,000 supporters week in, week out equips you for the bigger occasions.”

No wonder he cannot wait for it all to begin again in January. Rehman has now lifted seven trophies in the past three seasons.

It’s all a far cry from his time with City, a time when they were struggling to get out of League Two, but Rehman still looks back fondly on the experience. He still follows results from home closely.

“It was an honour to become the club’s first Asian captain in their history. I played over 70 games for them and enjoying playing at Valley Parade.

“The fans are always passionate and have stuck by the club through thick and thin.

“Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes have the club’s best interests at heart and together with Dave Baldwin worked tirelessly.

“It’s great to see big James Hanson progress so much in the past few years.”

It is almost four years since Rehman’s adventure began with Muangthong United in Thailand. He moved to Kitchee in Hong Kong in January 2012 and Pahang 12 months ago.

His exit from Valley Parade caused controversy at the time after Peter Taylor was upset by comments Rehman made in a radio interview questioning the manager for leaving him out of the team.

He was stripped of the club captaincy and told he could go on a free transfer.

But the pair settled their issues before Rehman’s departure – and the 31-year-old now views the episode as a “blessing in disguise” as it opened the gateway to his new lifestyle.

He said: “I have no ill feeling towards Peter Taylor or anyone about the manner of my departure.

“It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it opened the door to a new football market. I had the chance to play in three more countries, make some great contacts and embrace new cultures and environments.

“I have racked up over 120 games in the region and assisted the likes of Damion Stewart, George Boateng, Steve Kean and many more enter the market in Asia. It’s a wonderful journey to be on.”

Nepal, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Bangladesh, Singapore, India, Maldives, Philippines, Bahrain and UAE .... it’s easier to list the countries in the region where Rehman has not kicked a ball.

More and more European players and coaches are following suit. The likes of Nicolas Anelka, Freddie Ljungberg and Marcello Lippi are all based in the Far East right now.

“The passion for the game is huge,” said Rehman. “The standard of the players, facilities, attendances and coaches is always on the rise.

“I had offers recently from Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia and Denmark but Malaysia is a brilliant country to play in, so I could be here for a while longer yet.

“I’ve played in all four leagues in England so I would never close that door. But I’m loving Asia.

“My wife and kids are enjoying the globe-trotting, which is helping them develop and evolve as people, instead of stagnating in the same location.”

Combine the buzz of playing the game you love in front of thousands with the wide-eyed excitement of a tourist and you can see why Rehman is hooked.

You get the impression that he is not coming home any time soon.