ahead of several other offers from around the world, citing the lure of working with head coach Cheng Siu Chung as the main attraction. On 28 April 2020, Southern announced an agreement with Rehman to extend his contract. Coaching Career Southern On 16 May 2020, towards the end of the 2019~2020 season when COVID started Rehman was named as a player-manager for Southern, achieving his first coaching role since obtaining his UEFA Pro License. He spent two seasons prior to this operating as a development coach working closely with the club's emerging youth prospects that won the U18 League and FA Youth Cup. On 30 May 2021, Rehman completed his first full season as player head coach leading Southern to a 5th place mid-table finish, a remarkable achievement in the duo role while operating on the lowest budget in the league, working with the youngest coaching team and himself being the youngest head coach in the Hong Kong Premier League. In January 2022, at the halfway point of the new season, Rehman guided Southern to the top of the league with the second-highest number of goals scored, the best defensive record in the league, and the most clean sheets beating Asian Champions league side Kitchee and last years league runners up Eastern along the way. Southern was also in the top three of the Sapling Cup League. In May 2022 Rehman called time on a 21 year playing career which spanned two decades across several Countries. He described his time as a pro an amazing experience both on and off the pitch. https://twitter.com/Zesh_Rehman/status/1529904291057647616?cxt=HHwWgICyjZr2p7sqAAAA Portsmouth Having finished his playing career, in June 2022 Rehman took a role with Portsmouth FC as U18 Coach. In January 2023, after the dismissal of Danny Cowley and Nicky Cowley as head coach and assistant head coach, Rehman became interim first team assistant manager. Rehman remained in the interim assistant head coach role after the appointment of John Mousinho as the new head coach. https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/2023/january/pompey-appoint-john-mousinho-as-head-coach/ The pairs first game in charge resulted in a 2-0 home win against visitors Exeter City on Saturday 21 January 2023, their first EFL League One home win since 3 September 2022. https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/matches/fixtures/first-team/202223/january/portsmouth-vs-exeter-city-on-21-jan-23/ Three days later on Tuesday 24 January 2023, Portsmouth travelled to Fleetwood Town and defeated them 0-2, their first EFL League One away win since 22 October 2022 https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/matches/fixtures/first-team/202223/january/fleetwood-town-vs-portsmouth-on-07-jan-23/ https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/teams/u18-team/staff/zesh-rehman/ International career Rehman originally represented England, and played