[1][2] The young Ismail began playing football using tennis balls which he got from a neighbour in Al-Karkh who was working with the British before he started school.
After finishing his primary school education, Ismail joined the Physical Training Institute (Mahad Al-Tarbiya Al-Badaniya) which he graduated from in 1944 other notable graduates from the Institute were Muayad Al-Badry and Sami Al-Safar, before he went to England in 1948 to further his sports education until 1949, where he later worked as a cultural commentator in London.
After his return from his studies in England, he coached the Iraq Schoolboys from 1951 to 1954, and Haris Al-Maliki and Al-Maslaha Naqil Al-Rakab from 1956-1965 as well Montakhab Al-Baghdad (Baghdad Select XI) during the 60s.
It was Ismail who discovered a young 16-year-old by the name of Emmanuel Baba playing for school province side Liwa Al-Dulaim in the Iraq school championship in 1950, after seeing him play at the Kashafa stadium, he met the player and asked him his name, he said “Emmanuel”, and having known that the English were always giving people nicknames, Ismail gave the youngster his nickname, telling him “Ammo Baba”.
Ismail became interested in sports commentary while studying in England, where he was an avid listener to English commentator called Rimmer.