Raees
Pythagoras in Boots
- Joined
- May 16, 2009
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- 29,471
Spoke to Imrul Gazi, the manager of Sporting Bengal - the leading team in Non-League football in terms of 'South Asian' representatives. He also recently appeared in Micah Richard's documentary on racism. He went into depth on his own career as a player and the challenges he faced, whilst comparing it to the current challenges faced by the modern player trying to break through the system. It seems as though, whilst there has been some progress made - it is not going to be enough for us to see a flood of South Asian's make it into professional football.
Key messages to take away from it...
- Education/getting a professional job/family business comes first is a major factor which affects young South Asian footballers. Football is seen as too risky a career, and there is a snobbish attitude to not making it into the EPL... anything less is seen as a failure
- Therefore the lack of representation of South Asian's in lower league football is the bigger problem, as if they are unwilling to compete here - less likely to get scouted and funnel their way upwards into the higher divisions.
- Diet - remains a taboo subject still. It is getting better, as young Asian's are more likely to become independent and eat healthily once they are into their teens but there is a real 'foodie' culture, where there is a lot of pressure to eat what is unsuitable food for pro athletes and dedication to diet is frowned upon in many family environments - thus as a youngster, a lot of asian's have zero guidance or ability to request a healthier diet and that has long term impacts on their overall athleticism. By the time they grab control of their diet, the damage is done.
- Ties in with point 1, but the sheer amount of commitment needed to make it professional is a turn off for many families as it will undoubtedly impact the child's education. Midweek games, driving here and there to take kids to training/away games. Many asian's lack that family support to undertake this commitment and thus they end up either walking away from the game or pushed out of academies.
- There is an element of institutional racism, but the big takeway is that if we see the amount of Afro-Carribean's in the modern game, the proof is there that despite racism, if you are good enough and willing enough, the pathway is there... but a genuine commitment to making it professional has to be there, and it needs to be a mass scale movement, so that out of 1000's (all with excellent commitment/diet etc) then you'll get the best make it through. Simply not enough even getting into the first steps on the pro pyramid.
Keen to hear your thoughts.
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