Asian Soccer Star! How to make it?

Asian soccer stars of the future need to get serious and start with a reality check.

Over the past few weeks i've been in contact with a number of coaches and scouts, and the overwhelming message seems to be the same. I'm not just talking about Sunday league clubs, but championship and premier league clubs as well.

It seems that even in the 21st century our kids are dogged by a stereotypical image towards Asian soccer talent, and a lot of this is our own fault. Parents and kids just don't have the belief that they can really make it  into professional soccer, and many talented players don't even try.

But worse than that is the fact that many of the talented kids just don't have the work ethic needed to go all the way. The hours of hard training, the mental attitude, the commitment, these are all areas that we need to take more seriously.

Asian kids need to work twice as hard as anyone else just to get a crack at realising their full potential and this makes me mad!

One thing i've noticed about young Asian footballers is their habit to fade in to the background when they're a minority especially when it comes to answering questions or being asked to be the centre of attention.

Most Asians will not volunteer themselves if they are outnumbered by different cultures or races, and this needs to change. Asian kids need to get mentally tough.

I speak from experience because I was guilty of this as well when I was younger. However, I broke through this 'fear' and decided to be the centre of attention of everything. The more you are noticed the more likely you are to get what you want.

So a message to young Asian soccer stars is that they shouldn't be scared of putting themselves forward. Next time you're asked a question or to do something, volunteer yourself and answer that question with confidence.

Trust me, you'll feel a lot better about yourself and will see that more things will come to you.