Football coaching and training, no let me rephrase that, smart football coaching and training is a mantra that we follow religiously here at Asian Soccer Star.
Right from the beginning we’ve always maintained, and followed our own advice, that if Asian kids want to realise their dream of becoming an Asian Soccer Star playing professional football, they would have to work smarter and harder than their non-Asian teammates.
At the end of the day, every football player has to fight for their place on the team no matter what level they play at. But Asian kids looking to play at a higher level need to go above and beyond what anyone else is doing, unless of course they’re naturally gifted like the Ronaldo‘s and Messi‘s of this world.
Take Sobha as an example, who didn’t actually start playing organised games until he was an under-12 playing for his first club; Hanwell Town FC Youth, playing in the Hayes and District League.
Apart from natural instinct, Sobha had little idea of player positioning during a match; he was smaller than other players and he was running flat-footed with long-strides that was leading to knee-pain after each training session and match that he played. There were many other challenges that he faced which would rule out the possibility of him ever looking at professional football as a career.
But, what he did possess was noticeable technical ability; his first touch was excellent, his passing spot on and his work ethic always shone through.
Fast forward to the present 2010/2011 season and Sobha has progressed through the leagues to play in what is probably one of the highest standard and toughest leagues below centre of excellence or academy level; the Eastern Junior Alliance (EJA).
Sobha plays for the under-15′s Wingate and Finchley FC team who have secured a shot at a treble; qualifying for the finals of the Middlesex County FA Cup, the London County FA Cup and the EJA League Cup. They have a very good chance of securing the league title, having only lost one game this season with two games in hand which would place them at the top of the league table if they win.
From very humble beginnings Sobha is playing his football at an elite level with very talented players, and every player has to do their part for the team.
Whether they win the treble or not is not important to readers of Asian Soccer Star. What is important is recognising that if the talent is present; with the right football coaching and the right football training Asian kids have just as much chance of fulfilling their dreams of playing professional football as anyone else. They just have to work smarter and go above and beyond what their non-Asian teammates are doing.
It’s taken four long years of hard work and sacrifice for Sobha to get to a level where he is playing elite football and is ready to take it to the next level of playing at academy level.
The moral of the story is that success doesn’t happen overnight; it takes years of dedication, commitment, perseverance and determination. It takes planning, working smarter seeking out the best football coaching and the best football training; looking at what the kids at the centres of excellence and academies do… doing more and then some.
Playing in the finals of the FA County and League cups will give Sobha a platform to carry on working towards fulfilling his dream of becoming an Asian Soccer Star playing professional football.
