Asian Soccer Star – Direct Your Thoughts, Control Your Emotions

Asian soccer star, London - Growing up in an Asian household in London I was exposed to a most bizarre way of thinking, or so I thought as a kid. My dad used to wake us up by playing motivational tapes.

Needless to say all three of us kids had a pretty good incentive to perk up and get out of bed as soon as possible, before the singing started.

Now that I’m older and wiser, I realise what dad was trying to do and to a larger extent succeeded. He was trying to instill in us a sense of self-discipline and empower us with a positive can-do mindset.

Anything was possible with the right mindset and more importantly by taking possession of your own mind. This of course had to be followed by massive action. [Read more...]

Learn From World Cup 2010

Asian soccer star, London – With all the games in the last 16 done and dusted the quarter finals of world cup 2010 should hopefully provide the world with the much awaited footballing extravaganza.

And I say that with great hope.

So far, world cup 2010 has been a great disappointment with most of the ‘big players’ failing to perform. The games have lacked the ambition and fluidity that we have been accustomed to in past world cup finals.

But there are plenty of lessons to be learned, especially for anyone that wants to play professional football and realise their dream of becoming an Asian soccer star.

You see, every kid has dreams of playing professional football but very few make it.

Even those kids, and that is the majority,  with real outstanding talent never get scouted or get dropped by the professional club academies and centres of excellence if they don’t seem like they’re not making the grade. [Read more...]

Brazil vs Chile -A South American Showcase

Asian soccer star, London – Is it a coincidence that all the South American teams made it to the last 16 of world cup 2010?

I really don’t think so, and if you are a budding Asian soccer star take particular note.

Last night both Brazil and Chile put on a show that put the world cup 2010 final campaigns of major European footballing nations like England, France and Italy to shame.

The match was a showcase of skill, fluidity, attacking, defence and above all grit and determination. Even though Chile were 2-0 down in the first half they never gave up seeking that elusive goal.

Strike that, even when they were 3-0 down they still showed that grit and determination through attacking football to get that one goal. [Read more...]

Germany 4, England 1

Asian soccer star, London - England’s much-hyped encounter with the Germans at world cup 2010 fell flat right from kick-off ending with an embarrassing 4-1 victory for the German national team.

England were poor throughout the match apart from a 20-minute glimpse of creativity, passion and desire to chase the ball down. But it didn’t last very long.

I don’t need to give a running commentary of the match as the whole nation was watching, but may be if the second goal had been given things might have turned out differently.

What I found really frustrating was the set-up and movement of the players, there was none. [Read more...]

Brazil and Portugal Bore Fans

Asian soccer star, London – What was hyped to be the most exciting fixture of world cup 2010 played out to possibly be the most boring match of the tournament with a goalless draw.

Brazil topped the table with Portugal taking second place into the last 16, but the teams were booed off the pitch in what was a cautious but listless performance from both sides.

The first half saw a flurry of yellow cards but no real passion was seen on the pitch, the cards were more for tit for tat fouls from both sides. It’s been a long time since i’ve seen such a boring match especially from two teams that are known for their flair and attacking football.

But, because the outcome of the group had more or less already been decided the fans had to put up with a performance that was just ridiculous.

From a tactical point of view it’s completely understandable, but when the match has been hyped as probably the best fixture of the tournament and the stadium is packed to capacity the palyers have a responsibility to play with a will to win.

Anyway, I hope the rest round really picks up in the quality that is expected from world cup 2010. We want to see the passion, hunger, desire and will to win.

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Did Italy Have Enough Desire to Win?

Asian soccer star, London – Another critical match and another major upset, this time befalling world champions Italy. Like the other finalists from world cup 2006 France, Italy failed to make it to the last 16 losing 3-2 to Slovakia.

Both France and Italy have made world cup history by being the first finalists from a previous world cup by both failing to get past the group stages.

Unlike France, Italy didn’t succumb to major problems within the team camp. They just weren’t good enough throughout the world cup 2010 tournament.

They looked slow and lethargic and their passing was well below world cup standards. In fact they were as bad as England in their now forgiven game against Algeria.

The difference between England and Italy’s crucial games was that England came out fighting and full of hunger and desire. England had the will to win because there was no other route for them to take; they had hit rock bottom and faced elimination from the competition and an unforgiving nation waiting for them at home. [Read more...]

Should England Keep Wearing Red?

Asian soccer star, London – England has made it through to the last 16 of world cup 2010 with an agonising but welcome 1-0 victory over Slovenia.

Why is it always so hard to watch England play?

The ecstasy always seems to be preceded by agony, but it’s what makes watching football exciting.

England came out with a new found confidence that resembled the sort of play we see week in, week out in the English premier league, and could have been a couple of goals up in the first half. Every one of the players had a determination about them and each played his part.

What was it that made the difference?

There must be something here that future Asian soccer stars could learn from. [Read more...]

Asian Soccer Stars – Learn From England’s Performance

Asian soccer star, London – England’s performance against Algeria at the world cup 2010 was poor, and that’s putting it mildly. A game that should have seen a comfortable victory for England’s best turned into a painful spectacle for watching fans in the stadium and watching on TV screens around the world.

But there is a lesson to be learned for budding footballers looking to become Asian soccer stars of the future, but more on that later.

I’m sure like us, fans all over the country and around the world, sat down in anticipation of a thrilling world-class football game that would have us at the edge of our seats.

England’s performance certainly had us on the edge of our seats, but more in anger and frustration targeted at the poor show being broadcast from our TV screens. There was no hint of a world-class performance from any of the England players, in fact they didn’t play like a team at all, while Algeria showed fluency and good technical ability. [Read more...]

South American Football Rules!

Asian soccer star, London - The South American nations have come into their own in the FiFa World Cup 2010, playing a fluid form of attacking football that’s exciting and entertaining to watch.

Apart from Germany’s opening game against Australia, the European nations just haven’t shown any of the confidence and creative play we know they are capable of.

Lead by  the charismatic Diego Forlan, Uruguay put a massive dampener on hosts South Africa’s party and hopes of going into the next round with an emphatic 3-0 victory.

Even world cup favourites Spain showed poor form in finishing, though they had the majority of possession, losing 1-0 to Switzerland who defended brilliantly. In what was essentially a South and Central American derby Chile got off to a good start with a 1-0 victory over Honduras. [Read more...]

Is World Cup 2010 Living up to the Hype

Asian soccer star, London – Is world cup 2010 living up to all the build-up and hype we have been exposed to over the past few months? This is a question that is getting varied answers but the overall majority say NO!

The teams are not playing to the expectations we all have of thrilling contests between nations from all round the globe. May be it’s early days and teams are being a little over cautious about going forward and being caught in the counter attacks.

But, and it’s a massive but, the world has been waiting for this football extravaganza for 4 long years and the teams are made of the best professional football players a nation has to offer.

We as paying fans, whether at the stadiums watching live games or paying for the privilege of watching the matches on TV screens at home or in pubs and clubs around the country need to be compensated for our commitment by players and teams with an equal amount of commitment. [Read more...]

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