comment by plain old dunc (U11713)
posted 56 minutes ago
comment by (K̇ash) I'm the Mané - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 (U1108)
posted 15 minutes ago
I also had trials at Hudderfield and the coach who rejected me said I was too dedicated to posting first on every man utd article on Ja606
----------------------------------------------------------------------
thats a shame
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, speaking from my own experience. I wanted to be a footballer. But you weren’t encouraged enough.
I had to scream blue Murder just to get into the school team, which I eventually did. And as great as my school was, at encouraging playing sports. Taking it further, wasn’t the thing to do for a kid of my colour. It just wasn’t the thing for us to aspire to. It was tough being a black kid, so imagine it for an Asian. There was an ignorant stigma attached.
Turned my attention to Tennis, same deal.
In fact, that was a worse experience.
Then you see kids with lesser talent, get the breaks, and that hurts.
Years later I realised, you need the right people around you, and that starts with the parents/guardian.
But at least someone to believe in you. Don’t listen to the PE teacher that says No. or to anyone that tells you No. They don’t know jack.
back then the ‘system’ was rigged a certain way, nowadays I’d say it’s easier, to get looked at. More clubs to join. Still hard to become an elite sportsman though, but the opportunity is there.
I’d like to think the generation of kids born here will be more encouraging than their parents, then you’ll see change.
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 1 hour, 26 minutes ago
comment by Don (U22703)
posted 30 minutes ago
I wouldnt put it down to racism given the over representation of Black / mixed race players within the professional game.
Probably more to do with cultural differences, although that should change given time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lots of valid comments throughout this discussion make it clear there's a mixture of factors at play, including cultural pressure from families to focus on education and a guarantee of a good career.
However, when it comes to perceptions of Asians on the part of youth coaches from grassroots level upward, I think it's quite possible for unconscious bias to play a role without any racist intentions. The human brain forms a sense of "what something looks like" based on previous experience. So "what a good footballer looks like" will be informed by what the good footballers of the past looked like - not just racially: there have been all sorts of stereotypes about the body shape, etc. of an ideal footballer / winger / centre back. Most of us thought that Peter Crouch 'doesn't look like a footballer' when we first saw him. Lots of people thought Modric looked too slight to be a top class central midfielder. But these things can take on racial aspects. I remember around 20 years ago it was pointed out that if you were a talented black footballer, coaches would tend to channel you into playing as a centre back or a striker, i.e. to perceive pace and physicality as your key attributes, rather than the vision and creativity you may need as a midfielder. And indeed, at a time when there were plenty of black players in British football, but a small % of them playing as number 10s or passing midfielders. Many notable players have emerged who have destroyed that stereotype - Rocastle, Vieira, Pogba - and I'd guess that preconception has waned over time.
In the same way, south Asian players don't 'look like footballers' to the primitive zones of the brain than scan for familiar associations. I guess our cognitive limitations has played a bit of a role here, and of course that also seeps into broader cultural attitudes. I think it's only a matter of time before positive recruitment policies and talented individuals demonstrate that there's no inherent ceiling to the level an Asian player can reach in the sport.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Im sure initially, unconsciously, in some cases, there will be a bit of that, but in the modern game, with the potential value of young British players, the amount of analysis clubs undertake and the sheer numbers 9f players they hoover up, if thr talent was out there, cl7bs would look beyond race.
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 49 minutes ago
comment by LustyMonc (U22632)
posted 5 minutes ago
The parents just lie waiting for the Asian kid to fack up (which happens all the time), then gaslight the kid into thinking they're not good enough for "physical" jobs, and push them into "decent" jobs like being a doctor. Asian parents are always trapping their kids into becoming "settled" because of their own immigrant insecurities. To enact this, they use a whole bunch of techniques and tricks to not let the kid play. They have good intentions though.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think a lot of parents who are in professional jobs already or are but have middle class aspirations for their family have the same attitude when it comes to their kids, regardless of race. My boys are decent footballers at youth level and I encourage that, help out at the local club, etc. But if they got into the academy system I'd look at the statistical probability of them attaining the dream of playing professional football and strongly encourage them to focus on their education. Professional footballers disproportionately come from backgrounds where families perceive their wider career opportunities have a ceiling.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Right, as a middle class parent (any race) that's what the response would be. I'm not a parent yet, but I'd really wouldn't be able to bear seeing my (future) child get stuck should their sports career come crashing. Most Asians tend to be (or aim to be) middle class. Maybe this is why they probably promote more white collared professions.
Would be interesting to see how British Asian people are represented across the board in professional sport in the UK. Apparently there’s less than 6% of British Asians in county cricket, despite participation being around a third.
comment by Jadon The King Sancho (U10026)
posted 4 minutes ago
Would be interesting to see how British Asian people are represented across the board in professional sport in the UK. Apparently there’s less than 6% of British Asians in county cricket, despite participation being around a third.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A third is quite a high percentage though, so 6% is probably about right given not everybody is going to make it to that level. I think that comes down to quality more than what it would any other factor, although I don't doubt there is some form of prejudice in some areas of the country that make it more difficult for British Asians to play at a certain level.
comment by Don (U22703)
posted 28 seconds ago
Participation in what?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ignore that, looks like you meant they play cricket at some level.
That’s quite big drop off. Especially given 15% make up youth cricket between ages 10-15, and around 13% at aged 16-19. It’s not like county cricket is inundated with foreign imports like football.
Im sure initially, unconsciously, in some cases, there will be a bit of that, but in the modern game, with the potential value of young British players, the amount of analysis clubs undertake and the sheer numbers 9f players they hoover up, if thr talent was out there, cl7bs would look beyond race.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I imagine this kind of filtering happens more extensively in not-for-profit youth football, and less on the level of professional academies using sophisticated metrics in the search for talent. And it probably happens less now than it did 10 years ago.
I personally feel that for a variety of reasons asian folk have set up their own leagues and that has been to a detriment in progressing.
There is a cricket team locally who play in the "normal" league. They set up due to many lads not being picked in the "non asian" teams.
Every year they wipe the floor with other teams and win plenty of trophies. Yet they don't have their own ground and have to rent from other clubs around the area. This results in them not being a "first" team but always in the second or third tier.
I myself, over the years have signed for various clubs as I always wanted to play for the first team. My first captain was Kenny shuttleworth (rip) an ex England bowler and he was fantastic. Played people on merit and I feel that's how I got my chance. Other clubs I played for had issues like the chairman's son always opened for the first team but was rubbish. Better players didn't get the opportunity because chairman influenced the selection etc
From my experience of growing up in a predominantly Asian area, i saw many super talented footballers not go further, due to : the parent's/family wanting them to focus on education, also having a 'good' profession (doc, dentist etc) is seen to be a better career than a footballer, racism, support from family to go to all matches, the fact there is not any top Indian footballers as role models too and i'm sure there are many other factors too..my 2 pence.
As I say, with so many nationalities being represented in modern professional football, I very much doubt that football clubs would overlook hugely valuable talent because of the colour of their skin.
comment by Don (U22703)
posted 6 minutes ago
As I say, with so many nationalities being represented in modern professional football, I very much doubt that football clubs would overlook hugely valuable talent because of the colour of their skin.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Football coaches have been overlooking talent for all sorts of arbitrary reasons for decades. At the top end of the industry, which has in the last decade or so grown much more scientific in its scouting and has no excuse if it hasn't thoroughly trained its staff to look beyond subjective bias, I'd imagine it's much less of an issue than it once may have been. But it takes a while to turn something like this around, especially when there are other external factors.
I guess it's a bit like girls going into science: there may have been less encouragement, less ability to spot talent on one hand, and for cultural reasons less interest in taking that career path on the other hand. Now the world of education is fixing its side of the phenomenon, but it takes a while for enough role models to appear and for the receptiveness of the world of science to women to filter through into more girls taking that academic path.
The South Asian diet is also horrendous for an athlete. The salt and oil in our foods you can cope with in your early teens when you are growing but as you get into late teens it starts to take its toll.
comment by (K̇ash) I'm the Mané - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 (U1108)
posted 2 minutes ago
The South Asian diet is also horrendous for an athlete. The salt and oil in our foods you can cope with in your early teens when you are growing but as you get into late teens it starts to take its toll.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh right.
How do the cricketers deal with that?
RR, on the point about scouting being more scientific, I do wonder if they’ve also looked at the statistics and taken into account the cultural factors with regard to education that may have created a bias.
If there’s a perceived notion that Asian players would not have the same motivation to make a career in football, then they’ll perhaps see it as less worthy of the time and investment.
comment by Jadon The King Sancho (U10026)
posted 2 minutes ago
RR, on the point about scouting being more scientific, I do wonder if they’ve also looked at the statistics and taken into account the cultural factors with regard to education that may have created a bias.
If there’s a perceived notion that Asian players would not have the same motivation to make a career in football, then they’ll perhaps see it as less worthy of the time and investment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Good question.
You'd very much HOPE that they have learned to look at every youngster as an individual by now. But there could be certain 'cultural fit' criteria that unintentionally filter out more candidates from certain ethnic groups. If they do, then there's a question whether they are missing out on talent or whether we're back to cultural pressures in some backgrounds being more likely to create barriers to entry (e.g. could show up in answers about how important football is relative to education).
comment by (K̇ash) I'm the Mané - Free Pales... (U1108)
posted 3 minutes ago
The South Asian diet is also horrendous for an athlete. The salt and oil in our foods you can cope with in your early teens when you are growing but as you get into late teens it starts to take its toll.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not sure I agree with this overall.
I think the Asian diet is comparably better in many cases in certain areas. I mean deprived inner city areas.
A lot of young footballers from these deprived inner city areas grow up in poverty and very poor diet. Not just in England of course. You only have to look at players from abroad who went on to be greats but didn't even have money for boots etc initially.
The staple of rice, chappatis and protein (lentils or meat) is pretty much evident in most Asian families, or was traditionally where the mum's didn't work but ensured cooked meals every day.
I think its a generalisation that asians expect thier children to persue 'worthy' careers such as Doctors, Dentists and Opticians (althought there are a lot of asian Doctors, Dentists and Opticians). Yes, middle class asians parents will point their children to these kinds of professions but then again so do middle class white parents encourage their kids to go to Uni and be successful.
Academy footballers are generally working class black and white kids whoses lifestyles fit into the programmes required to succeed at youth football to break into the professional game. Working class asians have other unique circumstances that prevent them from breaking through to professional level (apart from being told by Mum and Dad that you are going to Uni to be a doctor). Being a muslim for example can be a barrier as too is pressure to work for family businesses as soon as they leave school.
Clubs like Luton Town where the Asian population is 30% have been facing these challenges already in line with the FA Asian Community Forums initiative . See the link from an article last year below.
https://www.thefa.com/news/2020/jan/20/200120-asian-community-news
I dont see how religion can be considered a contributing factor, as most of the major religions are represented in modern football.
It also isn’t only Asian youngsters who would be pressured to work for family businesses.
If it is indeed the case, I suspect they don’t really care about missing out on talent given that it’s such a small percentage of the people participating in the sport.
If we are to speculate that the Asian players would lose that drive to really push on as a footballer at the age of about 16 - which does actually happen to a lot of footballers regardless of race - there could be the fear of missing out on talent from white and black working class backgrounds that have a proven success rate of making it as a professional.
Though it then becomes circular, because if this attitude does exist then the Asian population are going to lack the endeavour to really pursue football due to the barriers of the system - even if it may not be applicable to many.
comment by Don (U22703)
posted 2 minutes ago
I dont see how religion can be considered a contributing factor, as most of the major religions are represented in modern football.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Its explained a bit in the link i posted. Here is an extract.
There are many parents at the Asian Community Forum in Luton who have concerns,” “As a practicing Muslim, there are definitely challenges in maintaining a football career.
“For example, a lot of parents only want their children to play if they can train around prayer times. As a result, in December I spoke with the academy at Luton Town to see if we could have a prayer room on-site. This would not only mean kids wouldn’t have to rush from the mosque to the football field, but parents can use it, too, and thus watch their children play more. Talks are still at an early stage, but I am confident this will happen and hope other football clubs follow suit.
BTW Don(U22703).... welcome to the site.
eeerrrr, Who were you before toady?
comment by Don (U22703)
posted 39 minutes ago
comment by (K̇ash) I'm the Mané - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 (U1108)
posted 2 minutes ago
The South Asian diet is also horrendous for an athlete. The salt and oil in our foods you can cope with in your early teens when you are growing but as you get into late teens it starts to take its toll.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh right.
How do the cricketers deal with that?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You don't see many cricketers taking their shirt off and looking like Mo Salah from last weekend. You can be a big lad and still do well in cricket. That extra weight is good for power hitting.
Sign in if you want to comment
british asian players
Page 2 of 4
posted on 22/9/21
comment by plain old dunc (U11713)
posted 56 minutes ago
comment by (K̇ash) I'm the Mané - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 (U1108)
posted 15 minutes ago
I also had trials at Hudderfield and the coach who rejected me said I was too dedicated to posting first on every man utd article on Ja606
----------------------------------------------------------------------
thats a shame
----------------------------------------------------------------------
posted on 22/9/21
Well, speaking from my own experience. I wanted to be a footballer. But you weren’t encouraged enough.
I had to scream blue Murder just to get into the school team, which I eventually did. And as great as my school was, at encouraging playing sports. Taking it further, wasn’t the thing to do for a kid of my colour. It just wasn’t the thing for us to aspire to. It was tough being a black kid, so imagine it for an Asian. There was an ignorant stigma attached.
Turned my attention to Tennis, same deal.
In fact, that was a worse experience.
Then you see kids with lesser talent, get the breaks, and that hurts.
Years later I realised, you need the right people around you, and that starts with the parents/guardian.
But at least someone to believe in you. Don’t listen to the PE teacher that says No. or to anyone that tells you No. They don’t know jack.
back then the ‘system’ was rigged a certain way, nowadays I’d say it’s easier, to get looked at. More clubs to join. Still hard to become an elite sportsman though, but the opportunity is there.
I’d like to think the generation of kids born here will be more encouraging than their parents, then you’ll see change.
posted on 22/9/21
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 1 hour, 26 minutes ago
comment by Don (U22703)
posted 30 minutes ago
I wouldnt put it down to racism given the over representation of Black / mixed race players within the professional game.
Probably more to do with cultural differences, although that should change given time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lots of valid comments throughout this discussion make it clear there's a mixture of factors at play, including cultural pressure from families to focus on education and a guarantee of a good career.
However, when it comes to perceptions of Asians on the part of youth coaches from grassroots level upward, I think it's quite possible for unconscious bias to play a role without any racist intentions. The human brain forms a sense of "what something looks like" based on previous experience. So "what a good footballer looks like" will be informed by what the good footballers of the past looked like - not just racially: there have been all sorts of stereotypes about the body shape, etc. of an ideal footballer / winger / centre back. Most of us thought that Peter Crouch 'doesn't look like a footballer' when we first saw him. Lots of people thought Modric looked too slight to be a top class central midfielder. But these things can take on racial aspects. I remember around 20 years ago it was pointed out that if you were a talented black footballer, coaches would tend to channel you into playing as a centre back or a striker, i.e. to perceive pace and physicality as your key attributes, rather than the vision and creativity you may need as a midfielder. And indeed, at a time when there were plenty of black players in British football, but a small % of them playing as number 10s or passing midfielders. Many notable players have emerged who have destroyed that stereotype - Rocastle, Vieira, Pogba - and I'd guess that preconception has waned over time.
In the same way, south Asian players don't 'look like footballers' to the primitive zones of the brain than scan for familiar associations. I guess our cognitive limitations has played a bit of a role here, and of course that also seeps into broader cultural attitudes. I think it's only a matter of time before positive recruitment policies and talented individuals demonstrate that there's no inherent ceiling to the level an Asian player can reach in the sport.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Im sure initially, unconsciously, in some cases, there will be a bit of that, but in the modern game, with the potential value of young British players, the amount of analysis clubs undertake and the sheer numbers 9f players they hoover up, if thr talent was out there, cl7bs would look beyond race.
posted on 22/9/21
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 49 minutes ago
comment by LustyMonc (U22632)
posted 5 minutes ago
The parents just lie waiting for the Asian kid to fack up (which happens all the time), then gaslight the kid into thinking they're not good enough for "physical" jobs, and push them into "decent" jobs like being a doctor. Asian parents are always trapping their kids into becoming "settled" because of their own immigrant insecurities. To enact this, they use a whole bunch of techniques and tricks to not let the kid play. They have good intentions though.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think a lot of parents who are in professional jobs already or are but have middle class aspirations for their family have the same attitude when it comes to their kids, regardless of race. My boys are decent footballers at youth level and I encourage that, help out at the local club, etc. But if they got into the academy system I'd look at the statistical probability of them attaining the dream of playing professional football and strongly encourage them to focus on their education. Professional footballers disproportionately come from backgrounds where families perceive their wider career opportunities have a ceiling.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Right, as a middle class parent (any race) that's what the response would be. I'm not a parent yet, but I'd really wouldn't be able to bear seeing my (future) child get stuck should their sports career come crashing. Most Asians tend to be (or aim to be) middle class. Maybe this is why they probably promote more white collared professions.
posted on 22/9/21
Would be interesting to see how British Asian people are represented across the board in professional sport in the UK. Apparently there’s less than 6% of British Asians in county cricket, despite participation being around a third.
posted on 22/9/21
comment by Jadon The King Sancho (U10026)
posted 4 minutes ago
Would be interesting to see how British Asian people are represented across the board in professional sport in the UK. Apparently there’s less than 6% of British Asians in county cricket, despite participation being around a third.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A third is quite a high percentage though, so 6% is probably about right given not everybody is going to make it to that level. I think that comes down to quality more than what it would any other factor, although I don't doubt there is some form of prejudice in some areas of the country that make it more difficult for British Asians to play at a certain level.
posted on 22/9/21
Participation in what?
posted on 22/9/21
comment by Don (U22703)
posted 28 seconds ago
Participation in what?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ignore that, looks like you meant they play cricket at some level.
posted on 22/9/21
That’s quite big drop off. Especially given 15% make up youth cricket between ages 10-15, and around 13% at aged 16-19. It’s not like county cricket is inundated with foreign imports like football.
posted on 22/9/21
Im sure initially, unconsciously, in some cases, there will be a bit of that, but in the modern game, with the potential value of young British players, the amount of analysis clubs undertake and the sheer numbers 9f players they hoover up, if thr talent was out there, cl7bs would look beyond race.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I imagine this kind of filtering happens more extensively in not-for-profit youth football, and less on the level of professional academies using sophisticated metrics in the search for talent. And it probably happens less now than it did 10 years ago.
posted on 22/9/21
I personally feel that for a variety of reasons asian folk have set up their own leagues and that has been to a detriment in progressing.
There is a cricket team locally who play in the "normal" league. They set up due to many lads not being picked in the "non asian" teams.
Every year they wipe the floor with other teams and win plenty of trophies. Yet they don't have their own ground and have to rent from other clubs around the area. This results in them not being a "first" team but always in the second or third tier.
I myself, over the years have signed for various clubs as I always wanted to play for the first team. My first captain was Kenny shuttleworth (rip) an ex England bowler and he was fantastic. Played people on merit and I feel that's how I got my chance. Other clubs I played for had issues like the chairman's son always opened for the first team but was rubbish. Better players didn't get the opportunity because chairman influenced the selection etc
posted on 22/9/21
From my experience of growing up in a predominantly Asian area, i saw many super talented footballers not go further, due to : the parent's/family wanting them to focus on education, also having a 'good' profession (doc, dentist etc) is seen to be a better career than a footballer, racism, support from family to go to all matches, the fact there is not any top Indian footballers as role models too and i'm sure there are many other factors too..my 2 pence.
posted on 22/9/21
As I say, with so many nationalities being represented in modern professional football, I very much doubt that football clubs would overlook hugely valuable talent because of the colour of their skin.
posted on 22/9/21
comment by Don (U22703)
posted 6 minutes ago
As I say, with so many nationalities being represented in modern professional football, I very much doubt that football clubs would overlook hugely valuable talent because of the colour of their skin.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Football coaches have been overlooking talent for all sorts of arbitrary reasons for decades. At the top end of the industry, which has in the last decade or so grown much more scientific in its scouting and has no excuse if it hasn't thoroughly trained its staff to look beyond subjective bias, I'd imagine it's much less of an issue than it once may have been. But it takes a while to turn something like this around, especially when there are other external factors.
I guess it's a bit like girls going into science: there may have been less encouragement, less ability to spot talent on one hand, and for cultural reasons less interest in taking that career path on the other hand. Now the world of education is fixing its side of the phenomenon, but it takes a while for enough role models to appear and for the receptiveness of the world of science to women to filter through into more girls taking that academic path.
posted on 22/9/21
The South Asian diet is also horrendous for an athlete. The salt and oil in our foods you can cope with in your early teens when you are growing but as you get into late teens it starts to take its toll.
posted on 22/9/21
comment by (K̇ash) I'm the Mané - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 (U1108)
posted 2 minutes ago
The South Asian diet is also horrendous for an athlete. The salt and oil in our foods you can cope with in your early teens when you are growing but as you get into late teens it starts to take its toll.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh right.
How do the cricketers deal with that?
posted on 22/9/21
RR, on the point about scouting being more scientific, I do wonder if they’ve also looked at the statistics and taken into account the cultural factors with regard to education that may have created a bias.
If there’s a perceived notion that Asian players would not have the same motivation to make a career in football, then they’ll perhaps see it as less worthy of the time and investment.
posted on 22/9/21
comment by Jadon The King Sancho (U10026)
posted 2 minutes ago
RR, on the point about scouting being more scientific, I do wonder if they’ve also looked at the statistics and taken into account the cultural factors with regard to education that may have created a bias.
If there’s a perceived notion that Asian players would not have the same motivation to make a career in football, then they’ll perhaps see it as less worthy of the time and investment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Good question.
You'd very much HOPE that they have learned to look at every youngster as an individual by now. But there could be certain 'cultural fit' criteria that unintentionally filter out more candidates from certain ethnic groups. If they do, then there's a question whether they are missing out on talent or whether we're back to cultural pressures in some backgrounds being more likely to create barriers to entry (e.g. could show up in answers about how important football is relative to education).
posted on 22/9/21
comment by (K̇ash) I'm the Mané - Free Pales... (U1108)
posted 3 minutes ago
The South Asian diet is also horrendous for an athlete. The salt and oil in our foods you can cope with in your early teens when you are growing but as you get into late teens it starts to take its toll.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not sure I agree with this overall.
I think the Asian diet is comparably better in many cases in certain areas. I mean deprived inner city areas.
A lot of young footballers from these deprived inner city areas grow up in poverty and very poor diet. Not just in England of course. You only have to look at players from abroad who went on to be greats but didn't even have money for boots etc initially.
The staple of rice, chappatis and protein (lentils or meat) is pretty much evident in most Asian families, or was traditionally where the mum's didn't work but ensured cooked meals every day.
posted on 22/9/21
I think its a generalisation that asians expect thier children to persue 'worthy' careers such as Doctors, Dentists and Opticians (althought there are a lot of asian Doctors, Dentists and Opticians). Yes, middle class asians parents will point their children to these kinds of professions but then again so do middle class white parents encourage their kids to go to Uni and be successful.
Academy footballers are generally working class black and white kids whoses lifestyles fit into the programmes required to succeed at youth football to break into the professional game. Working class asians have other unique circumstances that prevent them from breaking through to professional level (apart from being told by Mum and Dad that you are going to Uni to be a doctor). Being a muslim for example can be a barrier as too is pressure to work for family businesses as soon as they leave school.
Clubs like Luton Town where the Asian population is 30% have been facing these challenges already in line with the FA Asian Community Forums initiative . See the link from an article last year below.
https://www.thefa.com/news/2020/jan/20/200120-asian-community-news
posted on 22/9/21
I dont see how religion can be considered a contributing factor, as most of the major religions are represented in modern football.
It also isn’t only Asian youngsters who would be pressured to work for family businesses.
posted on 22/9/21
If it is indeed the case, I suspect they don’t really care about missing out on talent given that it’s such a small percentage of the people participating in the sport.
If we are to speculate that the Asian players would lose that drive to really push on as a footballer at the age of about 16 - which does actually happen to a lot of footballers regardless of race - there could be the fear of missing out on talent from white and black working class backgrounds that have a proven success rate of making it as a professional.
Though it then becomes circular, because if this attitude does exist then the Asian population are going to lack the endeavour to really pursue football due to the barriers of the system - even if it may not be applicable to many.
posted on 22/9/21
comment by Don (U22703)
posted 2 minutes ago
I dont see how religion can be considered a contributing factor, as most of the major religions are represented in modern football.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Its explained a bit in the link i posted. Here is an extract.
There are many parents at the Asian Community Forum in Luton who have concerns,” “As a practicing Muslim, there are definitely challenges in maintaining a football career.
“For example, a lot of parents only want their children to play if they can train around prayer times. As a result, in December I spoke with the academy at Luton Town to see if we could have a prayer room on-site. This would not only mean kids wouldn’t have to rush from the mosque to the football field, but parents can use it, too, and thus watch their children play more. Talks are still at an early stage, but I am confident this will happen and hope other football clubs follow suit.
posted on 22/9/21
BTW Don(U22703).... welcome to the site.
eeerrrr, Who were you before toady?
posted on 22/9/21
comment by Don (U22703)
posted 39 minutes ago
comment by (K̇ash) I'm the Mané - Free Palestine 🇵🇸 (U1108)
posted 2 minutes ago
The South Asian diet is also horrendous for an athlete. The salt and oil in our foods you can cope with in your early teens when you are growing but as you get into late teens it starts to take its toll.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh right.
How do the cricketers deal with that?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You don't see many cricketers taking their shirt off and looking like Mo Salah from last weekend. You can be a big lad and still do well in cricket. That extra weight is good for power hitting.
Page 2 of 4