ENGLAND LOSING A ‘BIG TALENT POOL’
Manager Southgate says Asian communities must be better represented in team
ENGLAND manager Gareth Southgate said Asian communities should be better represented in football and hoped that soon there will be a British Asian player wearing the national team colours.
The Football Association launched the second phase of ‘Bringing Opportunities to Communities’ in 2019, focused on trying to get more people from Asian backgrounds playing a bigger part in English football.
The governing body is marking South Asian Heritage Month, running from July 18 to August 17, by releasing a series of videos aiming to inspire people of Asian heritage with positive stories about role models from across the game.
Southgate, who was speaking alongside Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury and Manchester United starlet Zidane Iqbal, said more needs to be done to increase Asian representation as football is missing out on a “big talent pool”.
“Sometimes the Asian voice has been lost in the anti-discrimination argument,” England manager Southgate said. He added: “And when you look at the percentages of the population that we’re talking about, it’s high numbers. Frankly, it’s a big talent pool that we’re missing within football. We don’t have high numbers of English-qualified players playing anyway, clubs in their academies are always searching for talent.
“It’s like in any business. If you’re only selecting from a smaller section of the population, then what are you missing?
“What I’ve noticed with the England team in recent seasons is that dynamic in terms of the supporters coming up to me has changed a lot, far more Asian people, coming up to me, talking about their pride in the team, talking about the diversity of the team.
“That could only be even more powerful if someone from the Asian community was in the team as well, and we had that greater representation across the board.”
Hamza Choudhury is the most senior British south Asian Premier League player and the midfielder won the FA Cup with Leicester last season.
The British-Bangladeshi footballer with seven appearances for England’s U21s is keen on playing in the senior team soon. “I think almost everyone’s dream [in football] today, no matter where you are from, is to represent your country,” Choudhury said.
“Whether it’s at a European Championships, or a World Cup or an Africa Cup of Nations – it’s every boy’s dream to wear the shirt you are from.
“My first call-up was for the U21 Toulon tournament. I wasn’t really expecting to get called up. It was the best feeling in football, I’m yet to make my senior appearance, but it’s something I’m striving to do.”
Zidane Iqbal is one of the country’s most promising British south Asian talents, who signed his first professional contract at Manchester United in April.
Iqbal’s mother is Iraqi and his love for football comes from his father Aamar, who is a British-Pakistani. The 18-yearold is yet to represent England at youth level, and scored five goals in six games for United’s U18s last season.
“When I was younger, I used to go and watch my dad play football, just at the local five-a-side pitches, and I used to take shots at him while he was in the net,” said Iqbal, who has spent the last decade with United.
“I come from such a hardworking family. My parents, they were always working hard, my brother, my grandparents when they came to this country – they have inspired me to always give wmy best at anything I do.
“The journey – it’s different for everyone, but I can tell you, it’s not easy.
“It’s like a rollercoaster ride, up and down [but I’ve always thought] enjoy it. Just enjoy the ride – whatever is meant to be is
meant to be.”