UAE football clubs can tap into expat talent
GUIDELINES TO IMPLEMENT DECREE ALLOWING EXPATS TO COMPETE IN OFFICIAL COMPETITIONS WILL CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN SPORTS
President of the UAE Football Association (UAE FA) Marwan Bin Galita has welcomed Tuesday’s guidelines to implement from September a decree allowing expatriates to compete in official UAE sports competitions, and encouraged local clubs to take action.
Players born to Emirati women with expatriate husbands, those holding UAE passports, those born in the UAE and also players residing in the UAE can now take part in local sports in line with last November’s decree by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Rugby, cricket and ice hockey have long been expatriate driven here, but it is basketball, volleyball, handball, individual sports and sports for people of determination and notably football where this is most likely to have an impact.
“Adoption and implementation of these regulations will draw up a new policy in the UAE sports system and will change many rules that have been rigid without development for many years,” tweeted Bin Galita.
“The containment and utilisation of sporting talent that exists among us will further exacerbate the competition. As I see it, clubs have to seriously think about investing in them and making use of them in local and foreign engagements.”
Coaches of local — predominantly expatriate — academies like Chris Brown of It’s Just Football welcomed the move to start integrating players into local clubs from September.
“I think it’s fantastic for football,” he said. “There’s an abundance of talent here that’s not been able to play at a standard that continues their development. If you’re good enough, you need to be in a system that trains full time from the age of 12 and expatriate kids living here don’t currently have that opportunity.”
Tim March, formerly of Sharjah Football Club, who has been involved in local youth football here for 17 years, said this would keep families together.
“At 12 years of age, if they have an option to pursue something here with their family rather than moving abroad, my view is that most families would prefer that,” he said.
Carol Geldenhuys, the British-born South African mother of Kieran, who had to move to England to sign for Notts County in 2012 at the age of 16, said: “If he had the opportunity to have stayed here, I would have definitely considered it. Overseas exposure is great, but not everyone can do it. This decision will really affect those who can’t travel and stay abroad as freely.”
March added: “It’s also positive from the perspective of clubs being able to grow beyond their existing catchment areas ... Clubs here have huge issues trying to build their fan base and get into the communities to grow connectivity.”
It is not clear if allowing expats at the club level will eventually mean they can play for the UAE national team, but Brown said such a move would benefit everyone.
“The last time the UAE got to a World Cup was 1990 ... You’ll just go around in circles if 85 per cent of the population can’t have an opportunity. Everyone will benefit if the UAE makes it to a World Cup,” he added.