EPL: Obstacle race

The glamour of English domestic football has lured many Asian players but it has turned out to be an arduous journey for most of them, writes Martin Petty

Nashat Akram (L) has not been able to find a place with one of the premiership clubs while Kim Do-heon (C) and Park Ji-sung are still trying to make their mark. Photos by Reuters

Dreams of success in the English Premier League have turned sour for many of Asia’s top soccer players. Lured by the riches and glamour of the Premier League, players from China, South Korea, Thailand and Iran have found their hopes buried by the rigours and red tape of the English top flight.

China’s Sun Jihai is now with Championship (second division) side Sheffield United after a miserable year warming Manchester City’s bench. His compatriot Dong Fangzhuo has been offloaded by Manchester United after spending two years on loan to Belgian second division side Royal Antwerp and much of the following two years either in the United reserves or injured. Dong (23), was philosophical about the experience. “I’m not frustrated,” he said. “Over the years many skilful players have left the club. It was a rare opportunity for any player to play for United, so I am very proud.” South Koreans have had the most success so far in England, although Seol Ky-hyeon is out of favour at Fulham and defender Lee Young-pyo was transferred to Germany’s Borussia Dortmund after failing to impress Tottenham manager Juande Ramos.

Kim Do-heon, however, is a fixture with promoted West Bromwich Albion but injury has dashed midfielder Park Ji-sung’s hopes of a regular starting place at Manchester United. Park’s dream of becoming the first Asian to play in a Champions League final was shattered when manager Alex Ferguson failed to include him in the squad for the match against Chelsea in Moscow in May.

The future is bleak for Suree Sukha, Teerasil Dangda and Kiatprawut Saiwaeo, the barely-known trio of Thais signed by Manchester City following the club’s takeover by ousted former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The signings, made a week before Thailand’s first post-coup election, were widely dismissed as a political ploy by the exiled Thaksin to exploit Thais’ love of English soccer and win votes for a party run by his supporters.

The controversial billionaire even got the players’ names wrong when he announced the signings. All three were denied work permits and packed off on loan to clubs elsewhere in Europe but after poor performances they are back home with their part-time clubs, still on the City payroll.

Gavin Hamilton, editor of World Soccer magazine, believes Asian players are capable of making it in Europe but are hampered by the poor reputation of their national teams and players’ difficulties adjusting to life on and off the field. However, he said Japan’s Shunsuke Nakamura at Celtic and Manchester United’s Park were helping to break the stereotype of the failing Asian player.

“They are making a breakthrough but it doesn’t help when Asian teams get hammered at World Cups,” Hamilton told Reuters. “It’s the only time the rest of the world sees Asian football. Commercially, clubs are not making much money from Asian players and there are work permit problems. That’s how they’re being judged.” One such case is Iraqi playmaker Nashat Akram, who had caught the eye of several Premier League and Spanish clubs but was denied a work permit to join Manchester City. The rejection of his appeal, based on Iraq’s low world ranking, sparked criticism of the British government at home and abroad for “sending out the wrong messages. The deal was done but they sent me back,” said Akram, whose face was on prematurely printed posters across war-torn Iraq carrying the message: “The dream came true because of our determination and zeal”.

“I know I’m good enough. I just want to show people that Iraqi footballers can make it. The rules are so difficult in England,” he told Reuters. Oman goalkeeper Al al-Habsi has broken through to the Bolton Wanderers first team and believes Britain’s stringent laws are stifling the success of Asians.

“I don’t know why there are so few Asians compared with Africans,” he said. “But the work permit is so hard to get. I think they should make it a bit easier because there are a lot of good Asian players.”

Support for our sports
Sheeba Singh

Gone are the days when post-secondary institutions in general and universities in particular used to send their top players to represent India in international events. Surjit Singh, Baldev Singh, Rajinder Singh (all hockey) and Kanwal Thakur Singh (Badminton), for example, all were university students when they made the national grade and subsequently won laurels for India in international sports meets. But unfortunately, in the just-concluded Beijing Olympics, there was none from the Combined Universities, a channel that used to feed the national squads till late 80s.

Increased pressures to find a job with a sustainable salary, universities in India have started losing their motivation for sports. A city like Chandigarh with more tennis courts than any other city in the country now finds it difficult to field even a single team in inter-college competitions.

All three medallists from India - Abhinav Bindra, Vijender Kumar and Sushil Kumar – are all youngsters in their early teens - still Universities have little to talk about their sporting prowess.

On the other hand, other countries have been sending many athletes who are university students. In Carleton University – three students represented Canada in Beijing Olympic Games. One of them, Angus Mortimer, just missed a medal in kayaking. He was a member of men’s K-4 1000 m team. Students donning national colours certainly become source of motivation for fellow students to make it to the international horizon, like Olympics or other continental games like Asian Games or Pan American Games.

Interestingly, most of the athletes in developed countries do sports on their own, motivation being to make a mark for themselves. Canada, for example, that has been doing fairly well in water sports, including pool and fresh water events, in spite of long hostile winters.

“In most parts of Canada you can kayak for eight months in a year,” says Angus, a gold medallist in the last Pan American Games, revealing that for the rest of the time “We go to Florida to train. Teenagers as young as 15 go to Florida every winter to paddle. As for rowing, much of the team is based in Vancouver where you can row through out the year. I think Canada has a lot of fresh water and it is natural that we do well in these sports. It is a very Canadian thing to be out paddling on the lakes and rivers.”

Angus Mortimer is an all rounder as he participates in singles, doubles, and fours. “My most recent success has been in the singles event. I won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil last season. I have been ranked 2nd in Canada in singles for quite some time. Incidentally the 1st ranked person in Canada is also the current World Champion so that means I am racing the fours. However, the team events are more fun because you get to do everything with three of your friends!”

Angus started kayaking after his older brother and sister took it up first. “We lived very close to the canoe club so it was the best thing for us to do. My inspiration as a child were definitely the older people at the canoe club whom I looked up to and tried to be like them,” says Angus whose favourite sportsman is Ronald Rauhe, a kayaker from Germany, who has not lost any world championship or Olympic race in the doubles event for the last 8 years!

Though a kayaker is facing expulsion for doping at Beijing, Angus never ever thinks drugs. “You can be an Olympic level athlete only if you are prepared to make sacrifices along the way. The biggest sacrifice for me has been taking my university slowly. I only go to school part-time so I have done 2 years courses in about 5 years. Also, there isn’t much time for a social life. You are getting a different kind of education from taking part in sports, as well as meeting and being social with other sportsmen and women. It is totally worth it,” he concludes.

Aus we like it
Vaibhav Sharma

In the past decade this has been the rivalry that has changed the way cricket is played. Bigger than the ashes and the Indo-Pak rivalry, it’s a battle between two teams who have shaped cricket on the field and off it too. Once again the battle lines are drawn as India prepare to take on the Australians in a four-Test series beginning from October 9. In the last two series between the two, in India, the hosts have won three out of a total seven matches and there has been just one draw. Between 1999 and 2008 the two teams have played 18 matches with the Australians winning nine matches and there being just four draws. But much water has passed under the bridge since. The Aussies played and had a gala time at the inaugural IPL, and discovered just how much they all ‘loved’ India.

With ‘Guru Greg’ as an advisor the Aussies, who are short on sub-continental experience, have made their best possible tactical move. Chappel’s stint with team India had been a rather acrimonious affair. So his arrival led to talks of him being a ‘double agent’ and about his ‘inside job’. To add fuel to the fire the Australians were provided a premature and rather grand welcome by the RCA (Rajasthan Cricket Academy), and were given all the time and facilities to get used to Indian conditions. There is no harm in being a good host, but to make a guest, as hostile as the Aussies, feel at so much at home is tantamount to giving away the all precious home advantage.

Without Symmonds and the retired Adam Gilchrist among their ranks the Aussies will feel the pinch a little in terms of fire power, but rest assured before their plan A fails, the world’s best team are known for keeping a plan B and C ready. Team India have begun their practice camp before the series but it’s definitely a battle to watch out for and relish as the Kangaroos hop in the tiger’s den.

Just what the ‘Doctor’ ordered
Alastair Himmer

Italy’s Valentino Rossi wrapped up his fifth MotoGP championship in style by powering to victory in the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday. Rossi won his third world title for Yamaha and his first since 2005 on the Japanese manufacturer’s home circuit at Motegi after starting from fourth on the grid. It also marked Rossi’s sixth premier-class world title overall following his 500cc triumph for Honda before the event evolved as MotoGP.

“It’s difficult to compare titles but this one definitely feels great,” Rossi told reporters. “It was a tough battle this year. To win the championship with a race win is fantastic. I’ve won some hard championships — like the first with Yamaha in 2004 — but this one I maybe tried to put more effort in outside of the races to try and win.”

The 29-year-old only needed to finish in the top three to clinch the title with three races left in the 2008 season and he quickly overhauled rivals Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa. Rossi passed Honda’s Pedrosa on lap six and defending world champion Stoner eight laps later before surging away to win his fifth race in a row.

Australian Stoner finished runner-up in the 24-lap race, while Pedrosa of Spain took third. Rossi’s Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo was fourth after qualifying on pole. Rossi celebrated victory by pulling a long wheelie as he crossed the line before being handed a T-shirt by fans with the words “Sorry for the delay!” in Italian on the front. Rossi has an insurmountable 312 points in the world title standings with Stoner on 220 and Pedrosa on 209. — Reuters