Pakistan launch UK Footballers talent hunt

[Predeta]

It all started back in July with a text from a 5live listener.

"You would not believe the amount of hidden Asian football talent across the UK, why haven't British clubs spotted this?"

The texter had a point.

I could only think of three British Asians playing at league level here - Michael Chopra at Sunderland, defender Zesh Rehman, now at QPR, and Anwar Uddin, captain of League Two side Dagenham and Redbridge.

What we found out next really surprised us.

Eager to tap into talent in this country, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) had arranged for potential recruits - those eligible through their family heritage - to show their skills off at trials held at Rotherham's Millmoor ground.

The reasons were two-fold:

• After launching its own football leagues earlier in the year, the PFF needed players to fill them
• The PFF wanted to improve the national team's chances of qualifying for the World Cup by widening its talent base.

Mohammed Aref, the United Kingdom co-ordinator for the PFF, helped set up the trials in Rotherham.

Not only did he hope to unearth players who could represent Pakistan, he also felt the trials would be a way of:

• breaking down cultural barriers
• making British clubs more aware of Asian talent
• creating Asian role models within football.

Nine players - six under 19 years of age and three over 19 - were eventually selected at the trials, which attracted more than 130 hopefuls.

These nine 'wannabes' were flown out to Lahore to attend a 12-week training camp at the PFF's national academy.

Remarkably, two of the over 19s will play for Pakistan in Monday's World Cup qualifier against Iraq at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

It will be a tough baptism.

Iraq, now coached by former Norway and Wimbledon manager Egil Olsen, won the Asian Cup in July and are 65th in the Fifa rankings, 114 places above Pakistan.

Whatever happens, the BBC will be there to see how Pakistan get on in the first leg of their first-round clash.

In the run-up to the game, we will be interviewing the players and filing reports for 5live, the Asian Network and Radio 4's Today programme.

Plus there will be reaction on the BBC Sport website.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7050317.stm

[Scrooge]

watch out for ma mate fraaz ahmed

[Rizolicious]

when i had trials for blackburn, i was talking to one of the coaches, and they saying that they are not enough asians in the game, and they were gonna trying to increase it. i was the only one at my trials, not suprisingly enough.

[Cheeky_Princess]

in london...
well my ends.. al the asians play football..
my bros plays 5 a side every sunday wiv his mates.. like proper tornumnets wiv other teams n stuff...
most are asian.. well pakis and benglis 2 be honest
but den again my ends are asians lol

but wow that seems intrestin
imagine if pakistan 2 qualify for the world cup..
ill be stuck on who 2 support
ive always supported england.. and done england face paints..
looks like if it ever happnd id ave one cheek paintd wiv der england flag an the other wiv the pakistan

[Spider Pig]

To be honest Ive seen some really good players that I think have the potential to make it. If I had the mentality I have now whilst playing football and got into it at an early age I think I could have been able to play at a good standard, but obviously you need support from family and also the courage to put all your effort into it and not get nervous, which I was when I was younger, although I didnt even start playing football till I was about 15/16. Asians aren't able or allowed to do play regularly. Obviously now Im too old and not good enough for my age methinks, but then again I only play 6 a side once a week, these lads need to play at least 5 times a week inc. training and you don't get many of them doing that at a young age.

I wouldn't be suprised if they find some top talent, there is some top players, something that lets most of them down is their mentality or understanding of the game, its not all about trying to skin every player whenever you have the ball. I've played with and against some very good asian players and were going to the asian tournament in bradford next week, 5 a side I think. Im sure theres guna be some really top players there. We'll probably get hammered but if were at our best I think we can do well but there's sure to be players who play week in week out and train etc. so we'll see what happens. As long as we play well and give teams a good game I'll be happy but obviously I love to win and hate to lose...... lol