Racism, talent and the British-Asian footballer

There is always a particular complaint that South Asian football players seem to make… we don’t have enough inspiration from someone like us to play at the top level. Well, look no further than Zesh Rehman. In case you did not know, Zesh is the only British Asian to have played in all four tiers of English football. Not only that, he has represented England at U-17, U-18 and U-20 levels before choosing to represent Pakistan, his parent’s birthplace at a senior level. He has played for clubs in Hong Kong and Thailand, apart from a notable few years in England which included stints at Queen’s Park Rangers, Fulham, Blackpool and Bradford City (where he was named the first British-Asian captain in their 107-year history). [caption id=“attachment_203247” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Zesh Rehman in action against Arsenal.”]  [/caption] In spite of defending against the likes of Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer, Zesh comes out as a down-to-earth player whose only concern is to promote more South Asians to take up football. What is the one thing which made you different from the rest of the British Asians trying to play at the top level in England? Because we have so many, but only a handful have made it through, so there must be one thing that set you apart…. I would not say there is one thing that has set me apart. Just like any young player aspiring to be a professional football player, you have to work hard and make sacrifices early on. Whilst most of my friends were attending parties and enjoying, I made the choice to prepare properly for training and games. The hard work paid off but I also had a very supportive family who also made sacrifices, and of course you need a bit of luck along the way. Where do you think the core of the problem lies? So many British Asians in the country and not one can make it to the EPL? That’s weird if you consider the numbers in Britain’s total population. I don’t think you can say there is one definite reason why more Asian players haven’t made it to the top level. I do not believe it’s due to the lack of ability. I think we’re not supported by parents to play professional football, as well as, the confidence of the coaches and scouts to put them through due to the unknown. Do you think racism plays a delicate role in the lack of British Asians in English football? Coming through the system was hard. There was a lot of negativity and doubt I had to deal with. For me though, it was directed more at my cultural heritage. Me and my brother Riz were told directly to our faces by an FA coach at the ages of 9 & 10 that we would not make it because we had the wrong diet, scared of the weather and assumed we like cricket more. It was difficult, but we were determined to prove everyone wrong. We wanted to set a precedent for other British Asian youngsters like ourselves and show that being a professional footballer can be achieved. We encountered racism on several occasions and it can potentially deter kids from progressing and even enjoying the game. It can be difficult to just brush racist comments under the carpet but it makes you realise it stems from ignorance and lack of education. South Asians tend to play within their own community, and British scouts would rather see them play with the general crowd i.e. everyone. Have you noticed such a trend? Much has been talked about in the press lately about multi-culturalism and how we as a society have failed. The FA should promote mixed leagues rather than have communities setting up their own teams. Playing within your own communities on a recreational level (which you see a lot off) will not make them footballers. I would like to know which scouts and which clubs go and watch Asian only leagues. Do you think we need more inspiration in the form of players like you, playing in the EPL so that more of us dream to play in that league? Even if players do not make the grade as a professional footballer in the UK, there are many options across the world. Having been at in the Premier League and played against the likes of Henry, Shearer, Drogba, Rooney and Ronaldo is a great experience and I’m sure it a matter of time before we see more Asians coming through. Playing for England’s national team was a long shot with the number of appearances you made for Fulham, but playing how did it feel donning the Pakistan national shirt? Do you think it made a huge change? I was disappointed not to get an England U-21 call up whilst being a regular for Fulham in the Premier League. I never doubted my own ability but believed I had a realistic chance of a prolonged international career by choosing the country of my parents’ birth. Running out at the National Stadium in Karachi was a great experience and seeing the thousands of young kids at the game was brilliant for football in Pakistan.