I never let racist abuse affect me, says Yan Dhanda, Swansea City midfielder.
Research released today suggests there is plenty of work to be done before British Asians are properly represented in professional football.
A national poll of more than 2,000 people was commissioned by athlete management company Beyond Entertainment and the Football Supporters' Association (FSA), while there was also an FSA survey of 500 football fans.
Among the findings of the surveys are:
Less than a third of people believed the football industry was doing enough to ensure better representation of British Asians in the professional game. 29.1% believed the industry was doing enough.
13% felt racism towards British Asians was treated seriously enough by the football industry.
Among those within the survey group who identified as football fans, 46% said the game needed to do more to improve British Asian representation.
64% of the FSA survey group felt the small number of British Asians playing professionally "shamed" football.
Of those within that group who identified as being British Asian - around one-fifth - 71% said the game is better structured to support the development of white and black players than people from their community.
A similar number from that group (72%) also said the British Asian community needs to do more to get its youngsters involved in the game.
72% of the FSA survey group would be proud to see a British Asian captain England, but just 15% feel that will happen by 2050.
British Asians make up 7% of the UK population. However, only 0.25% of professional footballers are British Asians.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54843694
Asian Players
posted on 13/11/20
NBA doesn't really compare to how football is in the UK.
By your own admission, you wouldn't look. So if others follow that, then naturally, even if talent is there, it would be ignored. Under such assumptions, the opportunity is limited and not there for everyone.
posted on 13/11/20
comment by Nickasaurus (U9257)
posted 4 hours, 41 minutes ago
comment by CurrentlyStuckIntheUK (U11181)
posted 2 minutes ago
Because we had Asian people create their own leagues when they couldn't find a place in the usual places and these leagues rarely if ever have scouts. If they are looking for the best talent, why is this pool ignored?
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Is this true? I Know a few of my mates have created their own 5 a side type league but thats more to do with family and keeping it within their friendship group.
you got a link?
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Some of these are no longer active. I think on if the most famous teams from those leagues, among the Bengalis in London, was a team called Sporting Bengal. They were formed in the 90s. Another might be inner London league or something like that that might be active.
posted on 13/11/20
comment by CurrentlyStuckIntheUK (U11181)
posted 1 hour, 40 minutes ago
NBA doesn't really compare to how football is in the UK.
By your own admission, you wouldn't look. So if others follow that, then naturally, even if talent is there, it would be ignored. Under such assumptions, the opportunity is limited and not there for everyone.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NBA doesn’t compare, why? Because it doesn’t suit your argument?
Everyone can play in their school team and go for trials et cetera. If they’re good enough, they will join a club youth team.
posted on 14/11/20
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 8 hours, 26 minutes ago
comment by CurrentlyStuckIntheUK (U11181)
posted 1 hour, 40 minutes ago
NBA doesn't really compare to how football is in the UK.
By your own admission, you wouldn't look. So if others follow that, then naturally, even if talent is there, it would be ignored. Under such assumptions, the opportunity is limited and not there for everyone.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NBA doesn’t compare, why? Because it doesn’t suit your argument?
Everyone can play in their school team and go for trials et cetera. If they’re good enough, they will join a club youth team.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, height is one thing - unless you're a keeper (or a CB some might argue), other positions aren't really locked to certain build types. They don't have the same set up in recruiting youth as football in England (unless you're willing to show me otherwise).
I look at teams in countries like Germany, Netherlands, Belgium in how they managed to recruit people into their sides from different backgrounds. Even France had an international player from an Indian-Mauritian background.
I do think a player like Hamza Choudhury, who could go on to represent England, might help bring in more Asians into the game. It seems both Asians and the Durham industry here needs it. And some non-Asian fans of the sport to get over their short-sightedness.
posted on 14/11/20
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 14/11/20
comment by Just Shoot (U10408)
posted 1 hour, 32 minutes ago
comment by CurrentlyStuckIntheUK (U11181)
posted 58 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 8 hours, 26 minutes ago
comment by CurrentlyStuckIntheUK (U11181)
posted 1 hour, 40 minutes ago
NBA doesn't really compare to how football is in the UK.
By your own admission, you wouldn't look. So if others follow that, then naturally, even if talent is there, it would be ignored. Under such assumptions, the opportunity is limited and not there for everyone.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NBA doesn’t compare, why? Because it doesn’t suit your argument?
Everyone can play in their school team and go for trials et cetera. If they’re good enough, they will join a club youth team.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, height is one thing - unless you're a keeper (or a CB some might argue), other positions aren't really locked to certain build types. They don't have the same set up in recruiting youth as football in England (unless you're willing to show me otherwise).
I look at teams in countries like Germany, Netherlands, Belgium in how they managed to recruit people into their sides from different backgrounds. Even France had an international player from an Indian-Mauritian background.
I do think a player like Hamza Choudhury, who could go on to represent England, might help bring in more Asians into the game. It seems both Asians and the Durham industry here needs it. And some non-Asian fans of the sport to get over their short-sightedness.
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You seem to go directly to racism and the intentional exclusion of Asian people. Football team want to win. If a player has a hunch back and only 3 fingers they will get picked if they are good enough. It really is that simple.
You also mention other countries, well maybe (I don't know, but it seems silly to dismiss it) the Asian players at amateur level have greater inclusive participation? This seems a more likely scenario than the Asian playing with themselves (oo-er) and being scouted.
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You think it is as simple as that, but that's utterly naive.
When players, coaches and match officials who do come through from these backgrounds state they have faced racism it seems quite easy for many to just dismiss it is a factor amongst others.
People keep saying that if you're good enough, you'll get chosen. That wasn't the case when I was at school 20-25 years ago. The better players were the Asians in our school and yet when we played against others hardly any Asians were chosen. After a few matches, the Asian guys stopped going. I'm not saying that is happening now. That is my own experience.
posted on 14/11/20
It's a complex issue, people get stereotyped sure, but could it be that sometimes it works for you and sometimes it works against you. Being stereotypically good at law business and medicine could be considered desirable
posted on 14/11/20
comment by CurrentlyStuckIntheUK (U11181)
posted 6 hours, 41 minutes ago
comment by Sat Nav (U18243)
posted 8 hours, 26 minutes ago
comment by CurrentlyStuckIntheUK (U11181)
posted 1 hour, 40 minutes ago
NBA doesn't really compare to how football is in the UK.
By your own admission, you wouldn't look. So if others follow that, then naturally, even if talent is there, it would be ignored. Under such assumptions, the opportunity is limited and not there for everyone.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NBA doesn’t compare, why? Because it doesn’t suit your argument?
Everyone can play in their school team and go for trials et cetera. If they’re good enough, they will join a club youth team.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, height is one thing - unless you're a keeper (or a CB some might argue), other positions aren't really locked to certain build types. They don't have the same set up in recruiting youth as football in England (unless you're willing to show me otherwise).
I look at teams in countries like Germany, Netherlands, Belgium in how they managed to recruit people into their sides from different backgrounds. Even France had an international player from an Indian-Mauritian background.
I do think a player like Hamza Choudhury, who could go on to represent England, might help bring in more Asians into the game. It seems both Asians and the Durham industry here needs it. And some non-Asian fans of the sport to get over their short-sightedness.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You’re saying it’s (the NBA) different so you have to show me otherwise. There’s nothing short sighted about any of this. We can look at all sports, all areas of life: show me somewhere where there is equal representation? It doesn’t happen unless laws are created to artificially created the equality, which is inevitably discriminatory in nature.
The NFL is 70% African American and 28% white, height doesn’t come into that; is this discrimination against races other than black?
You seem perfectly ready to rationalise and explain away all the other sport inequalities yet think that football in the UK is down to racism/discrimination.
I’m sorry that you experienced discrimination when you were at school and I don’t doubt that similar happens still today (although at much lower levels I would expect) but I wouldn’t be putting racism or discrimination anywhere other than right towards the bottom for causal factors as to why Asians only represent 0.25% instead of 7%.
Is the industry focusing too much on black Brits thus explaining the over representation?
Racism/discrimination/prejudice will play a very minor part in the representation, very minor. Nothing you’ve said or that survey demonstrated otherwise.
I’ve avoided saying this until now but this is just typical 2020 nonsense which actually will mostly achieve what it is supposedly advocating against; division.
If you see racism everywhere then the real incidents of racism will slip right by you.
posted on 15/11/20
I have stated that it is a factor amongst others. You and others are the ones dismissing it. At least now you're saying it is one, even it is a small one. Even the survey places high emphasis on both sides not doing enough and not just racism.
You talk about NBA and I asked how it actually compares to Football here. You haven't managed to say how it does. Nor has your stats about NFL say much about how that compares to Football. Numbers without context is pretty useless. How does it compare to football here, explain it. How do they recruit, train, how much interest from other demographics, etc. And then how this compares to football here.
And no one here has argued for equal representation. What I and others wonder why there is so little and what factors contribute to it, how to deal with these so they're is more or at least the opportunity for more. Typically, most focused on one point rather than expand on what other areas there are.
Your point is that some groups of people don't excel in certain things. You've (or someoneelse here) pulled out the large numbers of Asian doctors. Again, there is very little exploring why that is the case and yet people accept it as it is. What factors contribute to it.
Now, we've had Asians create their own leagues and teams, some from 20-30 years ago. Some of these leagues don't exist or merged with others (same with clubs). I don't remember, but I thought it was you or someone else who said if they were a scout they wouldn't bother scouting these guys. If others have the same opinion, then it becomes a structural issue. If I were a scout, someone whose from this community, I'd definitely take a look. Maybe it's because I grew up seeing guys playing well as kids, even beating the older, more physically developed boys in the surrounding areas, that I am not so dismissive about the talent there. Again, it could be down to recruitment not just at players but other positions.
It's better than assuming they're good doctors but rubbish at sport or they're more interested in education than sport.
It is 2020, and not everything is down to racism, nor is racism eradicated. If you dismiss everything as typical 2020 nonsense, you'll dismiss actual racism as well.
posted on 15/11/20
Also, I don't think there should be quoters as a change in approach might yeild in better recruitment from this group. I can understand why in some jobs or positions this has been put into place.