India women's senior goal keeper Aditi Chauhan has become the first Indian to make a debut for an English club- West Ham United, in the opening game of the season against Coventry City on Sunday.
By doing so, Aditi is now the first female goalkeeper of a country, which does not have a league of its own, to play for the first team of an English side. Another Indian Tanvie Hans is also playing for Fulham in the fourth tier but is yet to make it to the first eleven.
The 22-year old is studying MSc in Sports Management at Loughborough University and has also started playing for her University team.
Though West Ham was handed a 0-5 drubbing by Coventry Ladies, Aditi's debut for The Hammers, as West Ham is famously known in the men's English Premier League - is an achievement unprecedented by a distance of India.
In a statement Aditi told Times of India, "I'm not happy about the result. I could have played better. But of course I have watched the West Ham men's team on television and it was like a dream come true when I donned their jersey with the same logo.”
Chauhan inspires aspirant Asian footballers
Scores of people have begun congratulating her on Twitter, including the Indian football team and her former club FC Goa. This has obviously created widespread interest in the Asian community here and abroad, and caught attention of some parents in the UK. But do they believe their children can become footballers in mainstream English football clubs? Do they believe there is a glass ceiling for Asian players?
Dr Shafalica Kotwal, a doctor by profession spoke to Asian Voice about her 14 years old son. A Grammar school student, Tanishq Kotwal plays for the Tiptree Spartans FC in Tiptree. She believes there is no glass ceiling for Asians in football and it totally depends on one's own ability to reach the top. However, will she want her son to become a professional footballer? A frank Shafalica like many other apprehensive Asian parents said, she would rather have Tanishq take up a mainstream profession over football, and give importance to education.
But a City lawyer Nadeem Akhtar is of a totally different opinion. His 10.5 year old son Usman Akhtar plays at Hughenden Valley FC, where Nadeem is also a parent coach. He told Asian Voice, “Yes there is a glass barrier. Asian players start well, but don't get selected in the main team.
“It could be because of cultural differences or may be parents don't get involved enough to help their children. But that is now slowly changing. I encourage my son more than my parents did for me.
“If my son wants to become a professional footballer, I will 150% support his decision.”
Vikas Sadiq, Sports development officer from Zesh Rehman Foundation when asked about glass barrier for Asians in football, told Asian Voice, “I feel the ‘barrier for Asians in football’ can easily be addressed, from our selves. The talent is there, however, if you go to open trials or grassroots football matches on the weekend, there is such a lack of Asian participants involved. This comes down to the parents, guardian and even us coaches ensuring that our children and players go to these trails and join local football teams. Even if they don’t succeed at 1st, the experience they will gain will only improve them. The talent needs to be on show in order to be spotted.”
As a coach Vikas's main focus is to ensure all participants enjoy playing football and thinks that motivation and belief is the key, which is what one needs to drive in to the participants.
Does he feel top English Premiere League clubs could have an Asian footballer in the future? I do feel that in the future we will see an Asian Footballer in a top 5 EPL club, as long as parents, guardian and coaches do their part right.
“We support and coach at the annual Chelsea FC Asian Star event at Chelsea’s training ground in Cobham. Each winner in the 4 different age groups gains a years contract in the clubs development center. However, the event as a whole was a great experience for all 400 young children involved...
“Only recently Crystal Palace FC went to India, scouted and signed 15-year-old Dhruvmil Pandya, from Mumbai to join the club’s academy. Long as we encourage the youth to attend similar events, attend open day trials and join local football teams, I am confident we will see an Asian footballer in the EPL as well as a top 5 EPL clubs.”
