SINGH Sabha Slough have won the 2016 UK Asian Championships, a success hailed as a great achievement by Zuf Asghar who hopes more Asian footballers will break into the professional game.
The team, which featured Windsor stars Umar Riaz and Baboucarr Jarra, beat London Aspa 6-1 in the final in front of over 2,000 spectators at Celtic Park on Sunday.
Singh Sabha were beaten finalists back in 2012 but Asghar believes that young stars like those in his team could go on to be role models for the Asian football community.
“The Asian Championships has been going for a long time now but only this year has it got the attention it should, and that’s really good for the Asian community,” Singh Sabha’s joint-boss told the Observer.
“Hopefully players and teams can push on and use it as the chance to get into big clubs and academies.
“Asian players do have the opportunities to get into academies and Under-23 football. It’s a challenge but you have to go and work hard.
PHOTO: Windsor FC stars Baboucarr Jarra (far left) and Umar Riaz (third from the left) starred for Singh Sabha Slough in their UK Asian Championships win.
“Sometimes if Asian players don’t make it at one club they will not go on trial somewhere else, but instead give up on a football career.
“Tournaments like this one are about finding the talent, helping them and trying to nurse them on to the next level. Then, hopefully players will go through onto the next step, but you have to work hard at it as well.”
Asghar commended the performance of Singh Sabha at the Asian Championships, believing his team produced several professional displays to exceed their expectations.
"It's a tournament we've been trying to win for a good six or seven years now, so it's a great achievement," he said. "We thought we could ge through to the final and play at Celtic Park.
"We had the opportunity in 2012 but got a bit starstruck and people let their heads go. We lost our heads in the final that year but were capable of turning it around.
PHOTO: Singh Sabha Slough joint-manager Zuf Asghar shows off the silverware.
"We went out and played our game, enjoying the moment, so it was good. We put in a good shift and had a great time, and everyone performed to their levels"
Asghar continued: "Our performance was good in the first two group matches. You could see we were the fitter and more technical team. We played the percentages and minutes.
"Everything was going well until the last group game against the champions. We lacked creativity in midfield and were 4-1 down with 30 minutes to go, so nothing to lose.
"We changed our system, brought on the subs and threw everything at them, and it clicked for our forwards. To equalise in the last minute was amazing.
"Everyone knew that whoever went through would win the final and it felt good.
"Everyone was professional and on point in the final. At 1-1 I felt 'please do not lose this game' but the boys came back and saw it out professionally."
Commenting on the atmosphere at Celtic Park, he said: "When you get towards the end of the tournament people can see who is doing well. They cheer you on and want you to win.
"There was 2-3,000 in the ground and when you did well there was a loud cheer. It felt like you were in a full stadium."
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