Groundbreaking Initiative:

Chelsea often get a bad press. Sometimes even intitiatives that are necessary – essential perhaps – get panned unjustly. Their Search for an Asian Star is one such initiative. It is not about getting players for Chelsea, although that would be nice. They want to reach a community that has been hard to reach previously and get them playing football from an early age.

Over three days last year 350 boys got the chance to impress at Chelsea’s training ground at Cobham in Surrey. The club’s coaches ran the rule over them with a series of exercises to test their abilities. Three of them were given the chance to return – train at the academy and play for Chelsea’s academy team. Two have since joined other clubs – Southend and Leyton Orient. The third was injured and will get his chance when he recovers.

Before  Search for an Asian Star those boys were playing Sunday-League football. Now they have a real chance of becoming professional players. That has to be welcomed, surely. Despite our own initiative, we have no problem supporting Chelsea’s Search for an Asian Star. It has already proved itself successful and will go on to greater things. It may provide much needed role-models, but Chelsea’s concern is not just at elite level. They want Asians to play football for their own sakes, whatever their level.

Bigger and Better:

Chelsea is committed to Search for an Asian Star. The next one will be bigger and better. Once again it will focus on Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan boys. “We want this year’s tournament to be bigger and better,” said Simon Taylor, Chelsea’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, “so we have doubled the amount of age groups and trials on offer. The scheme is not just about finding the next Anelka, Drogba or Lampard, it is about breaking down barriers, showing Asian players that opportunities at all levels of the game do exist and encouraging them to maximise their potential.”

They remain the only club running such a scheme and they invited scouts and representatives from other clubs too. Taylor is prepared to talk to other clubs about it, so they can run their own versions and get young Asians playing football and living healthier lives. Nevertheless, they have been accused of tokenism – a charge he utterly rejects. His response was understandably unprintable.

The next Search for an Asian Star will be more ambitious. Representatives from clubs at all levels will be invited, so the boys that don’t make it to Chelsea’s academy can find teams at their level and stay in football. Search for an Asian Star will be open to any Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi or Sri Lankan boy aged between 8-13 wherever they live. If they live outside the commuting distance and are good enough for the chance of a career in professional football, Chelsea will happily try to arrange a trial for them with a club in their catchment area.

Empower-Sport Magazine fully supports Chelsea’s Search for an Asian Star initiative and recommends any boy that fits their criteria to apply for a trial. Search for an Asian Star will take place on May 29-31. The application form can be found at www.chelseafc.com/asiansoccerstar

Places are limited for each day, so apply now!