Pakistan star hopes to see more Asians in football
PAKISTAN international and new Port Vale loan signing Adnan Ahmed called into a Primary school to promote football in the Asian community.
The 24-year-old midfielder spoke to girls at Etruscan Primary School before they were put through their paces with an hour-long coaching session organised by the League Two club.
Ahmed is one of only a handful of players of subcontinent origin to have made the breakthrough into professional football on these shores.
And he is hoping to use his role model status to encourage more Asian youngsters to play football.
He said: “I think there are about four Asian players currently playing in the football league so the facts speak for themselves.
“Sometimes Asian parents place more emphasis on their children receiving an education than following a sport like football so it can be difficult maintaining the enthusiasm, but hopefully we can start to change that.
“With the size of the Asian community in Britain then there should be more Asian footballers breaking through into first teams. It won’t happen overnight but hopefully by visiting schools like this we can get more and more people involved in the sport.”
Ahmed, who was born in Burnley, joined the Valiants on a month’s loan from Tranmere Rovers, but has yet to make an appearance.
The midfielder, who has eight international caps and two goals for Pakistan, added: “I’ve just been keeping my head down, getting stronger for when I get my chance.”
