Premier League
Why English football may be at the start of an Asian revolution
Zesh Rehman’s full debut was more memorable than most. The defender helped subdue Tottenham Hotspur’s Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane in a 2-0 win, but what and who he represented far outweighed Fulham’s three-point haul.
He’d become the first British-born Pakistani to start a Premier League match.
“It wasn’t just in the U.K., but across the world as well, specifically in Pakistan,” Riz Rehman, the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Player Inclusion Executive, told theScore of the attention that greeted his brother’s appearance in 2004.
“It inspired a lot of kids abroad and in the U.K. He was just inundated with emails, phone calls. The club was inundated with the media wanting to talk to him about his journey.”
Zesh Rehman is a trailblazer for British Asians – particularly South Asians – who harbor aspirations of becoming professional footballers, but his landmark didn’t trigger a landslide.
Asian and British Asian people make up almost 7.5% of the U.K. population, but during the 2019-20 campaign, just eight players hailing from those backgrounds made first-team appearances across England’s top four divisions, according to the PFA. A report commissioned by Football Supporters’ Association and Beyond Entertainment in November 2020 stated only 0.25% of professional footballers were British Asian.
“There’s an untapped market out there,” Riz Rehman said.
Nearly two decades on from his brother’s historic appearance, Rehman is actively addressing English football’s long-overlooked demographic as head of the PFA’s Asian Inclusion Mentoring Scheme. The initiative officially launched in February 2021 following an extended trial period.
Rehman’s role is to meet with clubs to discuss their recruitment strategies and guide them toward communities and programs that fall below their radar.
“It’s not about blaming the clubs,” he explained, “it’s also looking at the community and the current setup. What leagues are players playing in? Where do scouts go?”
In addition to improving the visibility of football in Asian communities, the AIMS provides support that was scarce while the Rehman brothers were emerging at Brentford and Fulham. Welsh international Neil Taylor, Sunderland center-back Danny Batth, and other former and current players of South Asian heritage are among those mentoring the next generation through the program.
Rehman himself talks to players on a daily basis. He estimates he’s engaged with around 80 players from an academy system comprising approximately 15,000 promising youngsters. Rehman can’t imagine he’s missed as many as 20 youth-team footballers from Asian backgrounds, but even if he should be keeping tabs on 100 players, that still represents under 0.7% of the footballers in clubs’ production lines.
“They’re playing just as much as their Black and white counterparts,” Rehman said. “So why not look at them?”
Children’s football participation in England
| Kids aged 5-16 | Share of young population | Share of football participation |
|---|---|---|
| White | 68.4% | 67.1% |
| Asian | 9.6% | 10% |
| Black | 4.6% | 5.3% |
Source: Sport England, January 2020
Asian youngsters’ appetite for the game is unquestionable, yet it’s not being reflected in England’s professional game. This presents an opportunity for clubs to knock down biases in the nation’s No. 1 sport and uncover nascent talents amid relatively little competition from their rivals.
The hunger for a South Asian player to “make it” is also huge, offering clubs potentially lucrative marketing windfalls.
Manchester United’s teenage midfielder Zidane Iqbal is a media sensation. He was born in England and could’ve also donned a Pakistan kit on the international stage, but he instead opted to play for his mother’s homeland of Iraq. He made his debut in a World Cup qualifier in January.
“He’s the second-most requested player at United for media requests after Cristiano Ronaldo,” Rehman said. “He’s only played five minutes of Champions League football. So, that’s the kind of interest there is.”
Reflecting the community
Queens Park Rangers are ahead of the curve. Director of football Les Ferdinand and head of coaching Chris Ramsey are at the forefront of the club’s vision, and its implementation – which began when Ferdinand was hired in 2015 – didn’t require the scouting department to be overhauled or other expensive amendments to QPR’s day-to-day operations.
They simply looked around the streets cradling Loftus Road.
“One of the remits (Ferdinand) set the club was to try and make the club’s players or the academy players – any players that we work with on the football front – look like our local community,” football development manager Danny Harrigan, who’s been with the club for 12 years, told theScore.
Harrigan recently helped strike up a relationship with Indian Gymkhana, a multi-sports club based in Isleworth, west London, that’s expanded its football program. Youth coaches at Indian Gymkhana were invited to QPR’s academy, where they met with staff and watched some of their training drills. The visiting coaches then sat down to discuss possible career pathways for their own promising players.
Through simply reaching out, QPR forged a link that could make players from minority backgrounds at Indian Gymkhana – membership isn’t restricted to people of Indian origin – feel a part of British football. Indian Gymkhana and QPR have long been part of the same community, and now it feels that way.
QPR’s inclusive approach extends beyond player recruitment. Manisha Tailor is forging a path for people from diverse backgrounds in her position as QPR’s assistant head of coaching. She’s the first woman and first person of South Asian heritage to occupy such a prestigious coaching role in the men’s game in England.
Tailor was a latecomer to football – only giving up teaching at a primary school in 2011 – who could’ve been involved earlier if there were hints of full-time opportunities in the sport. Role models were in short supply. “I didn’t see people like me in that space,” she said.
It was when she stepped away from full-time employment to finish a qualification and care for her mother that she gradually became acquainted with a “new world.” Upon learning Tailor had stopped teaching, former England attacker Rachel Yankey, whom Tailor had worked with in education, encouraged her friend to join her grassroots program on a part-time basis. Tailor was now making steps in the sport she loved, and it was through football that she met Ramsey at two events relating to diversity.
Ramsey told an inquisitive Tailor that she needed to hone her craft with minutes on the training pitches and attain a UEFA B license to further her career when they first met in 2014, advice she took. Ramsey, who’d identified Tailor’s aptitude and unbridled work ethic, offered her a volunteer role at QPR during their second encounter two years later.
Tailor recognizes that her mentor, who is Black, had a strong sense of empathy after dealing with adversity himself. The vastly experienced Ramsey’s nine-month spell in charge of QPR in 2015 is his only managerial stint in England’s professional leagues.
“He understands what it’s really like to be the best person for the job but not necessarily get the job,” Tailor said. “He gets what it’s like to go time after time, fill in job applications, but not even get an interview.”
During their visit to QPR, the Indian Gymkhana coaches noted there had been more activity around their players in recent years. But progress is steady. To expedite the process, a quota system could be introduced to ensure clubs are training children in numbers that better reflect the participation rates of ethnic groups in their local areas.
However, there is progress. For a long time, English football couldn’t say that about Asian involvement – especially as it pertains to South Asian players.
The clubs already gaining a presence in previously ignored neighborhoods stand to benefit for years to come. By uncovering players in a less-farmed section of the British football landscape, they can attract a new generation of fans with various outreach projects, such as supporting charitable causes and visiting local schools.
And with more fans come new generations of followers who want to play for the club that represents them.
“There’s a lot more to what we do than just what people see on the Saturday,” Harrigan said. “We are a community club.”
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Premier League
Breaking down thrilling EPL title race with 10 games left
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One of the most intoxicating title races in Premier League history is, mercifully, ready to resume.
The quirks of the calendar – an FA Cup weekend succeeded by an agonizing international window – means the titanic tussle between Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City will have been on hiatus for a full three weeks before it gets back underway on Sunday.
But there are no more impending interruptions. With 10 matches remaining for each title contender, we’re barreling toward a resolution to the type of three-way battle that’s exceedingly rare in England’s top flight. There’s never been a season in the Premier League era where three teams went into the final day with a chance to hoist the trophy. This could be it. The last time it happened was the 1971-72 campaign, when Derby County won an incredible four-team fight, narrowly beating Leeds United and, ominously, Liverpool and Man City to the crown. We’re overdue for that kind of drama.
That three sides have converged this way at all is, frankly, remarkable.
These are the three best teams in the country by an enormous margin. They’re the only ones with an expected goal difference per game of plus-1.0 or greater this season. The next best mark, surprisingly, belongs to Mauricio Pochettino’s erratic Chelsea team at plus-0.36. So, yeah, it’s not close.
The three of them are also on a tear and show no signs of slowing down. Arsenal have won all eight of their league games in 2024, scoring 33 goals in the process; Liverpool have collected 22 of a possible 27 points in that time; reigning champions Manchester City have racked up 23 of 27 points. They’ve combined for just one loss since the calendar flipped – Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat against Arsenal in early February.
The only sides that look capable of halting their progress are each other, which makes this weekend’s clash between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad all the more significant.
Each contender has a compelling reason for believing it’s “their” year.
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta’s men look far more assured and mature than last season when they set the pace for nearly the entire campaign, only to crumble down the stretch and relinquish their once sizeable advantage to Manchester City. Do-it-all superstar Declan Rice has been a transformative figure in midfield, while Kai Havertz, after an inauspicious start, is becoming an increasingly vital and consistent scoring threat. At least from the outside, there appears to be more self-belief within the Arsenal camp. Having learned from their experience in 2022-23, Arsenal won’t cede top spot so easily this time. It’ll need to be ripped from them.
Some may be inclined to dismiss their recent run because of their opponents. Yes, the Gunners have played some weak teams – Sheffield United! Burnley! Nottingham Forest! – but, for the most part, they aren’t just beating them; they’re blowing them away with a ruthlessness usually associated with title winners. For those still unconvinced, Sunday’s visit to the Etihad, where they were tossed aside like a rag doll in last season’s 4-1 loss, will be the ultimate litmus test to see if this team is ready to end the club’s 20-year title drought.
Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp’s persistent squad, already with the League Cup in tow, aims to send off their departing bench boss in style. Liverpool have been the most entertaining team of the trio this season. They create more chances than Arsenal and City and concede more opportunities. Darwin Nunez, the ultimate agent of chaos on a football pitch, is the perfect fit for a team with a habit of scoring late goals and delivering dramatic moments. Their title charge is built on more than just vibes, though.
Liverpool overwhelmed none other than City in their last league game before the international break but came away from the pulsating affair at Anfield with a 1-1 draw. City, usually self-confident and domineering in possession, simply held on against what Pep Guardiola dubbed a “tsunami” of pressure. There was obviously some added incentive at play, but Liverpool are built to go full speed regardless of the opposition. It’s in their nature under Klopp.
Manchester City
Despite not being at its vintage best this term, Guardiola’s accomplished crew remains the favorite in the eyes of many who, for good reason, simply refuse to pick against them. We’ve been conditioned to feel like City will inevitably be the last team standing because, well, they usually are. Five titles in the previous six seasons will have that effect on the collective psyche. However, Erling Haaland isn’t replicating his ferocious scoring pace from last season, and Kevin De Bruyne has been limited to six league starts. Also, outside of some electrifying Jeremy Doku performances, the summer signings haven’t exactly set the world alight. And yet, here they are, just one point off the top, showing the quiet confidence and tranquility that can only be obtained through winning experiences.
With Phil Foden leading the way and authoring arguably the best season of anyone in the league, City could become the first team in English history to win four consecutive top-flight titles.
Strength of schedule
On paper, Arsenal have the most difficult fixture list.
Their remaining opponents average 41.8 points this season, roughly corresponding to ninth place in the table. Put another way, it would be the equivalent of playing Wolves (41 points) or Brighton (42) each week. It doesn’t help that many of Arsenal’s toughest matches are away from home. Coincidentally, they have upcoming trips to Brighton and Wolves, along with north London rivals Tottenham and Manchester United, following this weekend’s potentially decisive tilt at the Etihad. It’s tough.
Manchester City’s task is slightly more forgiving, as their remaining opponents average 40.7 points or 10th place.
Liverpool appear to have the most favorable schedule of the trophy chasers, with their opponents averaging 38.4 points, a tally representing the haul of a team in the bottom half of the table. While that’s better than the alternative, it’s not quite so simple for the Reds. On the back of a potentially draining Europa League quarterfinal second leg against Atalanta in mid-April – more on that soon – Klopp’s men have three away games in seven days against Fulham, Everton, and West Ham. In addition to battling their local nemesis, who could still be scrapping for survival at that point, Liverpool will also face a rambunctious Goodison crowd that would love nothing more than to play a critical role in stopping their hated rivals from winning another league crown.
Aston Villa and Spurs, meanwhile, stand out as common foes for all three title hopefuls. Sitting fourth and fifth, respectively, and engaged in their own fight to secure a Champions League place, they could play the role of kingmakers this spring.
European commitments
Balancing the mental and physical demands of domestic play with continental competition is a huge piece of this puzzle for all three teams. Midweek success can further galvanize a group, but taxing failures can cripple a team’s momentum at home.
Much like the domestic schedule, Liverpool seem to have an edge here. Arsenal and Manchester City will face European behemoths Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in a pair of mouthwatering Champions League quarterfinal ties beginning next month. However, Liverpool have a comparatively charitable Europa League encounter with Atalanta.
If they both advance, Arsenal and City will meet in the Champions League semifinals, an outcome that will surely be celebrated wildly on Merseyside.
How those games intermingle with the league schedule also matters. Liverpool play Crystal Palace and Fulham following their two matchups with the Italian outfit. After locking horns with Bayern, Arsenal have to contend with Aston Villa and Wolves. Manchester City, still active on three fronts as they seek a second consecutive treble, host lowly Luton after the first leg of their Real Madrid rematch and take on Chelsea in the FA Cup semifinals following the second leg.
Injury concerns
Liverpool have been plagued by injuries all season. Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, and Andy Robertson, among others, have missed varying amounts of time, though the bulk of that group is getting back to full fitness. Alisson Becker remains sidelined and might not return until mid-April. Defensive stalwart Virgil van Dijk is the only Liverpool player to garner over 2,000 league minutes this season, indicating how disruptive injuries have been for Klopp’s team. And yet, they persevere.
Five Manchester City players have cleared the 2,000-minute mark thus far, and a couple more are on the cusp. But the club was without De Bruyne for the entire first half of the season, while trips to the treatment room ravaged Jack Grealish’s year. City also got hit the hardest by the recent international break, with John Stones and Kyle Walker hurt on England duty and racing against time to recover for Sunday’s match versus Arsenal. Swiss defender Manuel Akanji is in the same boat, and Ederson’s return date from a thigh injury remains uncertain. Never shy about tweaking his lineup, Guardiola could be forced to tinker yet again.
Arsenal have been largely unscathed, with six players eclipsing 2,000 league minutes. William Saliba, whose absence last season played an outsize role in Arsenal’s capitulation, has been on the pitch for every second of league play in 2023-24. Gabriel Jesus has battled ailments all year, and Jurrien Timber suffered an ACL injury just 49 minutes into his Premier League debut in the season opener. But the Gunners will be hoping their relative good fortune on the injury front extends right through May, especially as it relates to Bukayo Saka, who pulled out of the England squad to nurse a minor muscular issue.
Prediction
First, a disclaimer: Luck will play a pivotal role in determining which team is crowned on May 19. Injuries will continue to be a factor. There will almost certainly be contentious refereeing and VAR decisions that favor and oppose the title challengers. There will also be finishing variance, with players missing seemingly easy chances and converting more difficult opportunities.
Impossible to predict? No matter. We’re not going to let that stop us.
Considering their advantageous schedule, at home and in Europe, along with their improving squad health at just the right time and the inescapable feeling that this is a team of destiny determined to send their beloved manager out on a high, we’re going with Liverpool, who’ll collect 88 points to pip their rivals and again interrupt Manchester City’s run of domestic dominance.
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Premier League
Euro 2024 playoffs: Miraculous Ukraine comeback, big result for Wales
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Wales, Greece, and Poland registered statement wins Thursday, joining three other teams in next Tuesday’s playoff finals for the three remaining places at Euro 2024.
Ukraine staged an incredible late comeback against Bosnia and Herzegovina in its semifinal to keep its Euro dream alive.
The highest-placed team in FIFA’s rankings that’s no longer in contention to reach the tournament in Germany is 60th-placed Finland.
Here’s how the playoff semifinals across Path A, B, and C played out.
Path A
Poland 5-1 Estonia
Estonia barely stood a chance. Down to 10 men as early as the 27th minute, the northern Europeans could only muster a consolation goal in a 5-1 loss to Poland. The Polish achieved the rout without Robert Lewandowski getting on the scoresheet and remain unbeaten in 21 Euro qualifiers at home, a magnificent run dating back to September 2006. Poland is trying to make up for a poor qualifying campaign in which it finished third in Group E, four points behind the Czech Republic and Albania. The country hasn’t missed the Euros since 2004.
Wales 4-1 Finland
The Red Wall might descend on Germany this summer. Wales’ raucous supporters have legitimate hopes of traveling to another major tournament after the Dragons scorched Finland without the retired Gareth Bale and with Aaron Ramsey, 33, on the bench after more injury problems. Teemu Pukki gave the visiting team some hope just before halftime following well-taken finishes from David Brooks and Neco Williams. But Wales needed just 73 seconds of the second period to restore its two-goal cushion via Brennan Johnson’s tap-in. Daniel James took advantage of a defensive error before rounding the goalkeeper in the 86th minute to give the host a resounding victory.
Playoff final: Wales vs. Poland, Tuesday 3:45 p.m. ET
Path B
Israel 1-4 Iceland
Iceland’s Albert Gudmundsson stole the show with an emphatic hat-trick against Israel on Thursday. His stunning free-kick into the top right corner canceled out Eran Zahavi’s opening goal for Israel, and he created a nice cushion for his country with a pair of markers in the final 10 minutes. Just before that, Zahavi blew an incredible opportunity to equalize the match at 2-2, missing a penalty awarded for handball against Iceland’s Gudmundur Thorarinsson. A red card to Israel’s Haim Revivo didn’t help the trailing side. Iceland is now a game away from making only its second-ever appearance at the Euros following its quarterfinal run in 2016.
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-2 Ukraine
Ukraine scored twice with just minutes remaining in regulation to snatch what seemed to be a sure victory from Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday. Bosnia controlled play for most of the match and took the lead in the 56th minute when Mykola Matviyenko turned in Amar Dedic’s shot into his own net. But a colossal defensive lapse cost the Bosnians a chance to make it a record four countries from the former Yugoslavia at Euro 2024. Roman Yaremchuk came off the bench to equalize in the 85th minute and teed up Artem Dovbyk’s sensational winning header three minutes later to turn the playoff semifinal on its head. Ukraine now faces Iceland with a third consecutive Euro appearance at stake.
Playoff final: Ukraine vs. Iceland, Tuesday 3:45 p.m. ET
Path C
Georgia 2-0 Luxembourg
Two clever finishes from Budu Zivzivadze in Tbilisi assured Georgia of a place in Path C’s final – and all without the help of suspended talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. But it wasn’t that simple for the host. Luxembourg thought it equalized during the second half, only for the goal to be eventually snatched away due to Maxime Chanot’s apparent foul 45 seconds earlier. Luxembourg’s Chanot was controversially sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and Zivzivadze effectively ended the match six minutes later with his second strike. Kvaratskhelia is available for the final.
Greece 5-0 Kazakhstan
Anastasios Bakasetas lashed home a penalty, Dimitrios Pelkas headed into the net’s roof, Fotis Ioannidis tapped in from close range, and Dimitrios Kourbelis added another header. And that was all before halftime. Kazakhstan’s impressive 2022-23 Nations League campaign and notable Euro 2024 qualifying wins over Denmark, Northern Ireland (twice), and Finland suddenly seemed ages ago, as Greece recorded its biggest halftime lead since October 1978 (5-0 against Finland). Aleksandr Marochkin’s embarrassing own goal in the 85th minute made Kazakhstan’s day even worse.
Playoff final: Georgia vs. Greece, Tuesday 1:00 p.m. ET
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Premier League
Look: Nike unveils beautiful kit selection for Euro 2024, Copa America
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Nike released a stunning batch of threads ahead of Euro 2024 and Copa America on Monday.
Days after Adidas launched its lineup for the summer’s top two tournaments, Nike followed suit with an array of colorful designs.
The U.S. manufacturer also announced redesigns for Canada and Poland, even though they’ve yet to qualify for their respective tournaments. The Canucks face Trinidad and Tobago in a one-off Copa America qualifier on Saturday, while Poland must navigate a four-team playoff to reach Euro 2024.
(All images courtesy of Nike)
Euro 2024
Croatia
Home
The square-shaped design that gives Croatia its unique look gets a slight upgrade. The home shirt features larger squares than ever before.
Away
Croatia’s away shirt plays on the national flag, with the traditional checkered pattern now on a slant.
England
Home
Influenced by England’s 1966 training gear, the home shirt has a classic feel with a rich blue collar and gorgeous trim along the cuffs.
Away
England embraces a deep purple hue for its away selection. The crest stands out with a contrasting off-white tint that makes the three lions pop.
France
Home
France’s home shirt may have the biggest crest of all of Nike’s offerings. The oversized rooster defines this shirt as much as the royal blue that’s made France’s kits a crowd-pleaser.
Away
The pinstripes mirror the colors of France’s national flag and span the width of the shirt in a simple, yet elegant design.
Netherlands
Home
Nike could’ve offered anything orange here, and it would’ve been perfect. But the Netherlands has something bolder and better to wear. The zig-zag pattern adds edge.
Away
The orange collar and cuffs pop alongside the three shades of blue Nike has chosen to create the abstract design on this work of art.
Poland
Home
Poland dedicates premium real estate on the country’s home shirt to its imposing crest.
Away
Poland’s away shirt is a daring choice. The graphic treatment adds texture, giving it a rugged feel while separating from the red tones of years past.
Portugal
Home
With possibly the best home shirt in Nike’s collection, Portugal leans heavily into its traditional red-and-green motif with a polo collar and thick cuffs. The logo sits prominently as well. A smash hit.
Away
Here’s another winner. Portugal’s away strip has a stunning textile imprint that gives off a cool summer vibe.
Turkey
Home
This is a menacing look. Turkey will look like a whirring red army with these imposing shirts.
Away
The classic red band returns to Turkey’s away uniform. Like the others, it features an oversized crest in the middle of the shirt.
Copa America
Brazil
Home
Nike goes big with Brazil’s crest and adds an intricate design to the same yellow hue the Selecao have used for decades.
Away
Brazil’s secondary strip feels like the beach. A horizontal wavy pattern covering the entire shirt mimics the country’s picturesque coastline.
Canada
Home
The only blemish in Nike’s lineup. Why is there a circle around the swoosh? And why are the shoulders so much darker than the body? None of it makes sense.
Away
The 13 pinstripes are supposed to represent the 10 provinces and three territories that make up Canada. Unfortunately, the rest of the shirt looks incomplete.
United States
Home
The United States men’s national team gets a classic home shirt with patriotic detailing along the color and sleeves.
Away
The gradient works perfectly with the red shorts the U.S. will wear at the Copa America.
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