Refugees & asylum seekers - Football

In terms of football management the following articles will result in a  massive contest;- both these articles are about the same thing.

The first being a political theme (and I might add about time), and the second FL vision very impressive. But others will want to have there share.

As I said very very interesting especially if you look at the Adelaide United player off to Turkey and a Olyroo,

http://andrewbartlett.com/blog/?p=2031

Posted by Andrew Bartlett under , Sport

After some of the public attacks on refugees from Africa which occurred in the lead up to last years election for allegedly �not integrating�, with the worst inferences being targeted at young males, it was good to see a story in today�s Australian newspaper highlighting the positive expectations for African refugees in the future of Australian soccer.

Four African refugees - from Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia and Liberia � are part of the Joeys, which is Australia�s under-17 side. The story also featured another black African player who migrated here from Zimbabwe, plus another from PNG.  Football Federation Australia is trying to win the rights to stage the 2018 World Cup, and the chair of FFA is highlighting that players like these will be the future faces in our Socceroos team, alongside those from European countries that have traditionally made up the bulk of the team.

By coincidence, the same day this story appeared I attended a social soccer match in suburban Brisbane between teams made up of people from Liberia and Botswana � some migrants, some refugees, some students, some of them Australian citizens and most of the rest to become so in the future.

These young Australians do a lot more than play soccer of course, but that is just one area where their skills and energies will be able to help improve our nation�s future.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23749108-5013406,00.html

Lowy pins hopes on new faces of Australian soccer

Peter Kogoy | May 24, 2008

MEET the new face of Australian soccer - and its roots are African. Refugees from Sudan, Ethiopia, Congo and Sierra Leone have not only found a new home in this country, but are also fundamental to Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy's plan to change Australia's sporting landscape.

Mr Lowy's vision is for the Joeys - the national under-17 side - to be the faces of 2018, the year the Westfield Group executive chairman hopes Australia can stage the World Cup.

Among the Joeys' players are four African refugees: Tedros Yabio, who escaped drought and poverty in Sudan for a refugee camp in Ethiopia before emigrating to Australia; Million Butshiire from the Congo, Kamal Ibrahim from Ethiopia and Julius Davies from Liberia.

The Joeys have a fifth African-born player in Danai Gapare, who migrated from Zimbabwe, and a Papua New Guinean, Phillip Lamin.  Butshiire, who has settled with his family of six brothers and two sisters in Perth, said: "My father was a political refugee and our family lived for nearly a year in a camp in Uganda before we were accepted to this country.

"Life in Africa was very difficult; I didn't know when or where I was going to eat my next meal. One day I want to play for Australia at the World Cup." Mr Lowy told The Weekend Australian that the Joeys were "our football future".  "These young men are the faces of 2018 who will be the core of the team that fills our field of dreams in our bid to host and play in the FIFA World Cup. "Dreams do come true if you're prepared to work hard.

"For a long time now we've seen how both Australian-born and immmigrant sons can play together and are doing a good job. My message to FIFA delegates at the congress in Sydney this week is Australia can and will hold a successful World Cup.

"Football in this country is growing unbelievably and in 10 years' time, God knows where we'll be with our football."
Mr Lowy said this year's Joeys reflected the diversity of the Australian population.

Aside from the four refugees from Africa in the team, Serb-born Niko Stanojevic is seen as a potential striker in the mould of John Aloisi, whose penalty in the shootout against Uruguay earned the Socceroos a berth at the last World Cup.

Team manager Joe Freeme said: "All the kids get on really well. They are all very level-headed boys who ... dream of one day playing for Australia at the highest level. What you are seeing today is the changing face of Australian soccer."