Asha with President of Turkey's Atasehir Belediyespor
Women's Football Club, Sadik Kayhan
Women's Football Club, Sadik Kayhan
Asha in her room at the team's club house
And boards the team bus post-match
Asha watches TV with her new teammates.
The Atesehir players welcomed Asha warmly
The new striker meets some of her young fans
And boards the team bus post-match
Asha watches TV with her new teammates.
The Atesehir players welcomed Asha warmly
The new striker meets some of her young fans
Asha Rashid set to join top club in
Turkey Women's Premier League
Turkey Women's Premier League
Striker Asha Rashid of Mburahati Queens F.C. and the Tanzanian women's national football team (Twiga Stars) arrived Saturday in Istanbul, Turkey to join Atasehir Belediyespor Women's Football Club, who play in the top flight of Turkish women's football.
If Asha passes a medical examination and receives a work permit from the Turkish authorities, she will sign a one and a half season contract with the club. Atasehir Beladiyespor are currently ranked number one in the league, and if they can hold that position until the end of the season in May, they will earn a sport in the 2011/12 UEFA Women's Champions League.
FIFA agent Ahmet Goksel Arici (a former Turkish national team goalkeeper) came across videos of Asha and her Twiga Stars teammates while browsing football videos on Youtube. He forwarded the links to Atasehir team manager Murat Ulku, who had been looking for speedy forwards to bolster his team's attack. Immediately impressed by the Tanzanians' skills, Ulku sent invitations to Asha and her JKT Queens striker Eto Mlenzi. Within a week, Asha had a Turkish visa and was on a plane to Istanbul. Eto hopes to follow her soon, pending permission for a leave of absence from her Tanzanian club, JKT Queens.
The Atasehir players warmly welcomed Asha, who is living in a room in the team's private clubhouse. She smiled and laughed with her teammates while eating her first dinner with the club. "My team has welcomed me kindly," she said. "We don't speak the same language, but we are already friends. The players are very united. I am very happy."
On Sunday afternoon Atasehir played against the number three ranked team in the league. Asha is ineligible to play until she officially registers with the Turkish Football Federation (T.F.F.) but she warmed up with the team and impressed them with her shooting skills. They did fine without her, thumping the competition with a 5-1 victory to maintain their position at the top of the Women's Premier League table.
Though she has yet to play a match, Asha has already garnered a following among the Atasehir fans, who chanted and sang her name during the match. They have high hopes for their potential new striker. And Asha plans to deliver. "I believe in myself, and I think I can really help this team... I've seen the football here now, and I know that it is nothing to be afraid of."
Asha's path to being noticed via Youtube points to interesting changes that are happening in football business. No longer do agents have to travel to faraway countries to see players in the flesh, nor do players have to pray for their single chance to play in front of an international scout.
Players who want to be noticed can advertise their skills on the internet and let the world be the judge. We can hope that Asha will be the first in a long line Tanzanian players who follow this new path to their football dreams.
Players who want to be noticed can advertise their skills on the internet and let the world be the judge. We can hope that Asha will be the first in a long line Tanzanian players who follow this new path to their football dreams.
Haya Dada kazi kwako!! Dada komaa hayo ndio maisha ila angalia dada usiwe kama Kaka zako. Dada nakutakia maisha mema kaza buti
ReplyDeleteHongera sana Asha, dada yetu! Umetufurahisha kwa utaalam wako katika nyanja za mpira na teknolojia, ambapo umechanganya umahiri katika uchezaji pamoja na usomi. Hivyo umekuwa mfano wa kipekee wa kuigwa na wadogo zako.
ReplyDeleteMungu Akubariki Asha!
safi sana hii ni fundisho kwa wazaizi wanaoazalau watoto wa kike. maana wakizaaka mtoto wa kike wanasema wamezaa hasara..
ReplyDeleteGOOD LUKY ASHA. ENDELEA KUKAZANA HIVYO HIVYO
ReplyDeleteYou go girl
ReplyDeleteHii imetheto babaangu!Michudhi hivi wewe kabila gani?
ReplyDeleteAsha big up vibaya sana yani,muhimu wakupatie hizo permit tuanze kushangilia huku coz itafungua milango zaidi,who knows the next Ballon d'or unaweza kuwa wewe just saidia timu kufikia malengo tu na ikianza cheza hizo UEFA Champions league ndio unajitangaza zaidi yani,kaza tako dadaake ayaa!
kila la kheri Asha
ReplyDeleteGo girl, GO!
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Saaaaafii
ReplyDeleteHongera sana Asha, Mungu akutangulie ufanikiwe zaidi na zaidi!
ReplyDeleteNimefurahi sana kuona kuona vitu vyako youtube.Una kipaji hivyo kiendeleze kwani kutoka kunaanza hivi hivi. Najua utachoshwa na mikate ya hapa ubatani lakini utazoea tu. Wabata ni wakarimu na si wabaguzi hivyo itumie hiyo nafasi kukuletea mafanikio yako,familia yako na taifa kwa ujumla. One love.
ReplyDeletekomaa shost usikubali kurudi mpaka utupatie shem mzungu,hongera sana
ReplyDelete