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Dubai's centre of excellence gets fresh inspiration

Last Updated: February 14. 2009 12:26AM UAE / February 13. 2009 8:26PM GMT

DUBAI // As role models go, the academicians at Dubai’s new centre of sporting excellence could do no better than Tim Cahill, Trevor Sinclair and Jason Robinson.

They are the perfect template of young triers made good amid testing circumstances. On the surface they are a disparate bunch, but they were united by a common theme when they met for the open day of the Elite Sporting Academy in Dubai this week.

Looking out over the centre’s facilities at Repton School in Nad al Sheba, they echoed each others words exactly — without collusion, and out of earshot of the others.

“I never had anything like this when I was growing up,” they all said, with a faint yet genuine sense of envy.
The ESA’s mission is to provide a pathway to elite sport for talented young sportsmen, no matter their background.

The focus is on the youth of the UAE — be they expatriate or Emirati — but underprivileged children from Nigeria and the Pacific Islands will also be granted scholarships to attend.

Cahill, an indigenous Samoan, is a director and part of the original team who thought up the concept.

“I could probably put my name to many academies,” said the Australia and Everton midfielder.
“The reason I have done this is that I come from nothing. It was really hard for me to be a footballer in England.

“My parents got a loan so they could send me to travel over when I was 16 years old. I trialled for a club, Millwall, and that was my lucky break.

“I benefited from some sacrifices from my parents, as well as some sacrifices from me — and I never looked back.”

Currently, the centre’s focus is on football and rugby, but plans are in the pipeline to diversify. Cricket is next on the agenda, but the directors are keen to establish the academy first.

Cahill added: “This is what I want to get across to other children: if someone like me can do it, then they can do it.

“It will take a hell of a lot of work, but it is something I am very passionate about. If I can give something back and find one kid from Dubai who can become a professional, or an Indian who can become the next best cricketer, or an Australian to play in the A-League, it doesn’t matter. I will have done something for the well-being of the youth.”

Jason Robinson attended the open day at the suggestion of his former rugby league rival, and now friend, Apollo Perelini, who heads the rugby department.
When he first started his recovery from alcoholism in the mid 1990s, Robinson lived with Perelini and his wife at a Christian mission.

This was the World Cup-winning rugby player’s first trip to Dubai, and he was happy to escape the cold snap in Britain.

“Apollo told me I had to bring shorts, but it had been so long I had to hunt everywhere to find them,” said Robinson. “I live on a farm, and getting up and tending to the animals at 6.30am has not been much fun.”

Robinson brought the curtain down on his illustrious career at the end of last season.

He has taken tentative steps into coaching since, with a focus of the grassroots.

He added: “When I finished playing I was thinking: what do I really want to do? Working with kids is great, because they are the future of the game.

“Having played for so long and at such a high level, it is great to be able to go back into that environment and give something back.

“The big thing is not just being able to identify kids with talent, but to give them a vehicle to make them be the best they can be. The Elite Sports Academy will give them the platform.”
The former Manchester City and West Ham player, Sinclair, is now a Dubai resident. He lives in the villa on the Palm which he bought at the same time as David Beckham, Michael Owen, et al, as part of England’s 2002 World Cup squad.

Sinclair was impressed by the ethos of ESA, which could even provide a pathway to the top for his three young sons one day.

Sinclair said: “If my sons want to go in to football, I would always encourage them.

“I have had an amazing life in football and I would never deter them from getting involved in the game.”

http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090213/SPORT/966052039&SearchID=73346280698553l