Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Chelsea FC stars and coaches have hailed AFC Midnight Football saying the programme goes beyond the game and empowers marginalised youths to see their true potential to be great footballers and more importantly, good citizens.
Top Chelsea FC players – Nicolas Anelka, Ashley Cole, Salomon Kalou, Peter van Aanholt and Daniel Sturridge – on Wednesday witnessed the good work of Midnight Football on the Malaysian youngsters who joined the programme in September last year coming from troubled background.
French striker Anelka told the-afc.com: “It’s great to see what football can do in the life of kids who have faced challenging circumstances in their lives. Chelsea FC is also proud to be a part of this today.’
Fullback van Aanholt said: “We are heartened with the spirit of the Midnight Football boys during their training. I think they will be great people someday.”
The boys took part in a football coaching clinic organised by the Chelsea FC Foundation at the Chelsea FC Blue Pitch at Sungai Buloh, near here, part of the programme in the English club’s Asia Tour 2011.
They trained side by side with the five football stars under the guidance of four coaches from the Chelsea FC Foundation.
The boys had undergone positive character development throughout Midnight Football, a programme under Dream Asia which is the AFC’s social development initiative that uses football as the main platform for change.
Chelsea FC ambassador and trustee Graeme Le Saux has also commended Midnight Football and its participants.
“We at Chelsea FC can see that the AFC has been working very well with the young people who enjoy football very much.
“The boys who came from difficult bacgorund are seeing for themselves that it’s not just football, that there is more to the game. Chelsea FC is proud to be partnered with the AFC today to help the kids learn for life,” he said.
Chelsea FC Foundation Development Manager Ian Woodroffe is also full of praises for the Midnight Football youngsters.
“They are very organised, assertive, have good attitude and seem to truly enjoy the game. We are happy to contribute to the AFC’s effort in positively influencing the young guys.
“It’s great to see such a programme in Asia and Malaysia. We have a similar programme in Chelsea called ‘Kicks’ where we try to guide young people in the inner city area who are going in the wrong direction,” said Woodroffe.
The second edition of MF will be launched on July 29 and co-organised by Malaysia's National Unity and Integration Department and peace NGO Global Peace Festival Malaysia.
MF will be eventually a nation-wide project to boost community development and integration in Malaysia and will be expanded to all AFC member associations gradually.