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As the football season draws to a close many will be looking at a long summer without their favourite pastime. However, for many expats in Asia the influx of soccer schools run by elite European clubs will ensure that football maintains an ever presence in their consciousness.
Harvey Davis, MD of Arsenal FC affiliated soccer school JSSL Arsenal in Singapore said, “We follow the Arsenal soccer schools’ coaching modules and standards. They send their coaches over to Singapore every year to coach our coaches who are all fully licensed and qualified and they coach the children.”
When asked about Manchester United and Chelsea’s opening of rival schools in Singapore Davis said, “To be frank I am surprised it has taken them so long to set up here in Singapore. It's good for the children to have more choice and I am interested to see how they develop over the next 12 months. Competition always keeps you on your toes.”
Football is amazingly popular right across Asia and the continent is seen as perhaps the key growth market for European football brands whether that be individual clubs or top end competitions such as the English Premier League or the UEFA Champions League.
However, Asia soccer schools may be concentrating on more than idolising millionaire footballers from halfway around the world.
Jim Raj, founder of the independent English Soccer School said, “Rather than compete with the glitz and glamour we focus on involving dads and their kids in the sessions, run coaching courses for parents and teachers to become coaches themselves and add in an educational element.”