22nd October, 2012
My interview with Australian sports journalist and presenter, Scott McIntyre, following Chonburi's AFC Cup semi final 1st leg tie in Arbil, Iraq.
Please can you introduce yourself.
I'm Scott McIntyre - Senior football reporter/presenter at SBS Television (and online) Australia.
How did your trip to Arbil come about?
I'm currently writing a book about Asian football - part history, part social study, part contemporary trends and as part of that the story of Erbil, the club and the Kurdish region is a fascinating story.
How easy was it to arrange?
Straightforward in terms of logistics but difficult in that there is very limited information (in English, at least) on-line regarding accommodation, eating etc.
Why did you want to visit Iraq/Arbil?
As above, to see the 'other' Iraq and to look and learn at football within the region.
What did you hope to learn on your trip?
Why the club, Erbil FC, has been so successful in recent years, the structure of youth development within Iraq and the divide between Kurdish and Iraq-Arab football/footballers.
How were you treated by the club?
Very well - not just by the club but by everybody! The club allowed me to speak with their management team, to view inside the stadium, and the players also were very welcoming,even inviting me to their apartments.
What were your first impressions of Arbil?
The city itself is remarkable; they have a lot of oil revenue and construction is happening all over the city. It is a thriving place but the security is still, obviously, very easy to notice. There are people with guns on every corner and shopping centre.
How did these impressions change during the course of your visit?
It remained positive - and with the warmth of the people it grew. Everybody was very hospitable.
What impressed you most about the set up at Arbil?
The fact that because Erbil is the 'safest' region of Iraq it means that the club is able to attract the best local talent. It's a far easier place to live for most than say, Baghdad, Kirkuk or Mosul.
They also (in Kurdistan) have a very good local league and youth leagues in place and these are ensuring that the region (and club) are continuing to produce technically good players.
What were your impressions of the stadium and the facilities?
The playing surface is very good but standard elsewhere in the region and the facilities for fans are as you find at most reasonable stadiums throughout the Gulf/Middle East (UAE and Qatar aside).
The training facilities are also very good - they have 2 artificial pitches next to the main stadium with floodlights that are used by both the youth and senior sides.
What are the average ticket prices at Arbil/Iraqi matches?
Usually, it's free but for the AFC tournaments (with the push towards professionalism) there is a nominal charge.
Which players impressed you and why?
The right-sided central defender Ahmed Ibrahim is a very promising player. He's vey young but plays with patience and has a good sense of timing when both defending and starting play from the back. He's also now first-choice for the national team. The central striker Amjed Radhi is also a very good finisher; very clinical although tends to 'drift' out of games on occasion.
How would you judge the standard of football in Iraq compared to other Asian nations?
Technically the players are very good, many can play with both feet, are willing to dribble and attack opposition players and have good vision and 'game-awareness.' The problem remains that because it is very difficult to attract to high-quality foreign coaches that the standard tactically is still very poor.
Talking in terms of pure technique though, they are certainly one of the better Middle Eastern nations, though behind the big powers in the East.
I was expecting the atmosphere at the first leg to be very intimidating. However, it looked fairly relaxed. Do I have a true impression?
It's not like Indonesia or Jordan, that's for sure! However, the stadium was close to full by kickoff and there were certain sections making 'noise' but it wasn't especially intimidating.
What sort of coverage did the first leg get in the local media?
Extensive. There are so many TV channels and newspapers and radio stations in the region - and they all covered it very well. At the final press conference there were maybe 35 reporters.
What was the local reaction to the victory and how confident are Arbil ahead of the return fixture?
To be honest, with the fact they have 7 current Iraq internationals in the squad they expect to win. In fact, they feel they should be in the ACL rather than AFC Cup.
What are Arbil expecting the atmosphere to be like in Thailand?
They know it will be difficult but I think the players are far more worried about having to travel to play in Baghdad or Kirkuk in the local league (where their lives are in danger) rather than Thailand. There's 'football atmosphere' and then there's real danger - I don't think a football crowd will bother them.
What would it mean to Iraqi football if Arbil were to win the AFC Cup?
Of course it would be massive, not just for Iraq but specifically for Kurdistan - the people and the region see themselves as distinct from the rest of the country. The strange thing is that even with a strong Kurdish identity there are only 3 regular starters of Kurdish origin. The club made it clear that they want to do well in AFC competitions to further the Kurdish 'cause.'
Who was the most inspirational person you met during your trip and why?
Probably a player called Ivan Khaled, who goes by the nickname Shwan Mamo. He was a long-time player for Erbil who this year decided to step down and play for the reserve side - despite still being good enough for the first team. He was a very good youth player and the national team wanted him to play but as a proud Kurd he refused and chose instead to play for the Kurdistan national side (not recognised by FIFA)
What was the funniest thing that happened to you during your trip?
Maybe my attempt to pronounce some local Kurdish expressions! That and finding a football shirt in the local market from an Australian club, Adelaide United, with Number 10 on the front - which is the number of Dario Vidosic - and then looking on the back and finding the name 'Podolski'.
Did you have any awkward moments whilst visiting Arbil?
Once I got lost late at night and ended up on the road to Kirkuk (which is perhaps one of the most dangerous cities on earth). Luckily we didn't get too far down the road!
Would you like to go back?
Absolutely. Northern Iraq is generally peaceful, scenically very beautiful and the people warm and genuine. Their football team is also good!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Good luck to both sides for the second leg, and hopefully we can see both more Thai and Iraq representatives in the Champions League in the future, rather than just the AFC Cup.
Thank you, Scott.
You're welcome.
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