European switch could have turned Omar from influential to inspirational

andrewbinner 17:22 23/02/2015
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  • Crying shame: Major European clubs such as Manchester City, Arsenal and Barcelona consider UAE players as a risky investment.

    Omar Abdulrahman is currently the biggest Asian star playing in Asia and it is to be assumed his new contract with Al Ain reflects that.

    It is going to be great for fans in the United Arab Emirates to continue to see this talent week in and week out – though opposition supporters may not feel that way if he replicates the form he showed at January’s 2015 Asian Cup. when the 23 year-old inspired the UAE national team to third place.

    It is also good for the Asian Champions League. Ultimately, the tournament needs the best and the biggest talents that the continent produces. The playmaker creates headlines as often as he create chances for team-mates. And in 2015, can it still be that Asia has to send a star to Europe for the star status to be validated? Can’t the continent make, keep and value its own talents? Surely January’s tournament showed that this does not have to be the case.

    Yet the calls for a European move are there. It is partly because he is good enough and especially because there has been genuine interest from big clubs in big leagues in the past and it is still there. This is no theoretical or delusional discussion on a fan forum but a realistic appraisal of options.

    How many options would depend on how much. The man known as ‘Amoori’ was very well-paid even before the new contract. Fans at home and in Asia know well his talent and value. He is the continent’s hottest property.

    Yet for clubs such as Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona and whoever else is mentioned, he is just one of a number of worldwide talents available and of interest. At the moment, buying a UAE international, even one as talented as Omar, is regarded as a gamble in a way that recruiting from Croatia, Chile or Ivory Coast is not. The reason is simple: the country has not produced even one player to achieve major success in a major European league.

    And this is ultimately why Abdulrahman should go. If a talent as obvious as his does not even attempt to make the move then it makes it harder for his compatriots in the future. If he makes it, others will also want to try and get better chances. If the best does not go, the rest may struggle too.

    Sure, there is talk that it is only by going to Europe that he can really test, push and develop himself and this is true. The league in the UAE may be improving but is a long way behind the big boys on and off the pitch. It could be the making of the player, turn the good into great, the influential into inspirational. Making it to the top of La Liga or the English Premier League is a whole different ball game to being the best at home.

    Perhaps he wants to stay at home and he wouldn’t be the first, especially from west Asia. It is understandable especially if he is making a more than comfortable living for himself and his family. There are players who are just not suited to playing overseas but the truly hungry give it a try regardless. 

    If he doesn’t do it for himself, he should do it for his football in the UAE and the region as a whole. He could be the Hidetoshi Nakata of the whole of west Asia. He could do what no other player from the region has ever done, something that very few Asians have ever done and become a legend, not just at home, but around the world. He has the chance to be the first and to be forever remembered as such.

    Signing a new contract at the age of 23 does not mean that a move is never going to happen but suggests that there will be no movement in the near future. Given the fact that he has talked of late about moving to Europe and his reputation is at an all-time high after the Asian Cup, now really does seem like the best time.

    There is a good career to be had in the UAE but come back a few years down the line as a bigger star and better player. For now, there is a chance of something truly great in Europe, not just for the player but for the country and the region. Omar Abdulrahman could be the first and the best. He could become a legend. If he doesn’t go, we, and he, will never know. 

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