Makelele, Hodgson laud Aspire
Doha: Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson, Champions League winner Paulo Sousa, and Chelsea and Real Madrid legend Claude Makelele shared their perspectives on a wide range of topics with football coaches and industry professionals at the ASPIRE4SPORT Congress & Exhibition at Stamford Bridge in London and lauded Aspire Academy for hosting a successful event.
Speaking at the Global Summit on ‘Football Performance and Science’ which ran in parallel to the ASPIRE4SPORT Congress & Exhibition, Makelele emphasized the importance of such events in providing opportunities for people from all over the globe to learn from each other.
“Football is for sharing. This Global Summit is a great idea as it presents an opportunity for a lot of people from a lot of countries to share ideas, said Makelele. “Football is different in different countries. At this Aspire Academy event we learnt a lot about football, different people and different nationalities, so it’s a good idea.”
Sousa, who won the Champions League with Juventus in 1996 and Borussia Dortmund in 1997, also praised Aspire Academy for the great work being done to promote football in Qatar and in other countries around the world.
He said: “Congratulations to Aspire Academy not only for what they are doing for Qatar, but for the game of football. Events like this are great for football and help bring positive change, so it is an honour to share my experiences.”
Sousa also gave his support to the World Cup that will take place in Qatar in 2022, saying: “I had the privilege to visit Doha weeks ago and I saw all the efforts being put into this event. I think it will be amazing in terms infrastructure, management and capacity. The conditions of the infrastructure will be fantastic, and it will be an opportunity for the Qatari team to compete with the best countries in the world.”
Discussing the challenges faced by players and managers when they move to a new country to further their career, Hodgson, who has also managed in Sweden, Switzerland and Italy, said: “You need to be prepared to immerse yourself in the country and attempt to learn the language. The fact that you’re trying gives people encouragement and shows that you want to be there.”
The ASPIRE4SPORT Congress & Exhibition, which drew to a close on Saturday, offered the European and Qatari sports industry professionals a chance to engage with key decision-makers that are shaping the landscape of the Gulf region’s sports business industry, paving the way for future partnerships.
