Hanafi playing for Perth Glory youth. Vs. Cockburn, 2009
In today’s world where social-media and internet sites link the football world, it’s not long before someone is heaping praise on a youngster. While as fans and reporters we sit and watch a potential superstar blossom, we often forget that a lot of times, there are superstars who are just waiting to be found.
Hanafi Ghazali is one of these talents, hampered at the start of his footballing career by national service duty back in Singapore.
The 18 year-old was born in Singapore but at an early age migrated to Australia with his family. At just thirteen Ghazali moved to Perth in order to further his education. While there he joined the NTC (National Training Centre) before being invited to join A-League side Perth Glory.
It’s a journey that Celtic and South Korean internationalist Ki Sung-Yeung also took. Ki settled in Australia to further his footballing development before moving onto Europe and becoming a regular fixture in the national team.
Throughout the last few years, Ghazali has made his way up the Perth Glory football ladder. Initially joining the academy and training with the National Training Centre (a scheme created to help develop youth players of all clubs in Australia), it wasn’t long before first-team opportunities were coming.
At the age of just seventeen Ghazali made his debut with Perth Glory. He played alongside ex-England international Robbie Fowler, whlie also grabbing a goal himself to show the progress he’d made since joining. But that progress has been stunted by the return to Singapore for national service, which is a mandatory requirement.
While performing national service back in his native Singapore, Ghazali will miss two years of development. If it wasn’t for this, Ghazali could be working his way towards earning a professional contract with Perth Glory.
His potential has been put on hold. Not only is he unable to earn a spot at Perth, but also at any other club and sees the development of footballers in Singapore to be at a poor level.
Ghazali recognises the frustrations of leaving the A-League “[training] was of a much higher intensity…the game there is a great concentration on possession and tactical shape”. But there’s another hurdle for Ghazali to overcome, he can’t sign a professional contract while doing national service.
There are loopholes to that though. Signing for a national service affiliated club does allow Ghazali to continue to play football. The catch however, is that he will be playing at a lower standard. The limited choice he has is between Home United, Young Lions or Lions XIII, based in Malaysia.
It’s clear that Ghazali won’t be the last player to be hampered by this and it’s an issue that will continue to stunt the development of players to the national team. Ghazali certainly has an uphill battle ahead of him, but if he can overcome this obstacle he will undoubtedly impress those watching. Not just with his footballing ability but also with his strength of character.
South-east Asia is the last corner for football’s eyes to unearth the next superstar, and with the world watching it will be interesting to see if a player from Singapore can overcome the national service debacle to break through. With his A-League experience behind him, it may even be Ghazali himself that has the strength to be the first.
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