Fans of English football in Bangladesh are recently ecstatic about Hamza Chowdhury, a talented Bangladeshi descendent rocking the English Premier League for Leicester City, but, perhaps very few of them know that EPL got its aura of Bangladesh two decades ago. Anwar Uddin, a center-back of Bangladesh descendant was roped in by West Ham United in the 1990s but couldn’t make it to the first team as the Hammers had renowned English national defender Rio Ferdinand at the same position. After groin injury shattered his dream of playing in the top-flight, Anwar later became the first British Asian to captain a side (then League two side, Dagenham and Redbridge) in top four divisions. He was in talks with Bangladesh Football Federation to play in the national team but another injury shattered this desire too. After his retirement in 2014, having featured around 400 matches in different leagues in England, the 37-year old is currently the manager of Aldershot Town, a fifth tier club in English football. Anwar made a short visit to Dhaka last month and was kind enough to give Dhaka Tribune an interview.
You don’t visit Bangladesh often. How does it feel coming back to this country?
My father was born and (brought) up in Sylhet and came to England in 1975. It’s always fantastic to come back. I used to come back sometimes with my father when I was young. When I started my building football career in England it became difficult to come back home because I was very busy. Now my career has stopped and I am a manager. In the summer, when the football season finishes, it’s always nice to come home in Bangladesh.
Briefly tell us about your playing career…
I started with West Ham in the Premier League when I was 13 years old. I spent seven years there, including two years as a professional in the senior team. Then I played for Sheffield Wednesday, Bristol Rovers, Dagenham and Barnet. So I played in England for 17 years at the top levels. I’m the first British Bangladeshi to play in mainstream football. Now I manage and coach in the Football League.
Say something about being a Bangladeshi descent to manage a club in England?
My current team Aldershot are playing in the fifth division. It’s very big and nice club. But it’s good for Bangladeshi community because we have our players. There were not many players for 20 years but now we have Hamza playing for Leicester. But no one from Bangladesh manages or coaches, so for me it is a very good feeling.
The Bangladesh Football Federation is searching new opponents for playing at least one friendly match before kicking off their 2022 World Cup qualifiers’ group campaign in September after their previously planned friendly with Iran was cancelledhttps://t.co/TY2peIoSOg#BFF #IRAN
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) July 28, 2019
How was your life at West Ham?
West Ham was amazing because we had best players in the world. When I was young I could have gone to play for Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal but West Ham had the best team having players like Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, Jermaine Defoe. I was there for 1993 to 2000, so I was there for a very long time. I was in the senior team for two years but it was difficult for me as I was a center-half so was Rio. It was hard because he was very good. So I had to leave for another team (at the age of 20) because I couldn’t play so much. West Ham had very good players. To be in a club with the best players was a fantastic experience. Now I manage and coach better because I have played with the best players in the world, and give this information to younger children so that they can become very good players in the future.
How did your coaching career start?
When I ended my playing career, I was doing my coaching badge to coach and learn and I joined Sporting Bengal Club in 2014. I started an academy there where now we have 150 Bangladeshi children playing for Sporting Bengal academy every week. I was the manager of the first team and we had a fantastic season. Because I have done so well I could move to another club, then again to another club. Now I’m in Aldershot in the fifth division. Inshallah, I‘ll keep moving up. I have a dream. I want to manage a club in the English Premier League.
Do you follow Bangladesh football?
Yes, I follow Bangladesh football. I know Jamie Day, the Bangladesh coach, very well. He managed a club called Welling United. I always follow the scores. As I’m managing in England I would like to hand and bring over best Bangladeshi talent to play in England. If a Bangladeshi player dreams to play, England is the best place to fulfill your dream because the best players in the world go to England. Maybe in four or five years we could bring new Bangladeshi players to play in England and Bangladesh national team.
What’s your view on the current status of Bangladesh football?
It’s okay now because it’s developing. It’s getting better and better. It’s very hard to compare Bangladesh football with England, Germany, Spain, France because those countries are so different. English football is going for 120 years. Bangladeshi football in terms of being professional and doing things correctly with investment is only reset in the last 20 years. It’s good to see Bangladesh national team and league football is improving recently.
