Understand
Barriers can be broken, says pioneering South Asian footballer Mal Benning
Overview
Footballer Mal Benning, who recently received the South Asian Pioneer Award after making over 500 senior appearances, believes more must be done to help South Asian players break into professional football. Benning argues that the sport is still far from achieving proper representation and that the scouting system frequently overlooks South Asian talent. Now at AFC Telford United, the 33-year-old aims to act as a role model and mentor for young players from similar backgrounds, offering his support and advice to help them succeed.
Key points
- Mal Benning received the South Asian Pioneer Award after making over 500 senior appearances for clubs including Walsall, Mansfield Town, Port Vale, and Shrewsbury Town.
- Benning believes football is still miles away from proper representation and that scouting systems too often overlook South Asian players.
- He recalled his father's belief that players from Sikh and South Asian backgrounds needed to be 25% better to get noticed.
- In the latter stages of his career, Benning has taken on a new motivation to act as a role model and mentor for young footballers from South Asian backgrounds.
- He stresses that parental support is crucial and advocates for a fairer opportunity within the scouting system for young players.