Yousuf Al Sarkal: I want to serve Asian football in a better way

Dubai: UAE Football Association President Yousuf Al Sarkal is bidding to become the new head of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) at Thursday’s election in Kuala Lumpur.

Gulf News caught up with the Emirati and discussed his passion for the sport,

Gulf News: Can you trace your roots in football?

Yousuf Al Sarkal: I have grown up as a football lover. I played as a child in my neighbourhood, but unfortunately I was unable to play at the top level as I was more involved in academics. I think that due to this involvement I lacked the technical abilities and my body was not physically suited for the sport. Besides, I was keen on academic pursuit and it was different those days when we never had the same opportunities as we do now.

Q: How do you nurture this love for the sport?

A: When I was in Denver pursuing my college degree, some of us formed a group and established a club there to participate in the local league. But that was when we were students. We played, ran the club and studied at the same time. In 1982, I returned to the UAE and joined Al Shabab Club. I rose as the general secretary and then went on to become chairman of the board of directors. It was during my tenure that Al Shabab went on to win the UAE Football League.

Q: And then came your involvement in the UAE Football Association?

A: Yes. In 1990, I became the general secretary of the UAE FA and after that I was made President. I have spent more than half my life in football in various capacities. Football is my second family. I am obsessed and connected with football. I have lived it in all ways. With this sort of bent, whether I am successful or not in the elections, I am someone who can be happy and proud just to be here. I will continue serving football.

Q: Why are you keen on the AFC post?

A: I want to serve the game in a better way. From 2002 to 2006 I was absent from the football scene for a period of four years, but I continued by holding various positions in different committees. Right now I am on the [AFC] Competitions Committee, so it is just right that I take the next step forward and try and use my position to influence football in Asia. I am convinced I will be able to bring something fresh to the table.

Q: How do you know you are the best among the others?

A: I respect the democratic manner in which the elections will be held. It’s not about one candidate but all three or four candidates who have an equal right to get elected to the top post. I think I am the most suitable candidate without being unjust or unfair to the others. I think I have diverse experience. Besides I love the game and am obsessed with it. It has made me believe that this obsession can lead me to upgrade football on the continent. After all, the future is Asia, isn’t it?

Q: Why is it in your manifesto that you hold football in your heart and not in your mind?

A: The brain guides human thinking and that is how we take decisions. But it is the heart that is associated with love, feelings and emotions. Hence I have chosen the heart as it is the main source of ideas. The heart is at the centre of it all. At the same time I am not excluding the brain from the entire process.

Q: What is your vision for football in Asia?

A: I am currently the AFC Vice President. In the past two years I have seen and lived first-hand the volatile situation at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur. During these past few months we have been more engrossed with working on political issues. Politics destroys sport and unity of people. We should strive to be one single football family and this should start at the AFC House. Therefore, under given circumstances I can my role as being the uniting agent and force in Asian football.

Q: How do you plan to bring about this re-uniting process?

A: We are four candidates against each for the post of president and three of us are from West Asia. We can not event get a consensus on one candidate from the region. I am positively ambitious of being the AFC President as I can see a positive role of influencing members through my personality and relations.

Q: How do you intend improving governance? Will this end all rumours? Will there be a transparency in dealings?

A: One doesn’t need to see corruption to have a resolve for good governance and transparency. One has to look at the issue in a positive perspective. And by being positive, one gets the opportunity to become interactive in one’s dealings.

Q: How do you intend striking a balance between professionalism and being amateur?

A: In Asia, we have started the professional league five years ago. There are several parts that are still amateur in the set-up. So, one of the goals is to get these parts turn towards professionalism. In order to develop my idea is to drive the wheel of development so that they can eventually reach professionalism.

Q: And what about de-centralisation. How will that work?

A: During the past three or four months we’ve gone through a lot especially when there was a problem in Indonesia. We’ve worked hard to resolve this amicably. This was done through a vice president and this shows us how an empowered vice president can assist in governance.

Q: There is a huge issue with the OCA meddling directly in the AFC elections?

A: It really doesn’t concern me that the OCA will influence the actual voting. What concerns me more is that there is interference in the affairs of another body. We don’t normally see this happening anywhere else in the world. If Shaikh Ahmad Al Sabah has done it at a personal level then it would have been acceptable. But since it is being done in an official capacity then that is questionable. I have heard that Mussallam and the rest of the OCA office-bearers are campaigning for the candidate from Bahrain. I have heard that they have even booked hotel rooms in Kuala Lumpur for some of the electors. I truly regret this. At the same time I am of the firm belief that such things won’t favour Shaikh Salman. These actions will actually go the other way.

Q: What is the position of Dr Medlej in this election?

A: Well, he is yet to come out officially that he is going to withdraw in my favour. He has only hinted he would. Out of the three other candidates, Dr. Medlej is not doing too much of campaigning. He is giving an indication that he will withdraw. We’ve been in contact and I have a feeling that he will support me. In fact, he has been in Dubai recently.

Q: A lot of people see you as someone who is a close associate of Mohammad Bin Hammam. How do you respond to this?

A: I we go back to Bin Hammam’s time, all of us were close to him as he was the President of the AFC. It is important to work closely and as a team. What makes it closer for us is the fact that we’ve known each other for a very, very long time. We are personal friends. But this doesn’t mean that I have agreed to everything that he has said. We’ve had a difference of opinions during meetings and he has not always been pleased with my views. But at the end we both know that we are professionals and whatever we are doing it being done with the interest of the sport at heart. It is important to keep friendship away from sport.

Q: But you will still be seen as someone who has been close to Bin Hammam?

A: I think I have my own personality resulting in my very own credibility. I don’t think we can even regard any sort of allegations thrown at me just because I was his friend. I doubt any of that touched me.

Q: Don’t you think that the vote from East Asian countries may well decide the new AFC president?

A: I know from experience that I will win this time. If there is one thing that I am sure about it is my victory. I’ve always been in contact with all members. I am aware of who is with me and who is not with me. I know whom to believe. I believe a majority of the members are supporting me.

Q: Considering the hot summers in the Arabian Gulf, would you back a shift of the Qatar World Cup in winter?

A: The final decision will be from Fifa. From my personal experience, having a World Cup in the heat would affect the image of the game. If it is to be my personal opinion then I would say it would be a good idea to have the World Cup in January as that would be the best time. And if Fifa does take a decision to shift to a cooler month of January then it would be a good thing for all.

Q: Sometime earlier this year you went to Geneva to visit Sepp Blatter? What was the intention?

A: I went to meet Mr. Blatter as I wanted his blessings before I started this entire election process. It was a very casual meeting. I had gone there for his blessings and I think I have it. Let me say that I left Fifa with much more comfort then when I entered. If he has not come out opening in someone’s favour, then I understand his position perfectly.