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MAG INTERVIEWS - Gavin Samuels

10 years ago French Canadian football journalist Gavin Samuels was sitting in a Paris office looking at the article he had just received. It was like most of the articles he read every day in that it was about football but this was the first time he had read about female football.

The article was sent to him by a young boy in California, talking about the players in his state. An indepth look at the best high school female players at the time. The headline read Santiago's High School Top 10 : California

That was the spark that got Gavin interested in the game and 2 years later he flew to Fort Lauderdale, florida to meet this young man, who by now was not only covering the 2002 WUSA draft, but helping players with contracts and other affairs. 1 year later and still very interested in football Gavin found himself in North Korea's Sinuiju, the same time new laws were being experimented in the region.

He talks to Paul Machado about those years, that Top 10 article and looking out for the future of North Korean football.

Torn Curtain

Paul: So Mr Samuels this is surely the first interview we have done in this way.
GS: Yes well the system of doing things here with teh western states is very different.

Paul: Firstly I must ask what is life like for a foreigner in North Korea.
GS: It's fine it took me 2 months to get used to the region and I met my wife within teh first year so that helped as she was educated abroad. Plus at the time there was a lot of energy because of the 2002 World Cup in Korea.

Paul: So what made your interest go from men's football writer to female football scout/coach
GS: Santiago's ( Tiago ) article was inspirational. Unlike most articles it seemed as though there was alot of passion there.

Paul: What made the article it different and did you run the story?
GS: Firstly he would give background info of ecah player's city as though their skills developed form their region. I thought this was interesting. Then to find out he was writing for a very important football finance magazine, made you respect what he was all about. But he was really quite young!

Paul: So what is your role there?
GS: Well officially I work in the technology industry but the evenings and weekends are taken up wathing dvds of players. I will give back notes on how the palyers can improve and if a coach needs to know about players from a dfferent part of the country I will send a report through. The country has been good to me and my family so it's an honor to help, in any way I can.

Paul: What has been the highlight of your work there in female football?
GS: The first round of pleasure came with the 2006 U19 team. We could see that the players were really technically good for their age but we just did not have that much information on the other nations like Brazil, Germany etc.

It was marvelous to go to the final against a great Brazilian team and we think we would have beaten them with or without da Silva (Marta). Then it was onto China who played USA in an epic penalty shoot out. We knew if we ran and ran their legs would tire and so did the coaching team.

That was the highlight but seeing the way the girls have progressed is very special because the world does not look to North Korea as much as they do at USA, Germany or Sweden. However come Wolrd Cup time our youth are always ready to play.

Paul: Why do you think the respect and acclaim is not there?
GS: Internet and hype over substance. The western states do not have that much access to what is happening here which is not a big deal because not many people have knowledge of female football players around the world.

Not everyone is like Santiago. He's done this process since he was a child, that is a one off. So you read about hype.

Players from Germany and especially America do the interviews, posters, commercials and play in the leagues were the money is but to Asian footballgirls the mentality is different. It is about the team not the individual.

Paul: What is the difference?
GS: It's simple to all asians not just Korea but with the south, China and Japan. The mind, the body, the skill and most of all the country. The coach is number one so the palyers follow with the upmost respect and value his age and experience. Even if its wrong or not as free as the west.

The physical aspect is simple they have to work extremely hard because they have a goal. The society is like this in Asia. The norm is teh national team has a boarding school or a regional team and all teh national players are there.

It's not fun and games like in other countries, its hard work. We have learnt repetition more than any part of he world. Especially in North Korea. Repeating a drill and positioning. The players know where they have to be as part of the whole machine or it will break down.

The biggest examples of this have been the Japanese team at the last Olympics and World Cup. The2008 U17 Japanese team when they demolished France, a country with a strong tradition in football and an amazing school in Clairefontaine.

We all feel in Asia that the Americans win because they have more games against better players. They have a system for the girls since they are young and the amount of coaches they have there is more than any country in the world.

There is a problem though when you see the professional league and they have to bring in so many foreign players. This does not make sense for a country with so much talent. It shows that there is a lack of technical skill even though they have numbers. The 'football' mentality is not taught that well there. Their tactical nous is very poor.

Paul: Do you think Korean players should leave and try foreign leagues?
GS: Of course you feel that and think that as someone involved in the game here. However the mentality is different here. I think its incredible to train and be in this country then play other Asian teams to see where you are. Win and know you are going to play against the 'so called' best in the world.

Look at the number of Asian players that go abroad. I have said the same thing to Santi who would be a great help. Not many of them do well there even though they say the organisation is good and the training is harder they do not play the same.

The 'unit' is not there. You get the ball as a midfielder and other players move away..a forward would chase and the other players do not. It is hard to change the mentality. We have to develop the coaches in Asia and the leagues.

Paul: Is China a place you could see develop a strong league like America?
GS: If China did that then it would have to be a small 8 team league as the country is to big. Japan mabye. Zainichi Koreans (Japanese of Korean heritage) may play the sport and come and play for us.
It will be hard to get North Korean girls there but not impossible, I know Santiago has spoken to the Chinese and he's the best person to ask as he seems to know the country, players, schools, clubs. He knows what he's doing.

Paul: What North Korean footballgirls should we be looking out for?
GS: All of them! In the past 6 AFC (Asian football Championships) we have finished in the top 3. Won 3 times, 3rd twice and once 2nd. Ri Y.G is a player,

We won the 2008 U17 World Cup and finshed 2nd in the U20. Hong Myong Hui, Kim Un Yang, Jang Hyon Sun. The rest I'lll keep for your boss.

Paul: It is the 2 Youth World Cups this year. What are your thoughts on North Korea's chances.
GS: I think we'll win the U17 again and go to the last 4 in the U20. I will say this though, one day Korea DPR will win the World Cup and when we do we will always make the final. No matter what other countries do that level will become the minimum after that. It's a Korean thing.

Paul: Is there any way footballgirl.com can help?
GS: Interviewing the coaches and players here, that would be a great lift for them because I know nothing will be edited out. In terms of getting fgirl here. Santiago travels alot, with the cameras and recording equipment and being an English American educated kid. No chance. He'll get here but he won't be leaving.

So that may help!

GS: Thank you and send my regards to all your readers we have a wonderful game in female football and should support each other and the smaller countries.

The views and opinions expressed in this article and from external websites and/or links are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of footballgirl or www.footballgirl.com

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