Orient Islamic school prepares for Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup

The fruits of months of sacrifice, hard work and persistence by a group of football-crazed young men and coaching staff from Orient Islamic School in Durban, are almost ready to harvest.

The U16 Orient Islamic team have been invited to play in the Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup, which will be played over the weekend of February 15 and 16 at the Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.

The Durban boys will be the only school team playing among football clubs from across the world and Abu Dhabi.

The winning team wins an all-expenses paid trip to the Manchester City Football Academy in Manchester, UK and have a chance to use their world class facilities.

Thirteen players and four management staff will depart South Africa next Wednesday.

Head of sporting at Orient Islamic Abdul Rahim Hyder said the tournament was a great opportunity for the school to show they possess not only academic prowess, but sporting as well.

Hyder said the team's performances last year is what prompted them to seek the approval of the school, who have been hesitant to participate in international tours in the past.

“I think this invitation not only shows our passion for football, but also our dedication and commitment to sport,” said Hyder.

“As much as we focus on producing academic excellence at Orient Islamic, we also want to show the community and future learners that they can achieve sporting excellence.

“Football is one of the core sports here at the school. In addition, Volleyball, Netball and swimming are also widely received by our learners and are sports we have excelled at.”

In December last year, 20 Orient Islamic learners participated in a charity swim to raise funds for children in Gaza amid the conflict with Israel, swimming 41 kilometres, the length of the Gaza Strip.

After getting the invitation late last year, the boys opted to sacrifice their December holidays and to hit the beach and gym for some pre-tournament training.

“They needed to condition themselves for international standards,” Hyder explained, “I think that showed great commitment on their part.”

Head coach Demaine Hochong, a former professional footballer with international experience, said he’s tried his best to show the team the level of commitment required to achieve success at an international level.

Hochong believes the Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup can be a stepping stone to a possible career in football, should any of the team members want to explore that route.

“I come from an international football background. I have passed through these stages before so I understand how big an opportunity this actually is for them,” Hochong said.

“I think they are a fantastic group of footballers. Talent is not short but as a coach I just tried to get through to them mentally.

“They have performed well here in South Africa but we tried to let that get to their heads and keep them working hard for this tournament coming up.

“We have tried to teach them how to be professionals. This is not just about football anymore but also exploring options for life afterwards and you need to conduct yourself a certain way.”