Adam (front row, fourth left) and Yusry (front row, fourth right) posing with the Nottingham Forest Under-16 team and MDF head coach Steve McMahon (far left), Brickfields Asia College representative Aria Singham (front, second from right), Peter de Kretser (front, second from left), and MDF tournament director Leong Delon (front, first from left).
NOTTINGHAM, UK: The weather was cold but Muhd Yusry Haziq Idris from Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur’s Adam Roshan brought their Million Dollar Feet (MDF) UK trip to a climax with a training session at the Nottingham Forest training facility under the watchful eyes of football scouts from the English Premier League and First Division.
The two MDF programme finalists took part in a series of drills and game play with the Nottingham Forest Under-16 team.
They were reported to perform admirably during the two-hour session which included skills-based challenges such as passing, shooting, decision-making and match-play.
Professional football scouts who attended the trials included those from Premier League heavyweights Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea. Scouts from First Division clubs like Nottingham Forest and Derby County were also present.
Showcasing MDF’s commitment to finding a footballing future for the two boys, representatives from football academies around the world were also invited to spot their abilities and potential firsthand.
Sarawak’s Yusry did not hold back despite the weather conditions.
“It’s been a long journey from Malaysia and the cold weather is something we have not experienced before. I am happy with the way I performed and hope for an opportunity in the future,” he said.
Adam admitted that it took nerves to try to make an impression in front of the coaches and scouts.
“It has been an unbelievable experience and something I will carry forward in my aspirations towards becoming a top footballer.”
MDF head coach and Liverpool legend Steve McMahon felt that the two met the high expectations.
“The talent levels in the UK and Nottingham Forest are top quality and I thought that the lads didn’t look out of place at all – they did very well!”
MDF founder and director of football Peter de Kretser agreed that family and friends of Adam and Yusri can be extremely proud of their performance.
“We do hope the boys are successful in their aspirations of achieving their footballing dreams as we wait for feedback from the scouts and academies that were in attendance.”
The next stage of the programme involves an ongoing dialogue between the MDF committee, the scouts and academies. The first round of discussions were held directly after the trial session and are set to continue with an announcement of the results slated for early January 2017.
Prior to the trials, Adam and Yusri together with their family were provided with an opportunity to tour the Nottingham Forest stadium, home of a team rich in football pedigree having won the Champions League twice under legendary coach Brian Clough.
The UK trip concluded with a visit to Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium where the two finalists got the chance to watch a LIVE Premier League match.
MDF is presented by Brickfields Asia College and sponsored by New Balance, Kenny Rogers ROASTERS and 100-Plus in support of EduNation.
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