Hamann: ASEAN football on the rise

The Liverpool legend was in Singapore over the weekend to hold a football clinic hosted by S.League side Albirex Niigata and show off his skills at the opening of local futsal pitch Stadio@Canberra.

In an exclusive interview with ESPNSTAR.com, Hamann shared his thoughts on the development of players in the football-crazy region. The future seems bright with 19-year-old Indonesian Arthur Irawan having recently been called up to the Espanyol first team while Malaysia's 17-year-old Nazmi Faiz sealed a deal which will see him move to Portuguese Primeira Liga side Beira Mar in August.

The former Germany international feels that it may mean greater things to come for other footballers if the youngsters succeed with their respective clubs.

He said: "Yes, I've heard of him [Nazmi]. I think it's important especially for this region, whether it's Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, that they have one player over there [in Europe]. I think it will change the whole mindset and mentality of the people here.

"It is very important that you get a player who does it out there, preferably in the Premier League because it's the biggest league around, and plays every week. I think it will create a hysteria - a boom of talents."

However, the onus would then be on the countries themselves to consistently ensure that talented players are allowed to develop.

Hamman added: "The next step is if they can produce a Kagawa or a Park - not every 10 years, maybe every five years, then maybe three years."

South East Asian countries have been overshadowed by the Gulf Nations and East Asian teams when it comes to the international stage, with teams like Australia, Japan, South Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia frequently making it into the final stages of major tournaments like the Asian Cup or the World Cup.

The Liverpool legend sees no reason why a country from the region can't upset the current order given that minnows from other continents managed it as well.

"I hope so. You don't see the same teams in the World Cup. You see Trinidad and Tobago, you see Peru for South America, North Korea the other year, Slovakia - small countries," he commented,"I think you'll have to get away from the fact and thinking that 'we're a small country, we can't do it'. If you want, anything is possible."

"It would be a great to see a team from South East Asia. Obviously it certainly gets harder with Iraq, Iran, Japan, Korean and even Australia, who plays here in qualifiers now. 

"You don't want to see at the same countries at the World Cup from Asia - it's always Japan, South Korea. It would be nice to see a Malaysia, Indonesia or Singapore in a major tournament. You just have to aspire that you can do it one day, and who knows?"