12 | Tuesday, May 5, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY SPORTS
SOCCER SOCCER Atletico ace Saul Dazzling Davies going the extra smile Bayern sensation insists maintaining the fun factor has been key to his inexorable rise helping By XINHUA Alphonso Davies cracks a broad smile when the conversation turns hardup to his idol, Lionel Messi. “He is one of the world’s best, and it is a pleasure for every sportsman workers to see him play,” the ebullient Bay ern Munich youngster enthused The coronavirus pandemic has about the Barcelona icon in a recent crippled the global economy and interview with Xinhua. devastated lives and families but But while Messi’s magic may have Atletico Madrid and Spain midfield been a big influence on Davies over er Saul Niguez believes there is a the years, these days the input of way out if people show solidarity teammate David Alaba is more with each other. important. With soccer on hold during the Bayern stalwart Alaba made way health crisis, Saul, 25, has launched for Davies at leftback to move to the Saldremos Juntos (We’ll get through center of defense, and has helped this together) — a campaign to his 19yearold Canadian under boost Spain’s freelance workers and study with the transition to the new small businesses whose livelihoods position. have been bludgeoned by the pause “It is of substantial help for every in activity. youngster to have an experienced “I was watching the news and performer like him (Alaba) around. everything was negative so I spoke He is one of the best leftbacks in the to my agent and I said let’s do some world,” said Davies, who had been thing to help out,” Saul told Reuters playing as a winger. via Skype. “I guess my future is the one of a “The idea came to me in five min leftback.” utes and he told me it was very diffi Most observers would agree after cult but I said let’s do what we can. Davies excelled off the bench this In two hours he had formed a team.” season at leftback. For a rookie The campaign has assembled 44 accustomed to enjoying more free highprofile ambassadors including dom further up the pitch, he athletes, actors and online influen deserves huge credit for making the cers, to provide publicity to stricken switch so seamlessly. businesses. Davies, though, has had to quick Saul’s Atletico teammate Alvaro ly adapt to new situations and envi Morata and Barcelona’s Sergio Bus ronments since he was a kid. quets are among those to have Born and raised in a refugee pledged to help the 18,000 small camp in Ghana after his parents Canadian teenager Alphonso Davies has been a revelation at leftback for Bayern Munich this season. FILE PHOTO businesses and freelancers who have fled the Second Liberian Civil War, signed up asking for assistance. Davies and his family moved to Over one hundred companies Canada when he was 5. improving overall athleticism but “I am thankful to my parents as to help,” he said. always been a vital part of football,” have also joined the campaign, His soccer talent quickly became also warns youngsters not to they had no easy life. If they hadn’t Davies shot to global attention in he said. which is launching three funding apparent in his adopted home, with neglect their academic education. dared to leave Africa, I wouldn’t February when he helped Bayern As well as going for a sixth Cham streams. La Liga has donated Bayern snapping up the teenager “I benefitted a lot from other have made my way in professional crush Chelsea 30 in the first leg of pions League/European Cup 50,000 euros ($54,300) to the cam from the Vancouver Whitecaps in sports for my football career as it football,” he said. their Champions League last16 tie. crown, Bayern will also hope to paign through an online concert January 2019 for a reported 19 mil turned out to be an advantage to me “She always told me to be a good He admits his dad is a Chelsea fan claim its 30th German topflight held last month. lion euros ($21 million). multitasking,” he said. boy and respect people.” because of the Blues’ former Ivorian title when the action resumes. The “The idea is to link a business, Sal Now he is valued at around 50 “Always enjoy every training and It’s a philosophy Davies appears striker Didier Drogba. “There was Bavarians lead secondplace Borus dremos Juntos and the famous per million euros, and last month every game. And don’t forget to to still live by. These days he is a always a Chelsea game on when I sia Dortmund in the standings by son and for the business to get signed a new Bayern contract that always enter the training ground or strong supporter of the UN Refugee was growing up,” recalled Davies. four points with nine games left. something positive out of it,” Saul ties him to the club until 2025. pitch with a smile on your face. Agency’s COVID19 response. As for when the postponed sec Davies’ ambitions, though, explained. One of Davies’ biggest assets is “I enjoyed every moment being The work is keeping him busy ond leg of that Chelsea tie might be extend beyond the pitch. “So a tennis player can donate a his pace, with the teenager register in school as football doesn’t last for during the Bundesliga’s virusen played, Davies is preparing himself “I eventually want to be an actor. racket or a motorcyclist their helmet ing a top speed of 35.3 km/h to earn ever, so you need an education long forced shutdown, with Davies for a behindcloseddoors show I like entertaining people,” he said. and we auction it and raise money the nickname “Usain” from team term.” showing off his gaming skills at down as European leagues eye a That doesn’t look like it will stop so a business can get a little boost. mates, in reference to sprint legend While his African childhood is esports events to raise money for return to action this summer with anytime soon as long Davies can When you have famous people back Bolt. now a distant memory, Davies’ charity projects. out spectators in the stands. resume the action with his pre ing you it’s easier to have a big Davies is a big advocate of trying mom still refers to her son as her “I want to spread the word to “It is not an ideal situation as shutdown form and continue to impact.” out different sports as a way of “refugee baby”. everyone to do as much as possible fans creating atmosphere has play with a smile on his face. Few countries have been hit as hard by the virus as Spain, which has the top rate of infections in SOCCER Europe at almost 250,000 and the secondhighest death toll, with more than 25,000 people losing their lives. Players should not be rushed back, warns global union Around 900,000 jobs have been lost, while Spain’s 3.2 million free Professional athletes across the Reuters in an interview. ence call earlier on Tuesday with action would also need to clarify would also need to have a strong lancers and smallbusiness owners, world should not be rushed back to “The players can only agree to its affiliated players associations issues including any potential plan B,” said Schwab, adding that who have long complained of having action once the COVID19 pandem that (return) if they know that their globally to update on the situa future interruption if the virus there were no guarantees the sea little social protection and paying ic subsides, and they must have a interests will be protected. The best tion. flares up again and that the infec sons could finish once they restart high rates, are up against the wall. strong say in determining the con approach we are seeing is when the Since emerging in China late tion of a player will be treated as a ed. “This crisis is going to be much ditions for their return, the World leagues... set up joint groups where last year, the pandemic has infect workplace injury by the clubs. Several scientists have talked bigger than anything we’ve experi Players Association said on Tues players have an equal say,... where ed almost 3 million people world Careerending or fatal illness due about the potential of a second enced and anything we do will not day. they are not being rushed.” wide and killed more than to the virus should have the full pro wave of infections later in the year. be enough, but my aim is to help, it Sports competitions around the Several football leagues in 200,000, raising expectations of a tection “of this being a workplace “The situation is still fluid and might not be enough in some cases world have come to a screeching Europe, including Germany’s Bun prolonged battle to contain the injury,” Schwab said. “This is not interruptions need to be consid but I have to try,” Saul added. halt this year as the virus spreads desliga, have drawn up plans to be novel coronavirus. clear yet in a lot of the leagues.” ered,” Schwab said. “I have no fixed aim, I’m talking across the globe, starving clubs, lea ready to play games without specta Every major sports event this Several nations’ laboratories are “What is critical is that all player with lots of people about what they gues and federations of revenues tors if it means finishing the season year has been postponed and sea working to find protective vaccines associations have the strongest pos can do. People don’t have to give lots and putting tens of thousands of and remaining contractually in sons across all sports have been and drugs for the disease, but it sible position at the bargaining of money, but famous people can professional athletes on hold. order with broadcasters and spon suspended, while the Tokyo 2020 could be many months before they table so they can get the balance use their image and can attract peo “At the moment there is a lot of sors. Olympic Games were moved to become widely available due to the right between economic viability ple to businesses who need them. pressure from the leagues on all The WPA, an association repre 2021, triggering another major need for exhaustive clinical trials of and public and player health.” “Every way of helping is positive, continents to resume,” WPA Execu senting some 85,000 athletes calendar reshuffle for next year. their effectiveness and safety. we need to get everyone to help and tive Director Brendan Schwab told around the world, held a confer Schwab said any return to “Any return to play scenario REUTERS support each other and above all when this crisis passes we need to continue to show solidarity with ATHLETICS each other.” Saul’s last act on a soccer pitch before the spread of the virus halted sporting competitions across the Yego’s Olympic ambitions undimmed by shutdown globe was helping Atletico pull off a momentous extratime victory away to Champions League holder Liver By XINHUA throw a javelin as he is holed up at tain to climb when competition “I want that to be at the Olym pool. home, in accordance with the Ken resumes. However, it is a challenge pics. If I can beat my own personal As organizers try to devise ways to Kenyan javelin star Julius Yego yan government’s virus lockdown he relishes as he bids to wrest the best, let it be at a big champion complete the season, there is no has not given up on his dreams of restrictions. Olympic crown off Germany’s ship,” he said. guarantee Atletico will be able to gold at the postponed Olympics The hiatus, though, has not Thomas Rohler in Tokyo. “I have no more than five years to continue competing in Europe’s top and world championships — dimmed Yego’s ambitions as he “The postponement of the Olym compete as an elite athlete because competition, but Saul insists return despite age not being on the targets gold at the Tokyo Olympics pics will buy me more time to train my age is advancing.” ing to soccer is not on his mind. 31yearold’s side. in 2021 and a year later at the and prepare. I want to return to Yego, who incredibly taught him He has been training in a gym in Ever since damaging his groin at worlds in Eugene, Oregon. action. I want to continue pushing self to throw the javelin by watch his Madrid home and keeping in the 2016 Rio Olympics, which limit “The Rio Games remains one of my body, challenge my mind and ing YouTube tutorials, believes the touch with teammates through vid ed him to only one throw as he head those competitions I will never for hope that I can beat the mark which lockdown in Kenya, and the world eo meetings, where coach Diego to settle for silver, Yego has strug get. I was so happy despite the fact I threw in Beijing back in 2015,” he at large, will empower athletes to Simeone continues to offer tactical gled to rediscover his very best that I was injured after the first said. refocus and harness their inner instructions. form. throw and could only settle for sil There are signs Yego is returning strength to emerge stronger when “The club will call me when it’s Last year he was able to compete ver,” said Yego from Nairobi last to his best. For a long time, he strug ever competition is allowed to time to go back to work, I’m prepar again without any pain, so the 2020 Tuesday. gled to even throw past the 77me resume. ing myself mentally and physically season had promised much for “But the coronavirus is global ter mark, but last year reached “Today I have top coaches help to deal with it in the best way possi Yego before the coronavirus pan and all are affected. It is important 87.73m to clinch gold at the African ing me,” he said. “I have been ble but football is secondary right demic shut down athletics. to remain healthy and safe and Games in Rabat, Morocco. exposed to the best training facili now,” he said. For over a month, Yego, who won return later to dominate the com Now he hopes to bridge the five ties in the world — in Finland and gold at the 2015 world champion petitions,” he added. meter gap to the world’s current South Africa — and I want to do the REUTERS ships in Beijing, has been unable to Yego knows he will have a moun Julius Yego crop of elite throwers. best to sign off with a win.”