Success Journey.. Rayan Yaslam: My Ambitions with the “Boss” This Season Will Never Soar Below the Sky
Playing for the “Boss” Was on One Condition: To Continue My Higher Studies
The Prosecutor Changed My Options … I Prefer to Deal with Penal Law Cases
I Want to Celebrate the Club’s Golden Jubilee in Our Own Style
During the current season, Rayan has succeeded in overcoming the most important challenges of his life academically, technically and socially being successful in achieving the required balance as a professional football player, meeting all his social duties and realizing his academic ambitions. He was able to achieve that by becoming one of the stars of the “Boss” and an important option of his Croatian coach, Zoran Mamic, besides joining UAE National Team and obtaining the international badge. He has been able to culminate all these successes by receiving his BA degree in Law recently.
Rayan’s successful journey has received a remarkable reaction from his teammates, technical and administrative staff and the fans of the player on the social media networks. They all expressed their joy and pleasure for being able to reap the fruits of his great efforts that lasted for years through consistency, focus and time management according to the best life practices. Indeed, despite the fact that he is still young, he becomes a role model for any professional football player.
My Mother’s One Condition
On his mother’s firmness to get a university degree, Rayan Yaslam stated: “When I graduated from high school in 2011/2012 semester, my mother was very determined that I have no choice but to continue my higher studies if I want to play for Al Ain.” He added: “Personally, I love the academic life and studying but my desire and focus was directed to play football. Therefore, to keep my mother happy I tackled the academic and sport challenges and was surprised by the unlimited support of the management of Al Ain Club on the issue of my academic study to the extent I felt that there are some special arrangements dedicated only for Rayan to get the best grades at university. Arrangements included developing special physical, technical and mental programs for me and distributing training sessions that contradict with my lectures at university especially morning sessions.”
Studying Law
As for his decision to study law, he commented: “I took my decision to study law when I was in 12th Grade following the steps of my brother-in-law who is a “Prosecutor”. Despite being in the scientific stream at that time and studying law is purely on of the majors selected by students in the “literary” stream, I decided to study law and thanks Allah for helping me to successfully obtain my bachelor degree in this major.”
Brilliant Supporter
Commenting on a question on the secret behind encouraging his teammates to continue their higher studies, he said: “Indeed, based on my experience as a professional football player, through which I have achieved my goals, I have discovered that any player can create the required balance between both sports and academic fields, especially at Al Ain Club.”
Enrolling Masters Program
“My next goal is to complete my higher studies and get a master’s degree and most likely my thesis will be in the field of sports law. There is a reason for my choice as Essam Abdulla, Al Ain First Team Manager, continued to encourage me to specialize in this filed and I am finally convinced when he obtained his masters degree in sports law,” said he in response to a question about his future academic ambitions. He pointed out: “Definitely, I plan to have my own legal firm following completing my academic study. I do believe that the idea of having a business while playing for Al Ain will be much easier than playing football and studying, especially if this is a private business.”
Rami is the Best
Rayan stressed that his older brother, Rami Yaslam, is his first supporter in achieving his ambitions. He pointed out that he always encouragers him with regard to playing for Al Ain and studying and motivates him to spare no efforts while playing with the team and asks him to achieve better results even more than he did with Al Ain Club. “I personally deal with Rami as my father, brother and friend,” said he.
Football Career
Rayan began his career as football player with Al Ain Club U-9 Team at the club’s branch in the Al Yahar. His first coach was Talaat Mansour, then Khalid Bashir in U-10 Team and Majdi Al Nu’man in U-11 Team. In U-12 until U-18 Teams, he was trained by Abdul Reda Brazkari. “I benefited a lot from all coaches, but Coach Brazkari had his own influence in improving my level of performance because he trained me for many years,” said Rayan.
Al Ain First Football Team
Rayan Yaslam joined Al Ain First Football Team when he was 18 years old being selected by Romanian coach Olario Cosmin in the 2015/2014 season. Cosmin was keen to hold a friendly match to assess the levels of some players who were chosen from AL Ain Football Academy. He proudly said: “Cosmin stressed that I should play with the first team in the training sessions and told me you have the capabilities required to be a professional football player and from now on you will be with us. He directed me to have the required balance in my life as a football player and be committed to do so and wished me all the best in my future career.”
Not Only a Game
“I never thought to quit playing football because for me football is not just a game, it is my genuine passion, especially I am playing for one of the best clubs in Asia,” Ryan replied to a question if he thinks that his academic commitments may lead him to take the decision to quit playing football. He also emphasized: “It is true that I have broad ambitions in the academic field, but in return I have also my own aspirations in the world of football and it stems from a complete conviction and eternal love and confidence in my ability to achieve the balance required to fulfill my ambitions and accordingly I have already set my goals and my priorities.”
Al Ain is Completely Different
In response to a question whether he has received offers to move to other clubs during the past two seasons, he replied: “As a matter of fact, my relationship with Al Ain is much greater than I could describe in a few minutes in this short interview, but to make long story short I could only say that Al Ain is my home where I grew up and learned the basics of football. Every moment I spend here, my association with the club doubles to the extent it becomes part of my life. On the issue of moving to another club, I believe as long as there is a common desire between me and the club to continue, it is impossible to think of any offer because the Al Ain remains “different” from all other clubs.”
Difficult Moments
On his memorable match, he said: “My team match against Al Wahda in the semi-final of U-17 League Cup when we lost the first leg match to the home team by 0-1. The result was not satisfactory for us compared to our level. We had difficult moments as players and we were determined to respond strongly in the second leg match and we did it when we played at home and were able to win that clash match by 5-2.”
Password
The “international” player, Ryan Yaslam underscored that the robust support he received from his teammates, the technical and administrative staff and the loyal Ainawi fans was the secret behind his improved stunning level of performance in the current season, especially he was exposed to injuries during the past seasons and lately the cruciate ligament injury. These incidents obliged me to stay away from the team and being unable to join my teammates in their training sessions and official matches. “It is not a secret to tell you that that I did not expect such a great deal of support,” said he.
Golden Jubilee
As for his ambitions this current season, he said: “Absolutely I am determined to do my best along with my teammates to defend the logo of Al Ain Club and win the title of AGL besides all the title of other competitions that the “Boss” plays in at the local and continental levels, especially Al Ain celebrates this year its Golden Jubilee marking its 50th Anniversary since establishment. The best way to celebrate this dear occasion is to win all the titles.”
Facing Life’s Challenges
Replying to a question on the issue that he hopes the media tackles in future, he said: “In fact, I hope that media encourages football players to continue their higher studies and be equipped with certificates to face life challenges after they quit playing football. Indeed, life after retirement will be completely different and challenges that the player will face are going to be so difficult if not ready to face them.”
Family Spirit
“Since I joined the first team squad four years ago, I found in the changing room a great advantage which is the spirit of the family. Personally, I received a significant support from everyone, especially Mohammed Fayez who always motivates me positively inside and outside of the club to achieve my goals,” said he.
On the Margins
The Greatest Moment
Receiving my bachelor’s degree is the greatest moment in my life and will be a memorable moment in all my life.
Favorite Player
Andres Iniesta, absolutely.
Favorite Club
Real Madrid.
Best Local Player
“Amoury”
Best Foreign Player
Fabio de Lima from Al Wasl
