Perhaps one of the most surprising transfers in the past month is the name of Hisham Ashfai. At least for the outside world. The 20-year-old striker shrugs when his switch from FC Utrecht to Grasshoppers is discussed. After being a fashion pioneer at Jong FC Utrecht for a year and a half, he was ready for the next step in his career. Since this possibility was not realized in the first team from Domstedelingen or Eredivisie, he turned into the record champion in Switzerland.
Written by Chris Meger
His official debut in the home match against FC Arau was supposed to be the final part of Shivaye’s hectic week on Friday night. A week ago, he signed a contract with Grasshoppers that would last until mid-2022. Meanwhile, he saw his new team win 2-0 over FC Lausanne-Ouchy, and an apartment was shown just outside central Zurich which he could move into soon, and he started a crash course in German and made his debut Time in training. However, the first game in the service of his new club was still long lasting. Grasshoppers initially got permission from the Swiss League to bring in a new foreign player, with Eliseu Mendja Nadjack Soares Cassamá, Nadjack, badly injured in October. Acheffay was transferred from FC Utrecht and took his “foreign place” in Grasshoppers’ selection.
Once Acheffay registered, the Swiss Competition Organization suddenly backed out. As a result, he was still eligible to play matches against FC Lausanne-Ouchy and FC Aarau, although the last match was canceled due to heavy rain. Last Monday, I followed up on Chefvey’s redemption message: The Swiss Football League Transfer Committee gave the green light, which means he is now entitled to play. One day later he should have made his debut against FC Winterthur for the Grasshoppers, but again the match was canceled. The darts appeared to be in Saturday’s home game against FC Chiasso, but he had an ankle injury last week that will keep him aside for a while. “Fate struck,” Akefai sighs, looking back with delight in his first weeks in Zurich. “It’s amazing, everything is well organized. I was well received, I have nice teammates. The training courses are fun, the facilities are top notch and they have a great stadium. It’s a really football team, my qualities really come in themselves.”
Achievei did not end up in any club in Switzerland, he soon noticed it. “When I went to get the food, because I don’t speak German well yet, I indicated that I am a new player at Grasshoppers. Then you will be welcomed honestly. Unless you meet a Zurich fan, maybe you can come home,” he laughs, referring to his colleague at The city and its arch rival Grasshoppers. “But this guy immediately gave me his number and said,” You should have told me that you are from Grasshoppers before I could help you. If you need help, contact me immediately. Usually you will see a lot of spectators, then you might better notice the size of the club. You don’t meet many people on the street now, so it’s not like that because you are recognized. ”
Grasshoppers is the record Swiss champion with 27 league titles. “It’s not that I knew everything about the Grasshoppers, but I think everyone has heard of the club. The elderly in particular will know that it is a great club,” says Achivai. However, the most successful club in Switzerland is currently recovering from a deep decline. The last tournament dates back to 2003 and since then, apart from some episodic successes (winning the cup and runners-up in 2013 and 2014), it has been slow but sure to descend from the slopes with the agonizing result of relegation in 2019. The Grasshoppers finished last season. Third in the Challenge League, but at the moment the team of Portuguese coach Joao Carlos Pereira is on its way to progress. “Grasshoppers belong to the top three of the highest level. They want to play European football again in two or three years, and that is the goal. I am sure this will work with the team and this policy. I have noticed what the goal is, so everyone is striving to achieve it.” And don’t look back. “
Letzigrund, the stadium that Grasshoppers shares with fellow city FC Zürich.
Despite the Grasshoppers being a big club by name and ambitions, Achievei’s choice may not be immediately apparent. He played in Amsterdam-born youth Zeborgia, Ajax, Vollendam and Vitesse, before joining Utrecht in the summer of 2019. A choice he made at first due to the plan that had been set with him in Utrecht. After a year and a half, he has to conclude that this did not happen exactly as he had expected or had hoped. With a total of 10 goals and 8 assists in 46 Kitchen Champion matches, he was a fashion pioneer at Jong FC Utrecht, but an opportunity with the first team was not forthcoming.
“You have to deal with that every day, of course. But I’m not going to show it. I just let my feet speak and try to prove that I belong. In Vitesse, I was really able to train with the first. But did you know? I just focused on my performance at Jong Utrecht and went to see Step by step if you approached.Also to yourself, to develop yourself and possibly arouse interest. I did it in my opinion. I’m not someone who groans not getting a chance. No, I’m just doing my thing. If I did a good job at Jong Utrecht then I didn’t get a chance to train This is a shame, “it sounds realistic. But because there was no prospect in FC Utrecht’s debut match, Achievay felt something had to be done this month.
“If there is no chance in the Eredivisie, you look at something else. I was ready to play in a first team somewhere and I felt I learned a little in the Kitchen Champion Division. After last season, I thought it was still too early to leave, it was the past six months. Good and I felt now I feel ready for a step higher. When this club reports to my agent Dries Bossata… Actually, I have no doubt about that, ”he explains. Grasshoppers has a Dutch art director at Bernard Schuiteman. “It helped me in the early days. That’s especially nice for the first contact. Tell a little bit about the club that they really want me. I felt relaxed when I reached out.”
“What I have here in Utrecht is what I did not have in Vitesse”
Voetbalzone spoke extensively with Hisham Asfai last year at Talent Scout weekly.
Didn’t Acheffay have some doubts that the Grasshoppers were still active in the Challenge League? “It’s an ambitious club that wants to go back to where they belong as quickly as possible. Then you go get players who can contribute to that. That way you know that this is a little different from a regular club at level II for Switzerland. In terms of competition, but not in terms of club.” Grasshoppers belong to the highest level. This is the record Swiss champion, right, ”that’s his answer. Acheffay made a brief inquiry with Maimon Mahe. FC Utrecht striker played for FC Zurich for a year. “He gave me some advice. If I want to know something or have a problem with something, I can always call him. He still has friends here.”
Achievei has not yet visited the Zurich hotspots that may have reported her. “I haven’t actually seen a big part of the city yet. I haven’t been able to see much of Switzerland yet, because everything is closed because of the lockdown. Only supermarkets and hairdressers are open,” he admits. In any case, Achievei already understood what he had to be careful when he went out to eat in the center of Zurich, as soon as possible again. With a smile: “Life here is a little more expensive, especially in the middle. But that also depends on what you do, so you shouldn’t eat outside every day.”
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