Maasmechelen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Iranian refugee and Patro Ladies coach Star Habibzadeh leads the club to 1st division and secures a landmark transfer to Club Brugge in Maasmechelen.
Although she will serve as assistant coach for the time being, her ultimate goal is to become head coach.
Ten years ago, Habibzadeh left Iran to pursue her ambition of coaching football. At Patro, she was successful in starting women’s football.
Ten years ago, 35-year-old Ster Habibzadeh left Iran to follow her goal of coaching football. She had no family or friends when she got to the Netherlands. She became a coach at Patro after coaching a local football team there.
“I started as a trainer at a local football club in Heerlen, then I became a coach of the youth team at Patro Eisden. Then I was asked if I wanted to start a women’s team there. That wasn’t easy, because there were no female players at Patro, so I had to start from scratch.”
Habibzadeh started Patro Ladies from her love of football, and it was a success. Next season, the Ladies will compete in the first national division of women’s football after being promoted.
“We have now won the championship twice in a row, which makes me very proud. It was a special season that I will not soon forget. I am a very proud head coach.”
It’s time for Habibzadeh to move on in her profession after serving as head coach of Patro Ladies for two years. Her new home will be at Club Brugge. She will serve as assistant coach there for the time being, but eventually, she hopes to advance to head coach.
“I was very surprised that they chose me, because there were still candidates. But I had very good conversations with the head coach. Those conversations showed that my ambition and vision of football fit in well with Club Brugge.”
“Patro is my baby, but this transfer really feels like a dream. I can’t let this opportunity pass me by and I want to grab it with both hands. My future lies with Club Brugge.”
Although Habibzadeh is doing well, her thoughts are currently with her family in Iran. The violence in the region worries her.
She still has regular contact with them, they are very proud of her. Especially because you get many more opportunities as a woman here in Belgium. But of course it remains my country and the violence affects me enormously.
What challenges did Habibzadeh face fleeing Iran to pursue her coaching career?
Social, cultural, and legal hurdles make it very difficult for women in Iran to pursue a profession as football coaches. Women frequently have less access to professional growth and athletic opportunities.
Habibzadeh, like many migrants, probably had to make a risky escape by using smuggling routes across several nations. Iranian asylum seekers’ testimonies detail long, taxing hikes over challenging landscapes, like mountains and deserts, frequently with no access to food, water, or shelter, and frequently under danger of violence or imprisonment.
After escaping, asylum seekers must deal with precarious living circumstances, including confinement, restricted mobility, and the ongoing threat of deportation. Before arriving at a safer location, many people must endure months or even years in dangerous circumstances in transit nations.
