Bachar Houli reflects on his career at Essendon and Richmond ahead of 100th gameJon Ralph
Herald-Sun
June 26, 2015 BACHAR Houli had been told to hit the reject button when James Hird’s number flashed up on his phone.
It was late 2010 and Essendon’s prodigal son had returned from the wilderness to save his club.
But Bombers midfielder Houli had already given his word to Richmond’s Damien Hardwick that he would cross town to Punt Rd.
Houli’s camp was worried the 22-year-old player could be swayed by the whisperings of Essendon’s golden child.
“I was told to avoid Hirdy through my management,” Houli said this week. “He is a smart man and he has his ways and I was young and vulnerable, but I answered Hirdy’s call.
“I just spoke to him about the truth. I didn’t want to be in a situation where I was at Essendon the following year having gone through a year’s regret.
“I thought, “Once you have made up your mind you need to stick with it and move on. I gave my word to Dimma and said, ‘This is where I want to be’.”
Four and a half seasons later, Houli’s gut feel has been vindicated over and again.
Not only will the 27-year-old hit 100 games (from a possible 102) with the Tigers tonight against Sydney, he has dodged four seasons of turmoil at his former club.
The values and beliefs that make the AFL’s only devout Muslim player so true to his religion ended up saving him from a fate he admits he would not have avoided.
“I do feel for the boys because they are genuinely good blokes,’’ he says of his former teammates.
“I probably would have done the same thing. I would have trusted the hierarchy and gone ahead with whatever they had available purely so I could be part of the group and trusted that it was legal. I believe it’s not their fault.”
The irony is Hardwick recruited Houli on what turned out to be a false promise of serious midfield time.
He has not played one full game in his preferred position — the wing.
“I always hold him accountable for that. ‘Come on mate, when do I go on ball?’’ Houli jokes.
In many ways Houli is the perfect modern footballer: a hard, durable, lethally-skilled rebounding defender who tackles hard and never shirks a confrontation.
He hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in the Jack Dyer Medal, is an elite ball winner, is elite in metres gained, and just relentlessly gets the job done.
Yet in the homogenous realm he inhabits he has still been a lightning rod for attention.
His faith is under assault given the scourge of ISIS and the radicalisation of Islam, his own beliefs targeted when 3AW host John Burns was accused of labelling Houli a terrorist at a match.
Houli, currently undertaking the dawn-to-dusk fasting and worship of Ramadan, says it is his duty to change perceptions of Muslim people.
“It’s been really challenging. For me it’s more about doing what I control, focusing on my academy and focusing on the people within my own community,’’ he says.
“You can make a difference. Don’t think you need to travel (overseas) and fight to try to change the world.
“It is very confused but my role within the community is to continue to be a positive role model and be a respectful person. That’s what I value.
“It is a very confused situation so I prefer not to comment (on those who do fight) and leave it to our scholars to comment.”
At the Bachar Houli Leadership Academy, 35 Muslim boys are chosen from across the nation for a week of football and leadership training each year.
Houli is also an AFL multicultural ambassador and helps run an Islamic Cup schools program across the country.
He prefers not to dwell on the negatives that this year involved the Burns case, but says he is buoyed by the outcry when blatant racism rears its head.
“For the majority of Australian society these days it is unacceptable. We have gone way past that. Fortunately it is the minority. If everyone can do their little bit in society we would have a much better place to live in.
“A majority of Australian are putting a stamp on it and saying it is not right. It’s inhumane. It’s not right, so it’s time to focus on different things in life than putting each other down.”
Houli’s closest friend at Richmond is Ivan Maric, a Catholic of Croatian heritage.
“We can relate to each other quite easily because of our beliefs and values,’’ Maric said.
“I try to go to church and all that stuff and my beliefs are based around that.
“It’s unbelievable, you look at other parts of the world and there are wars over religion.
“Here in Australia we are leading by example. Sport is one of the most amazing things that brings people together. Everyone respects and wants to know about one another.”
Maric says other Tigers are interested in the beliefs of Muslim Houli, Catholic Maric and Jehovah’s Witness Alex Rance.
“In the locker room guys are always asking questions and I think everyone is really comfortable approaching myself or Bachar or Rancey about our beliefs,” he said.
“Bachar has been fantastic and patient. For him it’s a tough time with the image his religion is getting with some people in the media and government, but nearly all religions are about love and forgiveness.”
Maric loves his friend’s patience and on-field durability but also his courage, with Houli’s focus this year adding an aggressive bent to his game.
“My favourite this year was when he went back with the flight against (Travis) Cloke on the wing,” Maric said.
“There wasn’t much time left and it was fantastic. It’s good to see people are noticing these things.”
Ramadan means Houli rises early to pray and then arrive at the club early, departing as early as 1pm to continue praying at his local mosque before breaking fast at dusk.
“It is no challenge whatsoever. For me it’s about dedication and devotion to worship and finding ways to better myself,” Houli says.
“I come in as early as I can and knock off the individual stuff and then do the team stuff and the club has been so understanding and supportive.
“Dimma texted me last night and said “I forgot about Ramadan, how are you going?” and a simple text does wonders.
“I had a massive smile on my face all night, having your coach text you and show support.”
http://www.news.com.au/national/bachar-houli-reflects-on-his-career-at-essendon-and-richmond-ahead-of-100th-game/story-e6frfkp9-1227415045048
