Admir Muratovic

On a day-to-day basis, I don’t feel foreign anymore. But when you listen to the politicians, you are typecast yet again. After 26 years in Denmark. It hurts. We could do with someone with our background entering politics and make the successful integration visible.

I'm pretty happy about life, and I appreciate what I have. I came to Denmark with 50 D-Mark in my pocket and a sports bag. Now I have a good job, a huge network, my own house and flat in Aarhus.
I am a football coach in Herning Fremad and participate in the club's integration work to break down the barriers that may exist. I tell children and parents about the club and about rules on and off the pitch. In Bosnia, the players were given free training, clothes and boots were made available, and pocket money so they didn’t need a spare time job. It can be difficult to comprehend that here in Denmark it costs money to go to football. You take turns washing the clothes, buy boots yourself, and you must not shout at the judges and the boys on the sidelines.

Some parents cannot afford the membership fee. They can get support. There are also parents who can pay, but who do not appreciate how important it is for the children. Language-wise too.
We fully understand that you may not be so good at Danish. But you should not speak your own language in the changing room and. It could be subject to misunderstandings. What are they talking about? What are they laughing at? We say: “Please speak Danish or tell us what you are talking about”. It is very important for the community, but also to themselves that they dare to use the Danish language. I admire Danish association life. That’s the way to be together.

49 / male / deputy head at Lærdansk Midtvest / in a relationship / children / Herning / from Bosnia / came to Denmark as refugee in 1993 / residence permit in 1995