Kler Heh (born 21 October 1996) is a Karen former professional footballer who plays as a winger. Born in a refugee camp near the Myanmar border in Thailand, his family was resettled to Sheffield under the British government's Gateway Protection Programme in 2006. He came through the youth system at Sheffield United before signing a professional contract.[2]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kler Low Eh Hmoo Heh | ||
| Date of birth | 21 October 1996 | ||
| Place of birth | Umpiem Mai Refugee Camp, Tak, Thailand | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2006–2015 | Sheffield United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2017 | Sheffield United | 0 | (0) |
| 2014[1] | → Stocksbridge PS (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2016 | → Dumbarton (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2017 | DFK Dainava | 9 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | FK Jelgava | 10 | (3) |
| 2018 | FK Jonava | 8 | (0) |
| 2019 | Stocksbridge PS | 0 | (0) |
| 2019 | Sheffield Town | 12 | (0) |
| Total | 50 | (3) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:26, 1 August 2018 (UTC) | |||
Early life
editKler Heh was born in the Umpiem Mai Refugee Camp on the Thailand-Myanmar border in Tak Province. His parents had fled there from the Karen conflict between the Karen miniority group and the government of Myanmar.[3] He was resettled in the UK with his family under the government's Gateway Protection Programme in 2006.[2] In March 2015, he signed a professional contract to play for Sheffield United.[4][5]
Club career
editAfter signing his first professional contract with the Blades in Summer 2015, he joined Scottish Championship side Dumbarton on loan in January 2016.[6] He made his senior debut as an 84th-minute substitute in a 1–0 victory over Livingston.[7]
Heh joined Lithuanian I Lyga club DFK Dainava Alytus in March 2017[8][9] and became an important part of the team, before being signed by Latvian Higher League side FK Jelgava in the 2017 summer transfer window.[10] In January 2018, he signed for FK Jonava.[11]
International career
editKler Heh is eligible to represent the Myanmar football team. In the summer of 2015 he announced that he would represent Myanmar internationally.[12][13] The Myanmar Football Federation has stated that it is interested in having him play for the national team but that it would be difficult due to Myanmar's strict laws forbidding dual citizenship, in effect meaning that Heh would have to renounce his Thai and British passports to play for the national team.[14][15]
References
edit- ^ Stocksbridge sign Sheff United player‚ nonleagueyorkshire.com, 6 December 2014
- ^ a b Johnston, Patrick (21 July 2015). "Thai refugee eyeing Premier League with Sheffield United". Reuters. Archived from the original on 31 July 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ "Kler Heh: A remarkable journey from Thai refugee camp to Sheffield United". FourFourTwo. 10 June 2016. Archived from the original on 18 June 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
- ^ "Sheffield United: My ambition is 'Kler' says young Blades star Heh, 18". Sheffield Telegraph. 22 June 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ "FURD referral Kler Heh wins professional contract with the Blades". Football Unites, Racism Divides. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ "Dumbarton Football Club - BLADES WINGER JOINS ON-LOAN".
- ^ "Dumbarton 1-0 Livingston". BBC Sport.
- ^ ""Dainava" išmėgins būrį legionierių". Futbolas.lt (in Lithuanian). 1 February 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ^ "DFK "Dainava" sezoną pradės atsinaujinusi iš pagrindų" (in Lithuanian). DFK Dainava. 19 March 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ^ "DFK "Dainavos" klube spindėjęs legionierius keliasi į Latviją" (in Lithuanian). DFK Dainava. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ^ ""Jonavos" klube - anglas Kleras Heh". EuroFootball.lt. 5 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ "Official: Sheffield United starlet Kler Heh to play for Myanmar". Football Channel Asia. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ Noveanto, Eric (29 June 2015). "Myanmar native Kler Heh determined to make Sheffield United breakthrough". Football Channel Asia. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ Roebuck, Matthew (4 November 2015). "No passport for Kler Heh". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ Roebuck, Matthew (6 November 2015). "Kler Heh still dreams of call-up". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
External links
edit- Kler Heh at Soccerway