Monday, May 2, 2011

Sesi Soal Jawab Bersama Nicholas Chan (Kelantan)

Mai sembang-sembang sikit sama Nicholas Chan. Dari tahun lepas, everyone's been buzzing around pasal Nick ni. Katanya dapat training dari West Ham United dan Cardiff City. Beliau juga tak boleh lari dari kenyataan bahawa beliau merupakan anak kepada Dato' Chan Tien Ghee, proud co-owner and chairman of Cardiff City Football Club which is on the brink of joining the Barclays Premier League next season. So what's the story? Jom borak. Layannnn~



Faliq Firdaus (FF13)
Nicholas Chan (NC)

FF13 : Okay Nick, the first question is! Do you play DotA? ^^
NC : DotA? mann no way... I do play COD and FIFA though!

Defence of the Ancients (DotA)

FF13 : Why don't you play DotA? Yong Kuong Yong plays DotA. ^^
NC : Yong plays DotA? Hahahaha. I'm gonna have a word with him and get him over on COD n FIFA.. Those are real games! 

Yong Kuong Yong (KL)

FF13 : So Nick, You're a footballer now eh? Since when you started playing football?
NC : Started pretty late when I was around 12-13 years old.. 
FF13 : Is that all? =.='
NC : LOL. Yeah, living the life at the moment. Getting paid to do something I love.

FF13 : So who inspire you actually, to become a footballer?
NC : No real inspiration to be honest. Just enjoyed it socially to begin with then started to get better and kept at it. its probably my competitive nature that got me hooked. Wanting to be the best and wanting to be better everyday.

FF13 : How about current football players? Whom do you aspire to be? None?
NC : Of course there are loads of footballers I look up to.. I like Xabi Alonso, Scott Parker, Mascherano.. The list goes on. So I do try to copy bits here and there as they are top professionals but I believe in being just being myself.. 

FF13 : Okay, so before you came to Kelantan, you had some stints with Cardiff City and West Ham. Can you enlighten us a bit about this one?
NC : I had 2 stints in both West Ham and Cardiff City.. Initially went to West Ham first for 1 month then another stint for 2 months.. I did well and was invited to join their academy in Atlanta(United States) but I opted not to. I was in Cardiff for initially 2 weeks then got another invite for 2 months.. I trained with the senior team and played a couple of friendly matches for the reserves. 

Cardiff City

FF13 : So why don't you pursue your career there? West Ham and Cardiff City respectively?
NC : Well, for West Ham I wasn't good enough for their academy in London as I lacked the match fitness having not played competitive football prior to my trials, but they were interested and told me to join their academy based in Atlanta to be trained under them and to be monitored as well as get some competitive football but it wasn't really what I wanted at the time. As for Cardiff City, I did well but like other teams in the Championship there wasn't a Reserve League for me to get games and I was already too old for the academy team so my opportunities to play matches would be limited. I didn't want to just be training all the time so I then decided to go to Australia to try my luck. 

in West Ham jersey

FF13 : So tell us about your progress in Australia.
NC : I went to Australia this time solely for football. I trialled with 2 teams in Melbourne. The first team was Whittlesea Zebras that play in Division 1 and the other team was Melbourne Heart that play in the A-League. I did very well with Whittlesea but struggled a bit with Heart as again i found myself a bit behind because I lacked match fitness and in higher levels like the A-League it showed. However I could have signed with Whittlesea Zebras but around that same time, I was approached by Kelantan so I opted for Kelantan.

Melbourne Heart, Australia

FF13 : Why did you opt for Kelantan, as far as im concerned, Division 1 in Australia is far more attractive, didnt it?
NC : On paper, yes the Australian option look more attractive but I knew that Kelantan was coached by Coach Sathia who I knew since I was a kid. I work well with Coach Sathia and he knew what kind of player I was, so to me the Kelantan option was the better choice as I felt that I can develop better under someone I know. Also, I had the Olympics in mind. There's no way I would've been considered if I played in Australia, I needed to be under the radar so I decided that coming back to Malaysia this time was the better choice.

A piece of A-League Action
FF13 : So for the time being, do you think you made the right choice?
NC : Well, there isn't really a right or wrong choice in my opinion.. I had to make a decision and I did so I just move on and stand by my decision.. Although things might have changed here with a new coach coming in and I now find myself playing with the reserves, its still alright because I'm getting what I needed anyway, competitive games.
 
FF13 : Oh by the way,  to be honest, do you want these kind of questions? Aren't they too serious?
NC : Haha, I don't mind la. Haha, I sound so serious because I just wanna get the record straight. Haha not sounding very casual huh?

FF13 : Okay, back to our questions. What type of football do you play?
NC : I play very simple football... pass and move.. I like keeping things on the field as simple as possible. I believe that is the most effective way of playing football and also I play with my brains. Haha, I read the game well.
FF13 : Sounds Barca-ish. *Devilish stare
NC : Haha, yes minus their recent playacting... :)

FF13 : Real Madrid sucks, dont they?
NC : Haha, hell no! What a team. They've had so many big names over the years and are one of the most successful teams around.. Also Xabi Alonso plays for them so they cant be that bad!

Pique thought that Sergio Ramos was Shakira. lol

FF13 : Barcelona or Real Madrid? ^^
NC : Hala Madrid!

FF13 : Sheesh kebab, so back to your footballing life. Hows your life in Kelantan?
NC : Not as lively as KL but life's good. Adjusted very well and I believe its a good place to focus on football alone..

FF13 : Some people said that you're the future of Malaysian football. What say you?
NC : It's quite something to me but I've still got a long way to go so maybe its still too soon to really say something that.. ?
FF13 : That..?
NC : Haha, to say I'm the future of Malaysian football.

FF13 : What's your favourite position?
NC : Center of midfield, more a holding midfielder.

FF13 : Who was the best player you shared a pitch with and why?
NC :  When I was over in West Ham, I was given the chance to train with the West Ham senior team during the international break.. So it has to be Scott Parker, because of his determination, composure, control and how he distributes the ball, his tough tackling and how he inspires the team.

Scott Parker, West Ham

FF13 : How did you find the football different in Australia and England?
NC : Not a whole lot of difference to be honest. It's probably slightly faster and more physical in England.

FF13 : Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
NC : Hopefully playing professionally abroad.

FF13 : Everyone knows that you're the son of Datuk Chan Tien Ghee(TG), Chairman of Cardiff City Football Club. Hows that matter effects your footballing life?
NC : Well, obviously there are people who say that I use his influence to get where I wanna be and all that but people dont know me and how I work on principle.. so it doesnt really bother me because their comments arent of much significance to me. So it doesnt really effect my football life..

Datuk Tien Ghee (TG), after a match
Datuk Chan Tien Ghee (TG), left with Gethin Jenkins, CEO of CCFC

FF13 : Did your father say anything bout your decision to become a footballer?
NC : Nope, I'm lucky that both my parents allow me to pursue my dreams so they're just supportive of what I do.

FF13 : Lets go deeper, into your private life. Shall we? ^^
NC : Ok shoot!

FF13 : Do you have a LOVAH? loverrrrr- ahh! lol
NC : Hahaha, nope. Not at the moment
FF13 : Why not?
NC : Because I'm too busy with football at the moment and I havent found the right one yet. Haha.
FF13 : Haha do you want me to recommend one to you?
NC :  Why not? Haha
FF13 : Nora Danish? Hot mama woh. Dun wan?
NC : Haha, don't know much about Nora Danish... but why not? Hahahaha

Nora Danish
FF13 : So if there's a girl out there who wants to be your lovaaaaaahhh, what she should be like and what is the criteria?
NC : Haha, loves Liverpool, hot and supports me in whatever I wanna do and the list goes on.. Hahaha, I guess I can't be too picky
FF13 : Last but not least, WHAT THE HECK IS BAK KUT TEH?
NC : LOL. Haha..Uhh its basically a soup with pork broth and pork ribs..You eat it with rice... lol
FF13 : LOL. Okay bro, that sums up the interview.
NC : Okay cool bro.

Bak Kut Teh. Want some?

Seperti yang dibincangkan, you all boleh lihat bagaimana Nick, tidak ingin dikaitkan kejayaannya sebagai pemain bola sepak dengan pengaruh bapanya, pemilik Cardiff City. Aku dapat lihat Nick ingin mencipta namanya yang tersendiri sebagai salah seorang pemain tersohor di Malaysia. Berbekalkan bakat dan keinginan beliau, aku pasti Nick bakal menjadi bintang baru bola sepak Malaysia. Selain itu, kita juga dapat lihat bahawa DotA hanyalah game for chicken-wusses. Hahahahaha! By the way, Nick boleh cakap dalam Bahasa Melayu tapi sahaja nak minta dia speak in English.

5 comments:

  1. oh colourful jugak career dia nie eh....

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  2. Good one - dia ni muda tapi speak with maturity - he will go far. Good luck Nick.

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  3. xmain jgk dgn teamolimpik,,kte nk brda lam radar oks,hurm....................

    ReplyDelete