July is the seventh month of the year, so it is only appropriate that our 'Eleven Questions With…' series catches up with the man wearing our No.7 shirt this season - wingback Jeremy Chiang!
Chill out with Jeremy as he shares in a long chat about his favourite jersey number, good buddy and ex-teammate Moudourou Moise, and his golf instructor…
GFC: We've come to July now, so half the year's gone. How has the 2009 season gone for you personally?
Jeremy: I think this season has been the best season for me, as in being the most memorable one and the one where I've had the most experience. This half-season alone, I think the amount of games I've had is more than the number of games I've played in the past few seasons. In the past few seasons, it has been more of me being a substitute or 'no-play' because of my lack of experience, but being with Gombak, the hard work pays off, and it doesn't go down the drain. You work hard to earn your place here, so it's not so demoralizing.
GFC: You've had a couple of games on the bench recently though. Was there any reason for that?
Jeremy: I've no idea about that, but during the Home United game, I was subbed out because I was injured. The coach was quite concerned, and he asked me how my body was doing and whether I was tired or not. I've not experienced such a tedious non-stop period where I've played every single game, except for the DPMM game in April when I was suspended. Every single other game, I was in the first eleven, which is a first for me, so he was worried whether my body could take it. To be honest with him, I told him my body was feeling a bit tired, although I still can go on. I've no idea why I was left out for those two games, but I'm sure he has his reasons. He's a great coach, actually; he approaches every game as a separate game, and every player is treated as being of the same calibre.[Ed: Jeremy has since returned to first-team action, so he is definitely fine now!]
Jeremy: I've no idea about that, but during the Home United game, I was subbed out because I was injured. The coach was quite concerned, and he asked me how my body was doing and whether I was tired or not. I've not experienced such a tedious non-stop period where I've played every single game, except for the DPMM game in April when I was suspended. Every single other game, I was in the first eleven, which is a first for me, so he was worried whether my body could take it. To be honest with him, I told him my body was feeling a bit tired, although I still can go on. I've no idea why I was left out for those two games, but I'm sure he has his reasons. He's a great coach, actually; he approaches every game as a separate game, and every player is treated as being of the same calibre.[Ed: Jeremy has since returned to first-team action, so he is definitely fine now!]
GFC: You've gone quite a long way from early on in your career, and you have worn a lot of different jersey numbers. What is the one jersey number you like the most?
Jeremy: Seven, definitely! Since I was in the youth team in Gombak, I have been wearing the No.7, but once you go to other clubs, you don't always get what you want. When I went to places like Home United or Young Lions, I knew that 7, 9 and 10 are the famous numbers left for the top players. But over here, we didn't fight for the numbers. When the time came to choosing our numbers, there was good give-and-take, so there was no issue.
Jeremy: Seven, definitely! Since I was in the youth team in Gombak, I have been wearing the No.7, but once you go to other clubs, you don't always get what you want. When I went to places like Home United or Young Lions, I knew that 7, 9 and 10 are the famous numbers left for the top players. But over here, we didn't fight for the numbers. When the time came to choosing our numbers, there was good give-and-take, so there was no issue.
GFC: What made you so attracted to the No.7 shirt?
Jeremy: Oh, David Beckham has always been my favourite player, I've idolized him since young. And then came Cristiano Ronaldo; after he joined Man United, I also liked him, and he also wore the No.7. So it has always been my favourite number.
Jeremy: Oh, David Beckham has always been my favourite player, I've idolized him since young. And then came Cristiano Ronaldo; after he joined Man United, I also liked him, and he also wore the No.7. So it has always been my favourite number.
GFC: Beckham and Ronaldo - two great players on the wing. You're more of a wingback now than you are a midfielder, but we have seen you go forward at times…
Jeremy: Yeah, because during my youth team days, before I was called up to the Young Lions for the very first time, I was playing in midfield all along. After I joined the Young Lions, Coach Raddy (Avramovic) decided to try me out as a defender. It seems to be working out well, and I've been learning a lot and improving along the way. Hopefully I can continue to do well, and I'll get called up again someday, only it won't be the Young Lions this time, but the national team. I think every local player aims for that; maybe some don't have that dream, but for me, that's why I play soccer in Singapore. I have a choice, I can not play and go focus on studying or doing other things, but I want to play with the Singapore flag on my chest.
Jeremy: Yeah, because during my youth team days, before I was called up to the Young Lions for the very first time, I was playing in midfield all along. After I joined the Young Lions, Coach Raddy (Avramovic) decided to try me out as a defender. It seems to be working out well, and I've been learning a lot and improving along the way. Hopefully I can continue to do well, and I'll get called up again someday, only it won't be the Young Lions this time, but the national team. I think every local player aims for that; maybe some don't have that dream, but for me, that's why I play soccer in Singapore. I have a choice, I can not play and go focus on studying or doing other things, but I want to play with the Singapore flag on my chest.
GFC: You are Chinese, and you are playing in a sport where the majority of the players are from other races. Do you ever feel like the odd one out?
Jeremy: No way, no way! Race has never been an issue in any club I've played in, and I have blended well with all players, be it the foreigners or the other local players. I can speak a fair bit of Malay, so that helps, and I like to learn about other people's cultures. So I speak to them a lot, and I hang around with them. Like, for example, when Moisey was with me at Paya Lebar Punggol, I was very close to him. We went out all the time! When I first brought him out to Far East Plaza, we ate fried rice, and since then, that's where we'd meet, and he'll tell me "Let's meet at the fried rice place!" For me, Africa is so far away, and there won't be many chances for me to go there, so it's only through the players that you get to know about their life experiences, what they do there, what they eat, and how they go about their daily lives.
Jeremy: No way, no way! Race has never been an issue in any club I've played in, and I have blended well with all players, be it the foreigners or the other local players. I can speak a fair bit of Malay, so that helps, and I like to learn about other people's cultures. So I speak to them a lot, and I hang around with them. Like, for example, when Moisey was with me at Paya Lebar Punggol, I was very close to him. We went out all the time! When I first brought him out to Far East Plaza, we ate fried rice, and since then, that's where we'd meet, and he'll tell me "Let's meet at the fried rice place!" For me, Africa is so far away, and there won't be many chances for me to go there, so it's only through the players that you get to know about their life experiences, what they do there, what they eat, and how they go about their daily lives.
GFC: Who has been the most interesting person you have worked with?
Jeremy: (thinks) As a player, I would have to say it's Moise. I'll always remember him, even though there are times I don't see him. Whenever I see him after so long, when I happen to bump into him, it's a very happy moment. I don't know how to share it with you, but it's like seeing a longtime friend and you feel like giving him a hug! He's a very nice guy who helped me in the field, but the funny thing is, his body is so strong, but his heart is like a baby! He's really young at heart, he's like a child. I have to say he's one of the best foreigners I've seen in the S.League. I just saw him the other day, he said he had been in Dubai, and he was headed up to Thailand in a couple of days. That's where we ended our conversation, but it was good seeing him again, and we had a good talk and a good laugh!
Jeremy: (thinks) As a player, I would have to say it's Moise. I'll always remember him, even though there are times I don't see him. Whenever I see him after so long, when I happen to bump into him, it's a very happy moment. I don't know how to share it with you, but it's like seeing a longtime friend and you feel like giving him a hug! He's a very nice guy who helped me in the field, but the funny thing is, his body is so strong, but his heart is like a baby! He's really young at heart, he's like a child. I have to say he's one of the best foreigners I've seen in the S.League. I just saw him the other day, he said he had been in Dubai, and he was headed up to Thailand in a couple of days. That's where we ended our conversation, but it was good seeing him again, and we had a good talk and a good laugh!
GFC: You're not just busy with football, are you?
Jeremy: Oh yeah, I organize futsal leagues too for open and corporate categories, but I don't let it take up my time to disturb my football now. When I was starting it, it was a little busy for me, coordinating everything, but now I've partnered somebody to do it. I leave it to him to do everything, and sometimes I oversee some of the stuff, so it doesn't affect my football career. Like I said, I want to play for the national team someday and I have not achieved that yet, and achieving that means I have to work hard and play in the first eleven every game, and hope that Coach Raddy comes by and sees that I am improving.
Jeremy: Oh yeah, I organize futsal leagues too for open and corporate categories, but I don't let it take up my time to disturb my football now. When I was starting it, it was a little busy for me, coordinating everything, but now I've partnered somebody to do it. I leave it to him to do everything, and sometimes I oversee some of the stuff, so it doesn't affect my football career. Like I said, I want to play for the national team someday and I have not achieved that yet, and achieving that means I have to work hard and play in the first eleven every game, and hope that Coach Raddy comes by and sees that I am improving.
GFC: What gives you more satisfaction, being a player or organizing leagues for other people to play in?
Jeremy: Being a player, definitely. In a way there's satisfaction in both; it's about achieving something, be it business or anything else. Currently, the only satisfaction I have not achieved currently is making the national team. It's going to be a long way, and hopefully I can work hard and shorten that way.
Jeremy: Being a player, definitely. In a way there's satisfaction in both; it's about achieving something, be it business or anything else. Currently, the only satisfaction I have not achieved currently is making the national team. It's going to be a long way, and hopefully I can work hard and shorten that way.
GFC: Apart from football and futsal, what else do you do with what little time you have left?
Jeremy: What else do I do? Most of the time I hang out with my fiancée, because she's studying and I'm playing football, so both our times are irregular. I try to make up most of the time for her. Hopefully we're going to get married soon - we're looking at next year - so we are preparing some stuff and making sure we are ready. We ask ourselves if we're there yet, if we're ready to go. We're all ready to go, I'm sure, but we are now looking at taking one step at a time.
Jeremy: What else do I do? Most of the time I hang out with my fiancée, because she's studying and I'm playing football, so both our times are irregular. I try to make up most of the time for her. Hopefully we're going to get married soon - we're looking at next year - so we are preparing some stuff and making sure we are ready. We ask ourselves if we're there yet, if we're ready to go. We're all ready to go, I'm sure, but we are now looking at taking one step at a time.
GFC: Once you're set and ready to go, you'll have to start looking for a home and stuff like that…
Jeremy: Oh, I've bought a home already! (laughs) So that's one thing we've put aside. But really, my fiancée's been very supportive of my football, and she's wanting and helping me to achieve my dream, that satisfaction of playing in the national team. Before we met, she didn't even watch or play football, but since we got together, I am confident to say she hasn't missed a game. Now she can even tell me when I'm not playing so well. At times, when we go jogging together, we sometimes end up going to a street soccer court, just the two of us, me teaching her how to play football. And she's getting it and liking it! On the other hand, she plays golf, so she's teaching me how to play golf. I think golf is one game that is quite relaxing. A lot of footballers around the world, even locally, play golf to relax. So I don't know, after I pick it up, I'll see whether it's something that really so relaxing for me!
Jeremy: Oh, I've bought a home already! (laughs) So that's one thing we've put aside. But really, my fiancée's been very supportive of my football, and she's wanting and helping me to achieve my dream, that satisfaction of playing in the national team. Before we met, she didn't even watch or play football, but since we got together, I am confident to say she hasn't missed a game. Now she can even tell me when I'm not playing so well. At times, when we go jogging together, we sometimes end up going to a street soccer court, just the two of us, me teaching her how to play football. And she's getting it and liking it! On the other hand, she plays golf, so she's teaching me how to play golf. I think golf is one game that is quite relaxing. A lot of footballers around the world, even locally, play golf to relax. So I don't know, after I pick it up, I'll see whether it's something that really so relaxing for me!
GFC: Looking forward to that, then!
Jeremy: Yeah, definitely!
Jeremy: Yeah, definitely!
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