Exclusive Interview With Chao Xing

It's been slightly more than a month since the team blog was made known to players and the public. To mark its launch, Chao Xing whose tenacity is very evident on the field, took time off his busy schedule to speak to Mavericks FC in an exclusive online interview.

Q: As one of the pioneers of Team Mavericks, what do you think have changed from the time this team was newly formed to the dynamic team that it is today?

A: The players, of course. Since its first formation till today, only 4 of us from the very first days still play for the team. We used to lack cohesiveness in the team as we had different players every now and then. Alas! How things have changed since. The current first team has played together for months and we have turned from complete strangers to fellow teammates, friends and for some of us, schoolmates too.

We have evolved into a disciplined team, a far cry from the bunch of ball-kicking punks we used to be. We now have a new team identity; team jersey, logo, our own blog and most importantly a centralized and organized team management system.

We are playing regular soccer, almost every week without fail for the past few months, thanks to players’ commitments to the team and the organizing committee who have gone the extra mile to achieve our initial objective for setting up this team.

I would like to also celebrate the fact that for the first time, we are having non-Chinese players with us on weekend matches like Amir, Fuad, Hisham and Faizy. Their presence further promotes our rich and diversified culture, which is what makes us unique in the first place. I would also hope to make use of this chance to extend our reach to the local talent pools which should also include the non-Chinese communities so as to bolster the current squad strength.

Q: How much do you enjoy playing with Mavericks FC?

A: Haha. It’s rather cheesy to say it too directly. But I would make it a point not to miss any of the matches to maintain my 100% attendance record.

Q: How does this Mavericks side compare to others you have played in?

A: I first started as a guest player together with my 2 older brothers for a team at age 12 where every other player was about 5 years older. I continued team-hopping as a guest player in the ensuing years but didn’t commit myself to any of them. Part of the reason was due to the age-gap I had with most of them. I always felt awkward as I seemed to be the youngest player around then.

After secondary 3, I was engaged in X-country competitions and later on performing arts in JC. So there was not much for me to compare during this period of my playing history, until I involved myself in the formation of a new team in 2006 which eventually became our present Team Mavericks. So far, we’ve had a stronger side ever since the first formation of the team last year, boasting several school talents as well as a few ‘homegrown’ players who have been worked themselves up from the ‘academy’ in GSMB to the first team like Clement and Boon Kee.

The current standard, in my view, is comparable to most of the teams I’ve played for and I am also more comfortable with average squad age too. Yet I have to admit that the best side I’ve played for by far is Jurong FC’s youth team which I had a short trial with when I was in secondary school.


Q: You have played in almost every or rather every position from goalkeeper to striker. What is your favoured position(s) and which do you think you excel in?

A: I suppose I made no secret my preference to play as an anchorman in midfield, but I do not think it is necessarily my best position. Previous teams deployed me in central defence, as a fullback and defensive midfielder due to my aggressive nature.

I had also played as goalkeeper when I was still a skinny and lanky 13-year old. In the first few matches with the team, I was first deployed on the left flanks by Jiun Wei, primarily as an out-and-out winger. Eventually, I started volunteering for any open positions that the team was lacking in.

I supposed my favourite moves include hard tackling, taking long shots, running with ball and crossing early. Others say I’m more of a winger; there were also some comments that I can be a tenacious ball-winner in midfield or defence. But I’m glad that I had given my best at every possible position and found myself still adequately comfortable playing in them, except as a striker at the present moment.


Q: What do you think is the greatest problem at Mavericks FC and how do you think we can improve on it?

A: Players are very passive when it comes to communication on the pitch or volunteering for leadership tasks.

On the pitch, lack of communication often saw some of the players seemingly playing by themselves and not passing around enough. No one is asking for the ball, asking for support, etc. There was a lack of organization at times. I would encourage more to try to speak up and volunteer to organize team play for that match especially those playing in central positions.

I had been introverted in nature myself too. It was through continual practice and the initial courage to speak up and make mistakes in the process that I’ve managed to subdue the fear of public speaking at times. I wanted to say no one is a born speaker.

Q: What's missing in a team like Mavericks FC at the moment?

A: First thing came to my mind is that the first team lacks depth. Although we had 17 current first team players, we need more for squad rotation; as it’s not possible for each player to come for every match since we are not full-time players and everyone else has their own commitments. A healthy strength, if we were aiming to enter an amateur league, should consist of at least 24 first team regulars.

On 2nd thoughts, a team like Mavericks needs a sponsor; we should have our own team gear, like boots and away jersey. Haha.

On a serious note, I believe we still need another proactive voice in this team. In the event that my commitments limit my involvement in team affairs, someone else should lead in my absence.

I would like to take this chance to also say that there is a lack of interaction outside match days among the guys, except for some small group fico/cage, street soccer outings.

I had set up the team blog for several purposes other than advertising us to the public and helping attract opponents and new players alike. It is also a channel for us to interact outside match days and to serve as another medium for players to showcase another side of their characters. Ultimately our efforts were all in hope of giving each player a sense of belonging in the team and to know one another even better.

As the idea of having a team blog is relatively new, it would be understandable that not many are actively involved in blog activities yet. I would expect an eventual increase in the blog traffic.

Q: Lastly, what are your personal aims for yourself in terms of football and Mavericks FC?

A: Personally, I would hope to contribute more in terms of match performances by regaining my match fitness. If I had to choose, I'd rather people acknowledge my contributions on the pitch as a player than as a clerk doing admin duties for the team.

Our initial objectives are already met as we are an established squad playing football at least once a week without fail. A new short-term target for this team is to have 25 first team members by end of this year. In the near future, perhaps we would enter an amateur league to play competitive football. But of course, it could only be realized if the entire team shares the same passion and shows full support behind the move from weekend soccer to competitive football. In the long term, I envision a Mavericks team to continue playing together 10 years later and even after we’ve settled down and become uncles ourselves. Haha..

Interview prepared by: Clement