Ever dreamt of packing up your life to chase a dream in far-off, foreign lands? What if that dream was not just yours but that of your young children? R Sasikumar, along with his sons Kyen and Tylan, did just that. They embarked on a courageous journey from Singapore to the bustling city of Madrid, Spain, all with the shared aspiration of playing professional football. This riveting conversation peels back the layers of their journey, revealing the immense sacrifices made, the fears faced, and the unwavering dedication to their shared goal.
Truly, what does it take to uproot an entire family in pursuit of a dream? We hear it from Sasi himself as he recounts the monumental decision to move his family to Europe. Strap in as we navigate through the cultural shift they encountered in the competitive world of Madrid's football scene, a far cry from Singapore. The boys, Kyen and Tylan, share their experiences on the field, the highs of winning tournaments, and the mental and physical challenges they had to overcome.
While the grass may seem greener on the other side, the truth is that success is always a product of hard work and dedication. What does success mean to Kyen and Tylan? How do they navigate the distractions and handle the pressure that comes with their aspirations? As we wrap up, we reflect on their journey and the important role of their supportive parents. Join us for an inspiring conversation now!
Ever dreamt of packing up your life to chase a dream in far-off, foreign lands? What if that dream was not just yours but that of your young children? R Sasikumar, along with his sons Kyen and Tylan, did just that. They embarked on a courageous journey from Singapore to the bustling city of Madrid, Spain, all with the shared aspiration of playing professional football. This riveting conversation peels back the layers of their journey, revealing the immense sacrifices made, the fears faced, and the unwavering dedication to their shared goal.
Truly, what does it take to uproot an entire family in pursuit of a dream? We hear it from Sasi himself as he recounts the monumental decision to move his family to Europe. Strap in as we navigate through the cultural shift they encountered in the competitive world of Madrid's football scene, a far cry from Singapore. The boys, Kyen and Tylan, share their experiences on the field, the highs of winning tournaments, and the mental and physical challenges they had to overcome.
While the grass may seem greener on the other side, the truth is that success is always a product of hard work and dedication. What does success mean to Kyen and Tylan? How do they navigate the distractions and handle the pressure that comes with their aspirations? As we wrap up, we reflect on their journey and the important role of their supportive parents. Join us for an inspiring conversation now!
I think we came to a point where we needed to decide if this was the route they were going to take in life. They had something to work on and it was very important for me to say there's two ways you can go. You can be a recreational player. You know, nothing happens, I love you still. But if you want to take that elite route, you really need to say, okay, we're going to commit to being the best players. Right, and had this conversation with them and we had a conversation as a family alongside my wife, and say if we want to take their route, we need to go all the way.
Speaker 1:If you tell me, the biggest difference is the mental capacity. I think if we can, because the boys here they grow up in a safe haven where they're not exercising any other chemical. There's no risk element involved, right, but over there there's a level of that. There's a level of competition. They need to be pushing each other and they really need to. Again, I want to repeat this word. So if anything that you're taking away is that is the maturity, it's the ability to think quickly, think fast and think, make the right decisions here. The boys don't practice that enough.
Speaker 4:Hey, this podcast is all about the hustle. My special guest will inspire you with their stories of sheer hard work, resilience, tremendous work ethics, the life skills, mental strength, lessons in failure and, above all, positivity. So sit back, relax and enjoy the hustle.
Speaker 3:Today we have an episode where there are three guests in the house and actually one of the guests is kind of like a history in the making because he's here for the third time as my guest in the show third time and I have to say the other two guests is the youngest, the youngest in my show so far. So it's kind of like history today. Welcome to the Silver Fox Hustle podcast. Episode 84 are Sasikuma and his sons. Hi guys, hello.
Speaker 1:First of all, I want to say congratulations for episode number 84. Not easy to keep this going. Thanks for reminding that I've been on the show three times. I actually didn't know that.
Speaker 3:That's a really good step Right, right, and the two boys are Kean and Tillan. Kean, you are 13?, no 12. You're 12, sorry, and Tillan, you are.
Speaker 2:I'm 10.
Speaker 3:You are 10. So how have you guys been doing?
Speaker 5:Good. I've been enjoying Spain a lot and I'm happy to be back here.
Speaker 3:Nice. How about you, Tillan?
Speaker 2:I'm also good.
Speaker 3:I adapted to the language and Listen, the reason why we've got three of them here is very simple because two of them the kids, that is, they are living the dream, playing football in Europe, in Madrid, and we'll talk about that little later on. And, of course, we've got the parent in here, the mother and the wifey is sitting over there as well, and we need to know what are the sacrifices as well, because not everyone will have that opportunity. Firstly, for the kids to play there, and obviously the means and the context and what have you to play abroad, and I think they've done a great job. Now let's start off with the kids. You've backed for a holiday, haven't you? Yeah, what do you miss most about Singapore?
Speaker 5:I miss my family, my friends and especially the food here.
Speaker 3:The food. What food do you miss here in Singapore?
Speaker 5:Noodles, chicken rice fried rice, chicken, wings, satay yeah, a lot of things.
Speaker 3:Quite a lot, huh. How about you, tillan? What do you miss most besides food? Besides food, my grandparents, my whole family and my friends Right right, was it difficult to leave school, especially the friends in school. Your primary school. You left when you're still in primary school or already in secondary school.
Speaker 5:Primary school.
Speaker 3:Primary school right. Do you miss them?
Speaker 5:Yeah, kind of A little bit, but you know it's life.
Speaker 3:And you make… you are speaking like a true professional. That's life Absolutely brilliant. Now, Sars, what are you all here for? Anyway, You've been in Madrid. Now you're back. Is it a holiday?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a long summer break for the boys. When I say long, it's really long, almost two and a half months, which started at the end of June, and June and July is the hottest months in Madrid almost unbearable only for us to come back here and realize that it's even worse here. But, jokes aside, it was important for us to come back and be with our parents. It's obvious that they miss the grandchildren, we miss our parents and we don't know how long they got. So it's important that we come back and we stay connected with family. So I think that was a big push for us to come back and, of course, to see our friends and, like the boys have said, the food. Right, I mean, we really miss home cooked food and also when you look at Singaporean food, but at the end of the day, it's really good to come back.
Speaker 3:Nice, nice Boys, don't forget to come back right Along the way, because, yeah, you're right, especially the grandparents. I think that's very important as well. Now let's get stuck in a little bit, right Now, sars, let's start about the football bit, right. When did you really spotted their talent, in terms of their talents and their ability? Because did you see this very early on, or was it a gradual process?
Speaker 1:So it's a long process. It's a long process and let's not make any mistakes, right, Because they are kids. I mean, we've been in football for a long, long time and it's such a hit and miss, especially with young players. But over the years, especially with my work, I've been tasked. I mean, I manage players, I play players and I work with a lot of players.
Speaker 1:So one of the skills that I honed, which was really important for me to feed the family, was to find a good player, because that's what I did as a scout, as an agent. I needed to find players and if I made mistakes, I you know I couldn't put food on the table, so I kind of got good at it. But I saw something in them that I felt that there was a base to work with and especially from a young age they showed a bit of interest and I think, maybe with my background, they wanted to play and it was a process and as they grew into it and I see them, you know, week by week, getting better and better and the enthusiasm and their commitment to the game getting a bit more as we moved along. And I had to have this very hard to art conversation with them, which is not easy with these guys.
Speaker 1:But it's never easy with young boys.
Speaker 3:What conversation is this so?
Speaker 1:I think we came to a point where we needed to decide if this was the route they were going to take in life. They had something to work on and it was very important for me to say there's two ways you can go. You can be a recreational player. You know, nothing happens, I love you still. But if you want to take that elite route, you really need to say, okay, we're going to commit to being the best players, right, and had this conversation with them and we had a conversation as a family alongside my wife, and say, if we want to take the route, we need to go all the way.
Speaker 3:Let me cut you short. First, at what age was this, because this is a very interesting thing. At what age did you have this conversation, especially for them?
Speaker 1:Okay. So I think this was probably when they were like six, seven. Keen was slightly older, at about nine. Professionally myself as well, I was looking to also get involved in European football. I wanted to have a change professionally as well. So I was really looking to see how I can advance my own career, because I was feeling a little bit. I would say I've been in this market for 20 years. I wanted to grow professionally as well. So then I looked at them and say, okay, maybe this is the right time for us to all decide where we want to go with this. So that's how it all started.
Speaker 3:It's very interesting, isn't it? Because you said it's six and seven years old.
Speaker 1:Six and eight somewhere around there.
Speaker 3:Because you spoke about it right at the beginning the elite route, Because you need to make that decision quite early on. You can't make that at 12, 13, 14, and then it's a little bit too late.
Speaker 1:For many reasons. You're right For many reasons and for me, having been involved in football for a long time, I saw that the easiest way that any child from this part of the world forget about Europe or whatever, because there's so many things that go into it your nationality, your passport and all of that stuff so many administrative purposes but then you look at the player as a talent. They need to be there to be them. This environment doesn't really allow that to happen, so we needed to make that decision very early and people might call us mad and many have saying that how do you roll the dice with kids this young, I think. Also, I want to take this opportunity to say that we didn't move there purely just for football itself. Our lives don't depend on football, like if they don't make it, it's the end of the world. It's not.
Speaker 1:It was a collective effort. We all wanted a change. I wanted a change. They were doing the right things at the right time. So I suppose it all came together and you're right, because a lot of people can't make the decision because they are all in different phases of their life. Nothing comes together. We're blessed because we are all kind of aligned to what we want to do next. So that's where it started.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you're right, and this episode is not about Telling parents that you should start early, because different circumstances, different times, ages of kids, there's so many things. It's very complex. Right, boys, football was your first love, or do you play any other sports, or is it the first love?
Speaker 5:It wasn't the first love. Yeah, at three, I was playing football. Okay my dad introduced it. Okay to me and I didn't like it. It was too hot. You didn't like football. Well, I didn't like it because, because it was too hot. Okay, and then? Around five or six. My dad are my, my brother played football and I played with him, so, and then I liked it.
Speaker 3:So so he kind of like influenced you in a way. Right, dylan, your first, first love, I'm sure yes.
Speaker 2:So we were in Japan. Mm-hmm and then we went to kid's area right. So there was a game about football. It was my first kick of the ball, so when I went into the game, yeah the ball came at me and I hit it in my outside foot right. And then, from there, I started loving it.
Speaker 3:You are right footer, both right footers. Yeah, you can play with both, nice. How about you?
Speaker 5:Only right.
Speaker 1:Okay, he's being humble. He's got a few goals Okay.
Speaker 3:How about position wise Dylan, what position do you play?
Speaker 2:Attacking me and a sentiment.
Speaker 3:Nice, Just like a fair player right. Tell us who your fair play is Kevin the brownie. Nice, how about you?
Speaker 5:A striker and right wing.
Speaker 3:Okay, nice, nice, nice, okay, let's. Let's talk about the trip to Madrid, right? What is what goes into your head? The thought process because and and your wife is here as well right, because it's so that it's complex, like you said, there's so many things going on, right? What went into your thought process, like like, okay, let's make a decision, let's go there. How did it come?
Speaker 1:many would say that I didn't really think.
Speaker 3:No, no, no.
Speaker 1:Did you or did you know, Well, well there was some parameters of thinking, but I would tell you that Not many people know this we we didn't have a place to live, the boys didn't have a school, we didn't have football club.
Speaker 3:You mean there? Yeah, we had nothing lined up.
Speaker 1:We took the leap of faith.
Speaker 3:Seriously yeah.
Speaker 1:So we I had this saying that we're gonna jump off the plane and then build a parachute on the way down, okay, and see where we land, right? So we I mean, I was confident that we will make things work, because there's never a right time to do anything, right? You just have to do it and then find out whether it's a good or bad decision afterwards, right? So I suppose that's what we did. We we went there. Actually, in April we went to Spain to see where we wanted to live this was last.
Speaker 1:April. Last April we went there. We went to Valencia when the Malaga, we went to a few few cities to see where we want to put our roots and and call home. And Madrid came as A place where we felt that was the closest to Singapore, is such a cosmopolitan place and we really liked it and we like the vibe of Madrid and also for for professionally, madrid was the place to be for me because it was the hub of football and whatever happens in Europe. So I said, hey, it's really good because it's gonna be easy for us to simulate. But going back to your point, what was going through my mind? We were gonna take the risk. What else? I knew things will work out. I was confident with myself and I suppose that rubbed off to the rest of the family. I think they all looking to me say that something goes wrong is on you. So I had to perform.
Speaker 3:Right now. This is a question that I got to put up to you. Obviously, not anyone can just if I've got two kids or three kids, it doesn't matter. One, one kid, it doesn't mean that I can just bring them and then start something. First of all, they've got to have the talent first. That you've got to have the confidence in them first. That is the most important anyway, right? Because then how then would you justify so you saw it in them that they could make it in the European leagues at that age group.
Speaker 1:Well, to be honest, they were outperforming themselves in the age group, right. They were the local academy here. You could see that they were playing In a year past them as well and they were comfortable. The couple of tournaments they went to went to Europe, went to Korea and and they did really well.
Speaker 1:So when I look at a player, I look at very different things, is I'm not looking at whether he's dribbling four or five players, I look at technical ability, I look at agility, I look at the physical form, I look at different things speed and stuff like that. Then I compare that to the kids in Europe and I've seen a lot of European football Through my travels and and again, talking to a lot of people and I saw that they were not too far away. Okay, the the only thing that would have made a difference was language and and they are, and their mindset, because you kids in Europe the maturity level is different. So if we created an environment where they could could grow up fast, I'm pretty confident that they would do well. And you know, one year on, probably the gamble was right.
Speaker 3:We will touch on the differences a little bit, because it's very interesting. Boys, when the the idea first came out when what do you call daddy or papa? Daddy daddy, when daddy first came up with this news, or the idea of let's go somewhere, europe, whatever, to play football and and leave Singapore, what was in your mind? What came to your mind? Was it yes, straight away.
Speaker 5:No, it wasn't yes straight away, because I was very sad to leave my family and. To leave my friends and out.
Speaker 3:Yeah, how about you?
Speaker 2:It was a straight the the. The bad thing is, I would miss my family and my friends.
Speaker 3:Are you the more adventurous one between the two of you? No, you sure you. You seem like you are the more adventurous one, food In food. Yeah, okay, who's more fearless between both of you? You're more fearless, yeah, right, right. So so you were excited and and you, you know, obviously you had a little bit of fear. But what was it exciting for you to think I'm gonna play in?
Speaker 5:clearly it was exciting because you know I play with better players and. I get to learn a new language.
Speaker 3:Okay, what was the biggest fear before leaving? What was your biggest fear about leaving?
Speaker 5:communication, because you know if you want to make friends, you need to Speak to them. Yeah, so I was afraid that I couldn't make friends because of the language.
Speaker 3:Now can you speak.
Speaker 5:Yes, yeah, fluent Okay beautiful, well done.
Speaker 3:How about you tell her what was your biggest fear besides Communication?
Speaker 2:it was not a fear of, it was just like a problem.
Speaker 3:What was the?
Speaker 2:problem. It was like communication also. Yeah because, like not many people can speak English there and and they try to Do- they do.
Speaker 3:They speak English a little, maybe a little bit. A little bit. So in games and trainings and whatever you speak in Spanish.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:They're all the way. A little bit of English, no, no.
Speaker 1:So here's a take right the first, I must say the first two months these guys had no clue what was happening and then they almost looked as though they never kicked the ball in their life. But I suppose the coaches there saw talent in them. It was just that the language is a huge barrier and we had to work really hard on getting them to a level where the language wasn't a barrier. And once they got past the barrier then you could see that, you know, midway through the season. One thing really helped because their FIFA registration came late, which meant that there was about four months for them to really get into it, and when the registration came they were already up to a level of good communication skill. They could understand the coaches, the teammates. That made a huge, huge impact.
Speaker 3:I forgot to ask you why Spain.
Speaker 1:It could be Germany, it could be Good question, good question. First of all, many years ago, my wife and I, we traveled to Spain and to Portugal and we jokingly said that if we had to move somewhere one day, it would be Spain, for many reasons, because I think Spain is a very livable city.
Speaker 1:There's nothing to complain about Spain. The weather is not as harsh as England and Germany, where in the winter you can really feel it. The cost of living I think Spain was reasonable and the big thing was also football. The closest thing to Asian football, I think, is Spanish football. They don't pay a lot of attention to physicality, it's technical ability and I liked everything about that. So when I put everything in perspective, spain clearly ticked all the boxes.
Speaker 3:In terms of sacrifices for the parents, not about the kids.
Speaker 1:what sacrifices did you have to make Leaving yeah, you know a lot of people ask me about that, right? Or you know what a sacrifice for? And I keep telling them, I live in Spain. That's not sacrifice, but there are a lot of things that we miss out on right. Miss out on being with our parents, because we are a very close-knit family. We miss out on friends, good friends that we left behind and, of course, the comfort of living in your own country, where here I'm largely known, there I'm anonymous, so sometimes that can also be a big factor. But I kind of actually like it, Like being there. Nobody talks to you, nobody knows who you are.
Speaker 1:I think that is good, which really helps them, because then they got to live on their own merit right here maybe there could be a case of they know me some doors open and stuff like that, which I didn't really want it because I wanted to make sure that they were good enough themselves, and maybe I can open some doors and that's about it, yeah.
Speaker 3:What was your first impressions of Spain, Dylan, when you first arrived in Spain and then you went to your new house? What was your first impression of Spain?
Speaker 2:My first impression of Spain was it was very nice. It was like perfect weather when you went there, but when you went to Valencia it was raining all the time.
Speaker 3:Okay, what was the food? Like Good Nice.
Speaker 2:So we didn't eat Spanish food at first.
Speaker 3:You didn't eat Spanish food, then what food did you?
Speaker 2:eat my mom cooked.
Speaker 3:Okay, it works. So it helps when the parents are there and they are cooking for you. Well done, okay. What else? How about you, kien? What was your first impression of Spain? The people they are very warm.
Speaker 5:They help me a lot.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 5:Yeah, in terms of like, when I don't understand anything, they will help me translate.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, that's nice. That's nice, so you have good neighbors around you and stuff like that.
Speaker 5:Not neighbors, but friends yeah.
Speaker 3:Brilliant Well done. Let's now talk a little bit about the football bit, right? So what league are you all playing in, anyway, which club are you all playing for?
Speaker 5:Tell us, tell us all, I like to go to Madrid.
Speaker 3:Well done Nice. So it's an academy team with all the age groups.
Speaker 5:Oh yeah.
Speaker 3:So they go down? Up till what age?
Speaker 1:So they start as young as I think, seven, if I'm not wrong.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:Seven, and then it goes all the way up with all the different categories. The unique thing about Atlético Madrid is that they've got a couple of teams in each age group.
Speaker 1:So the year let's say, for example, he's 2011 and 2013,. They got two or three teams In his age group. They got probably more teams, but it goes like A, B, C, D. The A is the top team, the cream of the crop, and then you got the B and C, which are very close to each other and in fact I think the A and B at this age group his age group are very close to the A, so you can't really say whether it's good or not. Maybe in Keyin's category you could see that the A is probably slightly a bit more because they play more games and better competition. They all play in the Madrid League organized by the Madrid Federation. There are many, many groups in there. So in Tallinn's age group, I believe, it's almost 16 groups, 12 to 16 groups.
Speaker 1:Similar to Keyin maybe. I think maybe 10 or 12 or something like that. So there are many groups. There are many, many teams, not just the five professional teams that are in Madrid. There are a lot of teams that are what they call the Barrio teams, which are the neighborhood teams. They all participate because they might not play in the top league but they have top youth teams.
Speaker 3:And this is only one club, as in Atlético Madrid. So I assume all the clubs in Spain are like that. They have all their age groups and each age group have their elite teams.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is, it is right. I mean, if you look at the pyramid and you look at the number of kids, just to give you some context to this, every Saturday afternoon, when you go for lunch, you see hundreds of kids in a football gear.
Speaker 1:They probably played finishing, they probably finished playing football and then they're gone to lunch with their family and friends and when you look at them, they're just not father and mother. They've got their grandparents, their uncle and auntie. So it's a very big culture. Culturally, the kids are at any level. I'm not just saying the elite kids. They all get to play football in different divisions, different teams. I think that's the beauty, because the cream will rise to the crop regardless. But what they've done is that they've got a huge base and the competition, and I'll let you guys, these guys, explain to you what kind of competition they are up against.
Speaker 3:Tell us about the standard of football, tilan. What is it like if you compare from where you were playing in the elite in LCS? I think the elite team right. So when you went up there, are you in the A team in Madrid?
Speaker 1:No, he's in the C team.
Speaker 3:And how was it? What is the standard of the C team?
Speaker 2:first, I think the players are different.
Speaker 3:Yeah, in terms of what?
Speaker 2:Like technical ability and physicality.
Speaker 3:So, just and I'm just imagining this right, you are the elite team in Singapore and then you go up there and you're playing in the C team, right, that is just. That tells you everything, isn't it?
Speaker 1:No, I think, yeah, you're right there, but I also want to make a caveat not because they're my kids right, Because when we got there the registration was almost filled up. We came in late, so the only place they could register them was in the C team right.
Speaker 1:So if you talk about ability, with a bit of luck, with a bit of adaptation and stuff like that, probably these two can play in the higher teams. Like Kean has basically moved up to the B team after first season, so he did the same thing as well. But the reality is, like you said, it was an elite here in one of the best academies. When you go there you're probably one of the many right and, like I said, with a bit of luck you can get to the A, but still that's a huge gap.
Speaker 3:How have your teammates taken to you? Did they help you in terms of the game wise, because sometimes, when your coach is explaining to you in Spanish, you don't understand. Obviously right, certain things right. So did they help you?
Speaker 5:out. Yeah, they didn't help me. In communication I have a teammate who's from England, so usually it helps me, okay, so?
Speaker 3:because he can converse with you in English as well. What was the most difficult thing to adapt in terms of the football part while you were training and playing games? What was it?
Speaker 5:Maybe physicality, because my teammates are bigger, stronger, so I needed to step up a little bit.
Speaker 3:But technique wise, I'm sure you guys are more than equal more than capable of taking them on right.
Speaker 5:Yeah, we are the same.
Speaker 3:How about you, Dylan? What was the most difficult thing about your experience?
Speaker 2:I would say communication, because if you can't communicate, basically you just can't play.
Speaker 3:I've seen your social media posts. You guys have won some titles or something like that the championship or something Both of you.
Speaker 5:No, I got only third. I won a tournament.
Speaker 3:Right, right, right. I saw that post that you won the tournament. How was the feeling winning something in Madrid as well in a foreign land.
Speaker 5:Very good. We celebrated like crazy. We went out for a drink or what. We are dead.
Speaker 1:Not yet.
Speaker 3:So far, everything is okay, like you can cope, there's no problems whatsoever. Yeah, no problem, nice, nice. And what is the standard like? If you compare such, I think you're the best person to ask, right, in terms of the difference between Singapore and then we. So often they not say this, and you talked about the lion's head cup, right, when foreign teams come in and we are more than capable, we beat them sometimes, right? So what's the difference, the main difference?
Speaker 1:So it's very interesting. There's a lot of things that go. I'll try and keep it as brief as possible so that the listeners can get a real good idea. Two days ago I went to watch the under eight and nine of the junior training centre where this boys were supposed to be the best. Then I compared that to Spain and a lot of parents came up to me and said what's the difference? I said far for a couple of reasons and you said it earlier. Technically the boys are almost there. Right, there's no big difference. But at a young age what I've noticed with the eight and nine when I watch the other thing they've got a serious problem with coordination, agility and their motor skills seriously missing.
Speaker 3:These guys.
Speaker 1:No, not these guys, but the ones that I saw here right which really hampers them from then the technical ability, because when you don't have the motor skills, it's hard for you to then hone your technical ability. So when they grow up like that, they have an issue when they come to 10, 11, 12, because by the time they get to 13, 14, it's hard for you to change habits. So this was the big difference when I saw but then again, like the boys have said, the physicality, the intensity of play and also, I think, partly because of the weather in the winter, they love it because they keep running right the intensity side here with the humidity and all. But also I think the biggest, biggest, biggest even they experienced this it was the maturity, because when you're mature you make better decisions.
Speaker 1:So these boys, you know I pity them because they had to grow up fast. They had to grow up fast, right, because the boys there, like I said, actually they are better than a lot of the players technically, they can kick with both left and right, they understand the game, but the boys have this mentality of never say die. They're intense and they mature very fast. So they are decision making completely on another level. That's why they look different. But having said that, you've seen with the line city cup. When the boys came in, the gap was short. Let's not also forget that the team is traveling here. They're playing in humidity and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:But if you tell me, the biggest difference is the mental capacity. I think if we can, because the boys here they grow up in a safe haven where they're not exercising any other chemical. There's no risk element involved, right. But over there there's a level of that. There's a level of competition. They need to be pushing each other and they really need to. Again, I want to repeat this word. So if anything that you're taking away is that is the maturity, is the ability to think quickly, think fast and make the right decisions here the boys don't practice that enough.
Speaker 3:I think it's the environment as well. I think it's very important, and you spoke about that just now. The intensity bit I think you train at a higher intensity back in Madrid, isn't it? You can have that intensity here, but it comes with the training as well. If you don't train at that intensity, you're never going to play in games at that particular intensity as well, and I get that. Have you done anything with them specifically out of their training sessions to make them adapt to situations, or you know?
Speaker 1:Yeah, a lot. Actually, the big part of them also adapting is to make sure that I work with them mentally Because I really needed to. I know they had the technical ability, but I really needed to get them to break the mental barrier. Not too long ago, I posted a video on social media saying that it's not all fun and games. Sometimes it's hard work. You know, they were on the ground and there was one day that one of them were crying because it was hard work, because what I really wanted to do is mentally break them to know that this is the next level of football. There's no more here being a big fish in a small pond, because there's a lot of big fish in a very big pond. So I had to do that. I had to. You know, from a very young age I introduced football at home as well. We used to leave balls all around the house and they used to kick it, and I mean football starts at home.
Speaker 1:Yeah, breaking lights, mummy screaming in the background. I mean, football starts at home, right, and that's what it is. So getting them to really understand that you know the movement they're going to make is going to be part of their nature, and stuff like that. So a lot of work behind the scenes. We have to do not just football mental, and then the food part and the packing, the logistics, which my wife is really good at, I'm bad at that, things right. So organizing them going. You know, in Madrid when you go for a game it's a 45 minute drive and if you're going for tournaments I have to drive a thousand kilometers in two days. So it's a lot of logistics that go behind it. So there's a lot of things that happen behind the scene.
Speaker 3:Tell me about the hard work that you guys have put in. Is Daddy pushing you too hard?
Speaker 5:No, he's pushing us so we can be the best version of ourselves.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 5:Yeah, and I feel that he's doing a great job.
Speaker 3:Wow, is it hard work, telen playing football.
Speaker 5:Is it hard work?
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:Yeah, to be the top player, to be a top player.
Speaker 2:Yes, because if you don't work hard like players will think over your spot.
Speaker 3:And it's a survival thing over there as well, right?
Speaker 1:It is. It is. I think, you know, sometimes when people read about and see that the boys are playing with Lettigo Madrid, we may it maybe perhaps look a little bit too easy, like they landed there. And I get asked this a lot People come up to me and say did you pay for your kids to be in Lettigo Madrid? Right? So I don't blame them because they're non-the wiser, but I don't think so you can pay to get into an academy like that, right, that doesn't exist. But the reality is because I think from the outside in it looks too easy, but there are so many things that went up and down and Did they have to go for trials Like in?
Speaker 1:what kind of trial is that? Is that?
Speaker 3:a closed trial, open trial where they advertised or you had to no so we were.
Speaker 1:I was lucky because I've been in the industry for so long and I made the right calls. The only thing I probably have an edge is because I'm from this industry. People know me, what I've done and they will give me the chance at least, knowing that I'm not going to bring players that are way below the mark, right. So they gave me the chance and even then it almost didn't happen because Kian was going to be registered with Ray Valle Cano. There was like one day away. So when Lettigo called and said come for the trials, they sent them to the affiliate club, which is called Lettigo Madrileño to train, and they said okay, we'll look at them after two weeks, We'll see. In the second training session itself, the guy, the coach, said well, the coordinator is going to talk to you.
Speaker 2:I thought okay.
Speaker 1:I thought that was it right. They didn't make the cut and we're going to go to another club. Surprisingly, they said we won the boys. Obviously they've seen something in them and said, yeah, we want to keep the boys in our system and once they adapt we'll push them up the ranks.
Speaker 3:Were you all nervous during the trials? Because the trials lied to get into a club?
Speaker 5:I was very nervous because I didn't know if I was going to make it and I didn't know anybody there.
Speaker 3:You must have done something brilliant there. After what? Only the second day?
Speaker 1:Second training session. And yeah, both of them at the same time, but for a different age group Brilliant, brilliant, nice, nice.
Speaker 3:Now, sas, let's go. We look forward, right, because obviously there's an end goal. But looking at the pathway, what was the runway like for them? Because then you are playing in the age groups for the Madrid team. What is the pathway looking like?
Speaker 1:So I think they've got individual mile markers for themselves right, so now they are doing everything they can to get to the A team. Okay.
Speaker 1:Once you're on the A team, I think you're on the radar of most of the big clubs in the world, because Athletico Madrid produces some of the best players. You look at Manchester United, degrogana, and the list goes on right. So I think that's the first thing they need to get to. Eventually, when they get to 16-17, they'll start looking at getting a pro contract, but before that, they need to keep in the team every season, like the way we found out how they're going to stay is through an email. Nobody talks to you, nothing. It's like writing for an exam and waiting and hoping that you pass.
Speaker 3:So what did that email tell you?
Speaker 1:Basically telling you where you're going. That's it. So if you're out, they just tell you. Thank you for coming.
Speaker 3:So if you don't make it, maybe for the next year's team, you're out. That's it.
Speaker 1:That's an email that says you're out of this is for all players, right All players, all players.
Speaker 1:So it's pretty cutthroat, right. I mean, it's tough right. So, even though I knew that, I was confident that, especially him, he will make the grade, he will go to the next team, he will go to the B team. He kind of, you know, earned his place in his team. We've been in football Weird things happen, right. So I was holding my breath and I couldn't sleep one, two nights because, as the day was coming closer and the worst part is, we knew where he was. We got the email for him. We were the last ones to get the email. So all the parents are saying where the kids are going and we had no idea, no clarity. But he eventually made to the B, which is nice.
Speaker 1:But talking about the pathway, we need to take one season at a time, really, and hopefully we, these guys, do enough to stay within the club system, because if they clip stay in the club system, there's a very high chance that they, first, they'll turn pro. Secondly, if they don't make it for Atlético Madrid, all the other clubs, not just in Spain but around the world, will be looking at them. So that is, I think, the immediate target and then, most importantly, I think they need to enjoy the journey, because it is not all about football. Because they go to a good school as well and they're enjoying school at the moment. We want them to also academically try and make sure that they have the basic education, so it's important that it's well-balanced. Enjoy the journey, be grateful for where you are, because a lot of kids would want to be in their position and I think they are.
Speaker 3:And you boys are going to an American school, yeah, so what subjects do you all study right now, at the moment?
Speaker 5:Spanish science designing class.
Speaker 3:Designing class Okay.
Speaker 2:What else Music so?
Speaker 3:is this basically the normal subjects, obviously with Spanish in there as well.
Speaker 1:So the hard part for them is they have to learn the languages, the subjects in Spanish, so science in Spanish, math in Spanish and social studies in Spanish, so a lot of things in Spanish. So you can imagine it's a big change to what they're doing. And then favelay to them and they actually both passed their language this year.
Speaker 3:Nice Dylan. What would success mean to you? Let's say, right now you are again, you are 11, 10. What is success to you? Maybe in when you are 16 years old, for example? What do you think success is for you?
Speaker 2:Winning the valendor or the world cup.
Speaker 3:Wow At 16. At 16. How about you?
Speaker 5:Going to the making, to the first team in analytical Nice.
Speaker 3:That would be what is the minimum age at the youngest age that you can break into the you got players who are breaking into the team at 16.
Speaker 1:So let it go. You've seen players who are 17. You saw the guy in Barcelona, 15 years old, 15 and a half coming through. So I mean you know there are players who develop early. But again, I think right now, being in this club system, it's really important that they get to the first team. If they get to the first team, then the sky is the limit, Right.
Speaker 3:Listen. Everyone of us at home in Singapore we are rooting for you guys as well. No pressure.
Speaker 3:But yeah but you know, in a way, you guys are doing so well. You're actually flying the Singapore flag, you know. So you guys are doing us proud, no matter what happens. Actually right, because you're already there and you're playing top football with the kids and all. So keep on working hard. I think that's the most important thing and I think I don't need to tell you that, because Daddy will tell you that you know, every day before you go to sleep.
Speaker 2:When you wake up, he will tell you right.
Speaker 3:So yeah, so that's very important. Now, what do you think? Like you said, right, you wanna play, break into the team, right? What are the qualities you think you need to get there?
Speaker 5:Discipline, discipline. Yeah, because you know there are a lot of distractions in your life.
Speaker 3:Like what In Spain? What are your distractions? Tell me in Singapore? I know there are so many. There's handphones, there's Netflix, there's Spotify, there's this and that, right. So what is the?
Speaker 1:Girls.
Speaker 3:In Madrid. Seriously yeah.
Speaker 1:Well done my friend Dylan.
Speaker 3:how about you? What are the distractions in Spain?
Speaker 2:Probably like handphones.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think that happens everywhere. Right, how about the qualities that will make you succeed?
Speaker 2:Perseverance.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because if you don't persevere, maybe someone that's better than you will come take your spot.
Speaker 3:Right, right, you know, I think, what you said just now, the discipline, right, I think it is very important. You know, I read it somewhere and a lot of people say that there's difference between motivation and discipline. Right, because discipline is more important than motivation.
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Because most of us, we don't have motivation sometimes to do something right, but it's that discipline part that is very important. So please keep up with that. You know, I think it's great. Now, sas, summarise your journey. I don't know how you can do this in like. You need like 30 minutes to summarise, right. But in a nutshell, tell us how the journey has been. It's one year plus.
Speaker 1:Exactly a year now.
Speaker 3:How has the journey been. You know what. Do you think success is for them in the future? What does it mean to you?
Speaker 1:So I'll start with saying that it's always starts with the thought right. The thought for us was to move out of Singapore and go to Spain. That was a start, so that seed became a reality, and then in itself was a big achievement for us to be able to tell our parents that thank you very much, but we are moving with the grandkids.
Speaker 3:How did it take it anyway?
Speaker 1:It's tough. It's tough because both of us, my wife and I, both are very close to our parents, but I think, at the end of the day, all folks feel that it's for the betterment of our kids and they are the future, because I think that the folks, the old folks, know that they are the past, they won't be around for too long and that was a blessing. And we are so blessed that our parents are fully supportive. We talk to them almost on a daily basis. But I think, with that, having said that, I think the first move was always the hardest. The first move is always the hardest.
Speaker 1:When do we move? When do we buy the ticket? When do we pack our bags? When do we ship our stuff? We kind of got over the hill with that already. Now it's a bit of a routine. When we get back, in fact, here, when we come back here, we don't have a routine, and these boys don't have a routine, which is not good, especially when you're talking about discipline, right, and that will all be solved in 10 days. But, like I said, there's a lot of people who said many things, probably thinking many things, even listening to this. Go you know what Will they go all the way to the end. Hold on. Let me ask you.
Speaker 3:What is the greatest like not greatest something that someone has told you, that you know. They've told you that, ah, don't go, you're not going to make it. What is the worst thing that you've heard?
Speaker 1:You know you can't blame people because a lot of the times they are projecting their own insecurities on you. When they can't do something they probably tell you that and I've been. My whole life has been that right. A lot of people told me many things and you can't do this and you can't be that. And I defied all odds because I knew exactly what I was doing and I had the conviction, and the same conviction I have of my kids.
Speaker 1:A lot of people say, even now, when we're back and I listen, talk to coaches and all that, say yeah, but you know it's easy to say the guy is talented at 10, 12,. I'm a big believer If you're going to win the lottery, you got to buy the ticket first, right? So if Joseph's Coolings parents didn't think that he was good enough to be an Olympian and move to America, we'll never have an Olympic champion. And in summary just to summarize in summary is that we are committed to seeing this journey through. We're committed to enjoying what this journey brings us more than anything else. I get great joy going to their trainings and watching them and I will not want to do anything else. There's that. So I suppose the next four, five years. That's what's going to happen and I'm going to enjoy the journey and whatever comes at the back of that. It's a bonus.
Speaker 3:Again. You see, as you're speaking, something just crop up. What kind of a football parent are you on the sideline? Because I think you heard Selva.
Speaker 5:I didn't know about him. I didn't know about him.
Speaker 3:And his friends told me that in the podcast itself that he's crazy on the sideline. What kind of a parent are you?
Speaker 1:Before that. I really enjoyed that podcast. I thought that was really good podcast. What kind of a parent am I? I'm a big mixback. I'll be honest. I try not to say anything, but when I see something, sometimes I can't be quiet. Right, To me, it's not about whether you score a goal or not For me, I'm big on effort, I'm big on hard work right, I'm really big on that. And the boys will know that when I tell them to do something, it's not to tell them. To be specific, I keep telling them is that you got to work hard because you can't stand around and look at your team may suffer, or somebody else is doing the run. To me, it's all about the attitude, because if you have the right attitude not just football I think life will serve you well. So I pay attention to such things, but sometimes it manifests as oh, run here, do this, do that. But I'm not as bad as Selvah, Of course. Obviously he will tell you that.
Speaker 3:Selvah, if you're listening, you are the worst.
Speaker 1:Nada, he's just passionate, right, I'm not that extreme, but it's important that I, because they are kids, they tend to forget why they are there or what they are doing, and I keep reiterating the fact that it's all about your attitude. If you do the work, they will get the results. And a lot of the times and I say this to them after the game as well I say, was I right? And they always go yes, if you do the work, the results will come. If you do the runs, the goals will come. So I think there's no rocket science to this, really no rocket science to this.
Speaker 3:Boys. Final words Kian, tell us you want to send a message to your friends, or whatever.
Speaker 5:Singaporeans can do it.
Speaker 3:With the national day coming up as well. Right, how about you, Dylan?
Speaker 2:Nothing is impossible.
Speaker 3:Nothing is impossible. Yeah, nice, nice, listen, we are all rooting for you guys, okay, even the parents, and listen. I think, firstly, we've got to say great job to the parents as well, Sars and your wifey. It's been a journey, right, and listen, it's not easy. Everybody knows this, and you know, parenting at home, locally, is already a problem, right, and then bringing your kids up having the confidence in you guys, it's absolutely brilliant, right? So keep this going and please work hard, and we will see you soon, probably hopefully playing for material. Any other TV, it doesn't matter, right? And Sars, thanks for being here on the podcast. I think we wish you all the best as well for the kids, for yourself, for the whole family. Have a great journey, as you said, and enjoy the sun in Spain right, thanks for allowing us to tell our story.
Speaker 1:Hopefully we can inspire one or two kids and one or two families. And yeah, that's this thing all about right.
Speaker 3:Exactly this podcast is all about that about inspiring. And what better way we've got the two youngest guests in my show. So far, so well done. Thanks for being here, dylan and Kian, and Sars and the wifey. Thank you so much for being here. This has been the latest episode of the Silver Fox Hustle podcast. Please share the live. We are out on every platform imaginable, so see you for the next episode. The Hustle beats talent when talent doesn't hustle. Cheers. Hustle beats talent when talent doesn't hustle.