Giving back: Irfan and Ikhsan Fandi turn mentor to young kids

They stood on ITE College Central's synthetic turf, watching on as ball after ball rolled past them.

On one occasion, Irfan Fandi took control of a ball passed to him by his younger brother Ikhsan.

He shaped up to shoot, but resisted the urge and passed it on to another young footballer.

The urge to bang in a goal or make a run was apparent, but they had to hold back their footballing instincts.

This wasn't a training session with the Courts Young Lions or Universidad Catolica - the Chilean club at which the brothers have spent the past year honing their skills.

Irfan and Ikhsan - sons of former Singapore international striker Fandi Ahmad - were carrying out their roles as CIMB youth ambassadors at the CIMB Junior Soccer Fiesta in Ang Mo Kio, organised by the bank for 80 young football enthusiasts.

Sixty of them were CIMB Junior Saver account holders while the other 20 were disadvantaged children from Beyond Social Services, all of whom are under the age of 12.

Leading the hour-long football clinic, Irfan, 17, and Ikhsan, 15, were both coaches and cheerleaders, guiding the kids through passing and shooting drills with enthusiastic applause and words of encouragement.

Speaking to The New Paper after the event, the duo said that they thoroughly enjoyed the session with the kids - a welcome break from the regular grind of training.

"I've lived and breathed football from young, so to do something like this, where I was able to relax while still being out on a pitch, feels really good," said striker Irfan.

"It helps to make sure that I'm still in love with the game."

His younger brother, Irfan, agreed.

The midfielder said: "Growing up, we also participated in youth football clinics like today's event, and they helped us grow as footballers by training under professionals back in those days.

"It's amazing that we can do our part by guiding these kids and give something back to society."

Mak Lye Mun, country head of CIMB Group Singapore and CEO of CIMB Bank Singapore, said of the event: "CIMB Junior is all about 'Never too little to dream big', and Irfan and Ikhsan are great role models for that, given all they have achieved at such a young age.

"Through today's interaction, we hope that the participants will be inspired to pursue their dreams and achieve greater things in their lives."

FIRM FAVOURITE

It's not surprising that Irfan was a firm favourite with the aspiring footballers during the clinic.

The rising star shows that he has what it takes to develop into a great striker like his father Fandi, after scoring against the Japan Under-23s and Syria Under-23s in recent age-group international friendlies.

The 1.86-metre tall Irfan recently signed for S.League side the Courts Young Lions in a deal that ends on June 30, before returning to Chile to re-join Universidad Catolica.

He will also help the country's cause in two assignments - the AFC Under-23 Championship qualifiers later this month, and the 2015 South-east Asia Games, which will be held here in June.

But more than being remembered as Fandi's son, Irfan wants to create a name for himself.

"I've felt the pressure of living up to my father's name since I was growing up," he said.

"I want to break away from that. I want people to know me as Irfan Fandi, not Fandi Ahmad's son."