Japan stint makes Joel hungrier to succeed
A 10-day training stint at J2 League side Omiya Ardija earlier this month has reaffirmed youth footballer Joel Chew of his dreams of playing abroad.
But being in the presence of his Japanese counterparts who constantly strove to improve also highlighted the amount of work the 18-year-old will have to put in to be on a par with them.
Bridging the gap will not be easy, but last year's TNP-Dollah Kassim Award winner returned to Singapore even more motivated.
He already plans to visit the gym more often to build his physique.
He said: "Seeing their desire to want to succeed despite being at such a high level has made me realise how much more I have to push myself to match up to them and have a chance at playing overseas eventually."
For many of the players, their day revolved around football and school, and they exercised immense discipline to manage both commitments.
Joel noted how the Japanese never failed to be on time, with many even rushing down after lessons to arrive at least half an hour before training to do their warm-ups.
Something that pleasantly surprised Joel was the host club's hospitality.
Throughout the training stint, both players and coaches were welcoming, doing their best to overcome the language barrier and help him adapt.
He recalled reaching half an hour before an individual training session only to find that everything had been set up.
He said: "They could have come just in time to set up for themselves, but they set it up earlier and made sure the training was ready even before I came.
"There's a strong emphasis on discipline in your game and whatever you do like being on time, being professional, having a clear goal and being focused."
These are lessons that the teenager will keep in mind as he pursues his ambition of plying his trade overseas in the future.
For now, Joel hopes to earn a professional contract in the Singapore Premier League (SPL).
He said: "Having what is expected of you to play overseas is a huge compliment and a confidence booster, but I'll start off by earning a contract in the SPL and hopefully after that, there will be opportunities to further my career."
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