Chitchat David Low: The most famous Sinkie professional footballer you've never heard

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David Low: The Nomadic Singapore Footballer



A lack of opportunities in Singapore did not deter David Low. Instead, he trawled the globe and tried his luck in more than 10 countries, including Mongolia and Cameroon. He sat down with Kenneth Tan to discuss his adventures, sacrifices and what lies ahead...

by
Kenneth Tan
Published
17 July 2017

He has never played in Singapore professionally, but David Low insisted he had little regrets, not when he had the career he had.

Packing his bags in 2007, Low would embark on a journey that took him to Australia, USA, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Thailand, Mongolia, Iceland, New Zealand, Italy, Cameroon and Portugal.

It all began in his early 20s, when he struggled to secure a playing contract in Singapore after the completion of his National Service (NS).

“It was tough because I had to restart everything after stopping for two years,” Low told. “I trained with a few teams, including Tampines Rover’s Prime League (in 2006).

“From there I just knew Singapore football was not for me. There’s like a very strange mentality going on and there’s a lot of unprofessionalism. It’s a sensitive topic so I don’t want to elaborate too much on that.

“For me, I wasn’t one to dwell on it and let this beat me. If Singapore’s not for me, the world is out there; I’m going to go out and do what I can. My philosophy has been that there are a lot of ways to achieve your goals – some short, some long – you just got to find it.”
This was a career that took him over the world

While some are apprehensive about leaving their comfort zone at a young age, Low had no such qualms.

“Do you know I grew up in South Africa?” he revealed. “I moved there at 11 with my family; my dad got into missionary work there and the lifestyle here was way too fast.

“I spent seven years before coming back at 18 to serve NS. I finished high school there and played for a local club called Stellas FC.”

Despite his parents’ objection, Low decided to follow his heart.

“My parents never liked me playing football because they don’t see it as a future (which you can rely on),” he shared.

“I understood as parents, they always thought for your well-being. But sometimes when you have a passion, you just have to go all out.”

Off he went

Low’s first destination was Australia, where he played for South West Phoenix FC in the Football West State League Division 1 for half a season.

His experience there proved to be an eye-opener for the then 23-year-old.

“I had some UK friends playing there and they asked me to come over,” he shared. “I thought ‘This was it. Just go and give it a shot. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll try something different’.

“It was quite a shocking experience because people are fighting very hard for their places there unlike in Singapore. The football there was very physical and required a lot of fitness.”



Low has also completed his coaching badges

Injuries ended his time in Down Under, before he went to United States of America the following year (2008) to play for USL 2 (third-tier) side Western Mass Pioneers for a couple of months while doing a youth coaching programme.

Low then left for Germany in the same year and spent eight months with Oberliga (fifth division) side Offenburger FV – a move that proved critical to his development.

“One US agent gave me this opportunity and I just jetted straight from Boston to Germany, but that was the thing I regretted,” he shared.

“Going to European football, I should have gone to an Eastern European or Scandinavian team, but I went to one of the toughest football countries.

“The trainings there was very hard, it was like military training. They push you, the coaches shout at you. The level’s a few steps ahead and it’s quite a culture shock for an Asian.

“From playing in state and minor leagues, now I’m here in a top league. In my mind, it was ‘this is real football now’. Many players at that level were former Bundesliga reserves or youths.

“Over there, I realise the only way for me to play football at the highest level is to play one touch, two touches, give and go. Before that I was a bit individualistic, I wanted to take on players and show some tricks; hogging on the ball for too long basically. That was where I started to change my football style.”


Low altered his playing style to adapt to the leagues he played in

The following year in 2009, Low took a 45-minute train trip across the border to Switzerland to play as a guest player for FC Basel’s futsal team and ended up signing for their sister club, Swiss second division side FC Concordia Basel.

However, he spent only half a season there before the club went bankrupt.

He then played in Hungary for the rest of the year with third-tier side Buki TK but left the club due to unpaid wages.

“It all came about from a crazy idea to go watch my favourite team Arsenal with my American friend, they were playing a first division team called Szombathelyi Haladas in pre-season,” he explained.

“We got to train with the club’s reserves but it was an under-21 outfit so they recommended us to Buki.”


Low took his chances in Thailand

The adventurous footballer decided to try his luck in Singapore once again upon his return in 2010, but failed to impress in a trial with Geylang United (now Geylang International).

Lacking options, Low instead played for Keppel Monaco (now Yishun Sentek Mariners) in the National Football League (NFL) for a season.

He would then leave for Thailand in 2011 and had training stints with Chonburi FC and Bangkok United, before signing for second-tier Rangsit University, but left after just three months due to unpaid wages.

Hello Mongolia

Low saw out the rest of the year back in Singapore with NFL side Gambas Ave and spent some time recovering from injuries, before securing a landmark move to Mongolia in mid-2012 through his agent to play for top-flight side Khoromkhon FC.

The move to the landlocked East Asian nation made was well reported by the local media that year, raising his profile hugely.

“That was the start of the shake up, right?” he reminisced. “I didn’t know much about the league but I did hear that two members of North Korea’s World Cup 2010 squad played in the league the previous year, so the standard can’t be too bad.

“The players there are good technically, it’s just that they lacked some tactical exposure and the knowledge of international games.

“When the plane arrived, I saw all the hills, the land, the livestock; when I went to the main city, it was mostly Russian Cold War architecture which can be a bit depressing. But for me, I didn’t care; I just wanted to do my job and play well.

“I was living in an apartment with the other foreigners. For a Singaporean, you might complain the place looks a bit old and the bed’s a bit hard. But for me, I’m alright because I grew up in Africa and have been to places with poverty.”


David Low is the only Singaporean to have won the Mongolian Cup!

It proved to be a memorable experience as Low helped Khoromkhon win the Mongolian Cup and finish runners-up in the League.

He continued his nomadic ways in 2013, first trying his luck in Iceland with Fram FC and featured in a friendly against fellow top-flight club IBV, but soon left due to the league’s restrictions on non-EU players.

Through a former teammate’s contact, Low went to train in Paris for a brief period under former Cameroon World Cup player Emmanuel Maboang Kessack – who was in charge of a team filled with mostly African free agents looking for pro teams.

The latter hooked him up for trials in Belgium thereafter, but the deal fell through.

He would eventually find his way to New Zealand to join top-flight club Southern United, but it proved to be a disastrous move as he lasted just two months there.

“That was my biggest regret,” admitted Low. “I should have studied how the club play and their standings but I didn’t; I just went into it. I soon realised I didn’t suit the club’s style of play which is very long ball.

“I didn’t like it there because it’s very cold. And the grounds there are mostly slanted instead of being level. Over there the winds are so strong; when a high ball comes to you, the wind blows the ball in another direction so I got to run again to chase it.

“The local players are used to that, but not me. I also had a fall-out with the coach so I decided to leave.”

Low would surprise you with his tales

Low left for Auckland and trained with Waitakere United for a while, before returning to Singapore at the start of 2014.

An opportunity with S.League giants Warriors FC came up, but he failed to earn a contract after the trial.

He then left for Italy mid-year to link up with Equipe Lombardia, a pre-season team in which free agents come together to play against professional teams and hope to be scouted.

A trial with Serie D side AC Pro Sesto came up, but a move did not materialise due to work permit issues.

“It was unfortunate (not to get signed) but still a great experience,” he shared. “I loved it because football was so systematic and tactical there. You can see the professionalism; in the dressing room, they draw up charts on where you play, every player supports one another on and off the pitch.”

Low then flew straight from Milan to USA in August and spent three months on the books of Chivas USA before the club folded in October.



Nigel Reo-Coker was even his teammate at one point!

“I went to their second team which plays in the MLS Reserve League, but there were still opportunities to train with the first team,” he shared.

“It was surreal to share a dressing room with former Premier League players Carlos Bocanegra and Nigel Reo-Coker.

“The coach came over and asked ‘Dave, why did you come here when the club is going to fold?’. But for me, it wasn’t an issue. I just wanted the chance to showcase myself and experience a higher level of football.”

Cameroon came calling

Going into his early 30s, Low returned to Singapore the following year in 2015 and pondered on a post-football life.

However, it turned out that there was to be one last chapter in his footballing adventures as he packed his bags and went off to Cameroon in August.

However, it turned out that there was to be one last chapter in his footballing adventures as he packed his bags and went off to Cameroon in August.

Through the recommendation of Maboang Kessack, whom he kept in touch with, the attacking midfielder joined top-flight outfit Canon Yaounde and played there for four months.

“Age was catching up and I thought it’s time to settle down,” he shared. “But I got a call from Maboang, who’s now coach of the Cameroon under-23s and he asked me where I’m playing.

“I told him ‘boss, I have no club now man!’ He replied, ‘I know I sound crazy, but what about Cameroon?’ He played for Canon as a player and knows their coach back then. He saw me play before and still believed in my abilities.

“I thought I would just give it a shot. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just retire. So I did my medical check-up, packed my bag and just flew. Before I went, I prepared myself in my mind that Africa’s going to be very tough physically and true enough, it was.”

Low had to overcome much scepticism in the initial stages to convince people of his abilities, before eventually winning the hearts of the Canon faithful.

Low claims he was a fan favourite in Cameroon

“When the coach first saw me, he told me ‘one hour running’ just to see how fit I was,” he shared. “Then there was an 11-a-side game and I knew this was it; this is Africa where I can’t afford to mess around. If I hog on the ball, the players will just knock me off.

“I just kept my game simple with one or two touches and created two to three goals. They were impressed because usually Asian players struggle to play there so I was signed after a two-week trial.

“You know over there, it’s not just down to the coach’s decision to sign a player. The club president, the captain and the head of the fan club got to watch and agree. If the players don’t like you, they will rebel against you so you got to show that you possess the ability to play alongside them.

“The fans loved me and were crazy. They love foreigners who can play. Wherever I go, they will shout ‘Canon chinois (French word for Chinese)! Canon chinois! They were sad to know I then left. “

Low played a few cup games before being released by the club in November, but eventually returned to the country the following January to play for Cosmos de Bafia for half a season.

Low's adventure in Cameroon lasted a year

“I felt that I had unfinished business there so I decided to try out for another team,” he said. “The president of Cosmos is a good friend of Maboang so I got the opportunity to trial.

“Same thing, I had to do one-hour running first. Then the first game, I got a head-on collision with the goalkeeper already! The coach wanted to take me off but I insisted on continuing.”

The ability to persevere and fight against the odds would stand him in good stead as he fought his way into Cosmos’ first team and endeared himself to the fans once again.

There was also a bit of a media frenzy, with local radio stations addressing him as ‘the White Boy of Cosmos’.

“Trust me, it was tough. Training’s at 6am to 8am every day with lots of running involved; I have got to wake up at 4.45am, leave house by 5.15am and be at the training ground by 5.45am,” he elaborated.

“On days that we don’t do well, there is an additional two-hour afternoon session.

“Every Thursday is D-Day, we’ll play against a Division 2 or 3 team – we must do well in that game to get into the reckoning for first eleven. You can imagine how many players are fighting to play. Don’t forget there’s the reserve team.

Low said everyday was a struggle in Africa

“Over there, the reserves will ask ‘coach, why is this guy, this Chinese foreigner on the pitch?’ Coach told them ‘if you can play better than him, then you take his place’. So, I made sure every game and training, I give everything because I wasn’t there as a tourist.

“On Saturday a day before the game, it’s two-hour running with hill runs. Sunday usually are game days. On Monday, it’s recovery training with one-hour running. It’s physically and mentally tough; when I get some small injuries, I just take painkillers, wrap my knee and go. I don’t know what strength I had but I just pushed to my limits.

“I realised over there you cannot show that you’re weak. If you did so, they will ‘makan’ (malay slang for bully) or disregard you. One bad game and they’ll kick you out of the first team, it’s very fast. Thousands of players are fighting to get in because it’s the only way to get out of poverty, yet I’m here playing in the first team so many are naturally jealous and I have to show my calibre.”

Low then left the club midway through the season in June as he yearned for one last opportunity to play in Europe before he retired.

An opportunity with a newly-formed club in Portugal did come up, but Low would return to Singapore after just two weeks due to ‘unkept promises’.

There was also an offer from Thai third-tier side Yala United thereafter, but he turned down a move to due to prior bombing occurrences.

What now?

After spending the last five months of 2016 in intensive physiotherapy sessions to cure the constant knee and ankle pains that have plagued him in recent years, Low revealed he is now settled back in Singapore and content to play football at a social level.

“I got to be realistic, I’m turning 34 this November so no football teams will want me at this age,” he shared. “If a good offer comes, I will consider it. If not, I’m as good as retired now.

“I’m giving myself this year to look at opportunities and prepare for life after football. I’ve done my bodyguard course, now I’m doing security systems for banks through a friend’s referral and learning cyber security as well.

“I’m a qualified youth coach with the NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) so I may want to do coaching overseas. I’m pretty versatile and ready for any opportunity. Expenses in Singapore are high, so I have got to look at ways to survive, the more so now that I allowed myself to get into a relationship and my parents are getting old.”

While Low’s career has been anything but orthodox, he insisted he was proud of the nomadic journey he took and offered a few tips for anyone who is inspired to take the same path.

Low will never be called up by Sundram but he has no regrets

“Even though I never played professionally in Singapore, I feel that I don’t have to prove myself here to anyone anymore because I’ve done so in better leagues and to some top-level coaches like Maboang, John Hughes and Emilano Mondonico,” he declared.

“I’m not saying this because I didn’t get a chance here. If I had gone abroad and failed, then probably the problem lies with me.

“My mindset has always been not to give up despite the odds stacking against you. Football’s a game of opinions; if someone say you’re not good, that doesn’t mean you are. Rather than sitting back and giving up, I preferred to go out there and challenge myself in different countries, even in harsh conditions.

“I believe getting yourself slaughtered is the only way to know where you stand. In any professional, an individual always want to challenge himself to the highest level and that was what I was doing.

“To survive abroad, you must have a lot of self-belief and be thick-skinned because there’s scepticism and an inferiority complex automatically when it comes to Asian players, which you have to overcome.

“You must be mentally strong to take a pay cut, people usually think there’s more money abroad but that’s not the case. You must be willing to play in various positions to gain more playing time.”

“Honestly now I’m drained physically and mentally because I gave everything when I’m abroad. I played through the pain barriers, went through countless trials to prove myself, there’s uncertainties like money problems and all the travelling. But going this far, I’ve no regrets and now I just want to enjoy my life in another way.”



Photos: David Low







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