June 18, 2023

In this Father’s Day Special, SailorFanTalk sits down with Lincoln Mao, the father of Nathan Mao, the Sailors Academy player who became Singapore Premier League’s youngest ever debutant at 15 years and 5 days old earlier this year. At a time when parents would usually argue about whether their child’s first word was “mama” or “dada”, there was no such problem in the Mao household. “His first word was ‘ball’”, Lincoln said with a chuckle. “By 10 months he was already walking and kicking a ball”. Talk about a fast start. Early Development Lincoln and his wife were and still are massive Manchester United supporters, so as football fans, when they saw that their son seemed to have a strong interest in kicking a ball, they sent Nathan for lessons in various academies, and some had a greater impact on Nathan’s football development than others. “Nate had a very good coach called Lee Burgess from ESPZen, who really believed in Nate’s ability. He helped us to see that Nate was very good for his age, both skill-wise and also football brain-wise. He would always give Nate special attention during training, and even when he left Singapore, he tried his best to find a coach who could continue to give Nate the same quality of football education. “Then of course, in 2019 he moved over to LFA Protectors, which is now the LCS Academy, and Nate benefited from having a group of very talented children at his age that he could play with and train with week in week out.” His Role as a Father Conversation is brisk and sometimes aimless, but in an enjoyable way. We occasionally move away from the focus of the interview to not just eat our dinner, but also talk about how we are connected. Lincoln’s sister studied in NUS Law School at the same time I did, while his brother-in-law was my supervising solicitor when I first started out as a lawyer. Small world. Or small Singapore at least. I return the focus of the conversation to how Lincoln sees his role as a father. Is he the “traditional” type who says very little and dispenses tough love? “No, no, I like talking to Nathan a lot, my wife and I like being involved in his life. My wife more than myself maybe! She’s always talking to him about his games and what went on in his day – she’s perhaps a bigger supporter of Nathan than I am”, Lincoln said, before joking “maybe you should have interviewed her instead of me!” He added, “As a father, it is my role to imbue in him certain values, but also grow in independence – we can’t do everything for him. We’re a Christian family and I am a pastor, so it’s also important for us to teach Nathan that life is not about climbing the ladder, or earning a lot of money. Life is about using the gifts that God has given you to serve others. We see football as a gift that God has given him, and we want to encourage him to hone that gift.” But at what cost? Was Lincoln not worried that the more involved Nathan was in his football career, the less academic success he would achieve? Studies v Sports Lincoln expected this question. It is one of the main reasons often cited for Singapore’s lack of success in football – parents just want their kids to study. However, Lincoln’s answer was not what I expected – he spoke almost immediately about how the pitch is also a very good classroom. “There’s a lot of learning on the pitch too – it’s a very rich learning ground. A lot of it you don’t learn in a classroom – how to deal with defeat, how to manage your emotions, how to deal with poor refereeing, how to encourage your teammates when they’re down. That’s why we have no qualms letting Nathan pick up football at such a young age – we feel he can learn all these lessons.” Lincoln then touched on the career aspect of football as well. “The time spent in sports is not wasted. If he chooses to do something sports-related, it’s a huge asset of course. Now he understands his body and how it functions, breathing, etc, he knows a lot. He’s been trained in all this and there are multiple pathways for someone to remain in this industry.” When I pressed Lincoln on how much exactly the frequent trainings and matches impact Nathan’s studies, he assured me that Nathan is still doing well in school, and stated emphatically that it is possible to juggle studies and football. “There will be sacrifice, less time to meet friends, less time to play computer games, and your grades might take a small hit, but in terms of securing a financial pathway? Definitely can be done. In fact, Nate’s teachers say that he can do a bit better if he puts his mind to it and practises a little more – they do not think it is because he has a lack of time. The reality is that if Nate or any student really puts in some time everyday to revise and do homework, he’ll be OK.” Lincoln’s commitment to Nathan’s football meant that even during the PSLE, he did not pull Nathan out of his LFA training and matches. “It’s a team sport, the matches are still ongoing. You can’t study all day anyway.” That dedication to football has certainly paid off, as Nathan went from strength to strength in the LCS Academy, first excelling in overseas trips, and eventually appearing for the first team. Nathan in the First Team I was curious to know what Lincoln felt about Nathan’s debut, a cameo against Tampines Rovers FC. I sheepishly admitted to Lincoln that in the post-match interviews with fans, I got a little carried away slamming Milos Zlatkovic for his late challenge on Nathan, when on second viewing, it