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 was just a standard foul.
Lincoln laughed and nodded.
“When I first saw it, I thought it was a sliding challenge too, but no it wasn’t. We were very happy that Nathan could come on and experience what it was like on the pitch. We felt very very privileged, and we were just so thankful that Nathan had the opportunity to do so.”
Talk then shifted to Nathan’s first start, against Geylang International FC. The stage was set because the U23 players were mostly at the SEA Games. Was there a sense of expectation in the Mao household – did they know Nathan’s first start for the first team was coming?
“It’s a bit like what you said in your match preview article! Many of the U23 boys were out at the SEA Games. It was very much a case of right place, right time. Jonan was also at NS, so he got his chance. I thought he did well that game, we’re just very thankful.”
Jonan Tan is also a young Sailor who made his debut earlier this season against Tanjong Pagar United, coming off the bench at the age of 16 years, 7 months and 28 days. It is clear that there has been an injection of youth into the Sailors’ ranks.
Lincoln also added that in the first team, Nathan is sometimes intimidated by the senior players, but they really look after him in training.
“He talks to us about it sometimes. Training with players of such magnitude as Hariss Harun, Maxime Lestienne and so many more, it can feel a little intimidating.
“However, he also tells me the fathers on the team are very nice to him, and treat him as if he was their own son. Quite a few of them are fathers actually. The training environment is very positive and very affirming. Even when he makes mistakes, they are very encouraging. You will remember Maxime standing up for him after the Zlatkovic tackle – Maxime is a father of young children as well.”
Future Hopes
Nathan hopes to make it into Europe one day, and those expectations are something that Lincoln and his wife help to manage as well.
“He feels he can compete, that is his dream, but we tell him it’s really difficult and a lot of things need to fall in place – and not all are within his control. He needs to be of a certain size, and his skills need to develop to a certain level. While we push him, we also remind him that he needs to do his best, and what he cannot control, he has to learn to accept.
“He shoots for the stars, Feyenoord, for example, or any other major European league,” Lincoln added with a quiet confidence.
“J-League…? Would that be good enough?” I hesitantly ventured.
Lincoln replied almost immediately, “That’s massive, if he can make it to J1 in the J-League, he will be the first Singaporean to play there. It will be amazing. Realistically, we’ve got the two Fandis in the Thai League, we’ve got one more in the Belgian 2nd Division. If Nate gets anywhere near those achievements, that’s already massive – these are the best players Singapore has.”
From the highs of the dreams that his son has, to the crushing realities that football sometimes cruelly doles out, I asked Lincoln whether he shares a fear that many parents have when their children pursue professional sport – the fear of bad injuries. Lincoln paused for a while, and replied matter-of-factly, “We know in football, injuries come, form comes and goes, coaches come and go, one day you’re favoured one day you might not be. It’s all part of the game, you learn to accept that this is part and parcel of life.
“If he gets a severe injury in his career, it’s not that bad, just go back to his academic path. The time he spent in sports would not be wasted”.
National Service
I decided I could not dodge the question forever, and asked for Lincoln’s thoughts on National Service and how it would impact Nathan. I expected a hesitant response, or maybe even a request not to discuss this potentially touchy issue, but Lincoln was quick to answer.
“I think it’s a given that NS will affect his development as a sportsman, but Nathan is hoping to follow the same route that Jonan took, enlist early and clear NS quick so that he can focus on playing the sport. It is a privilege to serve the country and as a father I want him to know that, and have that mindset. Jonan is a very good example of someone who is taking his NS seriously.”
For context, Jonan recently made some waves when he scored full marks for his IPPT in BMTC and was featured on BMTC’s Facebook page.
Lincoln added, “Of course this depends on whether Nathan is offered the same early enlistment contract by the Sailors, but we are hopeful that he will be.”
Training as a Sailor
Throughout the interview, Lincoln spoke highly of the Sailors and their academy programme.
“The coaches are very approachable, and as parents we can always ask them any questions. We’re just so grateful for the Sailors having such an elite programme – so thankful for Forrest [LCS Chairman] and LCS. It would have been so difficult to find somewhere to develop Nathan’s full potential.
“LFA was great, but it just doesn’t have anywhere near the same resources that LCS has. It’s crazy – the academy is so well-equipped, and it’s not just the training centre. First, the people – such as the coaches, physios, data analysts, video analysts, dietitians, etc. Second, all that technology as well, such as the video analytical software that Nathan has access to, the sports measuring technology that all the elite kids wear. Third, they keep such a tight rein on your lifestyle, they even get the dietitian to ensure that Nathan eats the nutritious dinner provided by the club.” You could see in the excited way that the usually calm and measured Lincoln was speaking that he was very impressed by what the Sailors had done.
As a Sailors fan, hearing all that obviously got me excited but it made me wonder out loud, if that meant that perhaps Nathan was not super unique, and whether Lincoln felt that this elaborate structured system would produce more like his son.
Lincoln readily agreed. “I think Nate is just the first of many – because the club is doing such a good job.”
A Father’s Pride
As we shared stories and laughter throughout the 2-hour dinner interview, it quickly dawned on us that the restaurant was closing soon. I posed this final question to Lincoln – what was his proudest moment so far as a father to Nathan?
Unsurprisingly, it was a football moment, but surprisingly, not the moment I was thinking of.
“It was back in 2019 in the National Schools Games. 3rd/4th placing match. He was a bit emotional and frustrated with his teammates in the first half of the match, but during the half-time talk, he apologised to his teammates and rallied the team to work together in the second half. It was a very encouraging moment because I saw him take responsibility for his actions. That’s very important and I was so proud of him”, Lincoln related to me and I could not help feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
At 10 months old, Nathan stood with a ball at his feet, but now, with the support of his parents and the Sailors, it is the world that is at his feet.
Written by Eddy Hirono , with a huge shout-out to Lincoln for being so game to accept the interview
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