ASEAN FootballLethal with both feet, Keo Sokngon is the captain of the Cambodian national Under-17 team where his hard work has proven to be inspiration to his team.
And while the goals might not have been free-flowing as he would have liked, there is no doubt that striker Sokngon is the rising star of Cambodian football.
Q: Tell us a little bit about where you are from?
A: I was born in Kratie province which is located some 300km away from the capital city of Phnom Penh. And from there I started to play football first with the schools before I was spotted to play here in the city.
Q: How old were you when you first started playing football?
A: I was six-years-old then and the reason why I chose football was because of all the games which I've played, I love football the most.
Q: How many of you are there in the family?
A: Apart from my parents, there are five of us altogether - three boys and two girls. I'm the fourth kid.
Q: What do your parents do?
A: They are in sales.
Q: Does any of your siblings play football?
A: Only my youngest brother Sokpheng plays football while my older brother Sokphan is into volleyball.
Q: Your first team?
A: Roka Kandal School. I've never played for the national age-group teams for Cambodia before. This Under-17 team is my first national team assignment in an international competition.
Q: Who do you play for at the moment?
A: Previously, I played for the Kratie Province Football club – before they changed the name to Moha Garuda FC - I've been with them since I was 15-years-old. The team is currently playing in the Cambodian Second League where we are all looking forward to playing in the higher Cambodian Premier League in 2008.
Q: How many goals have you scored for Moha Garuda FC?
A: I've scored 18 goals from 13 matches.
Q: Have you always played as a striker?
A: Always – I like to score goals and of course, I've been told that it is my natural position.
Q: Who do you fashioned your playing style after?
A: Thierry Henry. I feel that we have a similar built and I like the way he moves forward.
Q: What do you think of Cambodian football at the moment?
A: Cambodian football is developing. The level is higher than before. So there is a lot of excitement for the future. The football management currently (in the Football Federation of Cambodia) is working very hard for the game to grow further and in the right direction.
Q: Do you harbour any thoughts of playing abroad some day?
A: Of course – it is the ambition of any footballer to hone their skills to the highest level. I would like to change clubs to get more experience and high level competition. But more that importantly, I would like to join clubs with good coaches.
Q: Where do you think you would like to go?
A: Vietnam for the V-League. The standard is higher than it is in Cambodia. Perhaps given the opportunity, I hope to play for Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) some day.
Q: Now that you part of the Cambodian national Under-17 team, do you have any intention of playing for the senior Cambodian national team?
A: Of course, I would like to be part of the Cambodian national team for the Asean Football Championship qualifiers next year. I don't think that it will be hard to fit in though because the older players in the team will guide me through.
Q: What do you think of Cambodia's chances for the qualifiers of the Asean Football Championship next year?
A: It will not be easy for sure but I believe that we can be competitive.
And while the goals might not have been free-flowing as he would have liked, there is no doubt that striker Sokngon is the rising star of Cambodian football.
Q: Tell us a little bit about where you are from?
A: I was born in Kratie province which is located some 300km away from the capital city of Phnom Penh. And from there I started to play football first with the schools before I was spotted to play here in the city.
Q: How old were you when you first started playing football?
A: I was six-years-old then and the reason why I chose football was because of all the games which I've played, I love football the most.
Q: How many of you are there in the family?
A: Apart from my parents, there are five of us altogether - three boys and two girls. I'm the fourth kid.
Q: What do your parents do?
A: They are in sales.
Q: Does any of your siblings play football?
A: Only my youngest brother Sokpheng plays football while my older brother Sokphan is into volleyball.
Q: Your first team?
A: Roka Kandal School. I've never played for the national age-group teams for Cambodia before. This Under-17 team is my first national team assignment in an international competition.
Q: Who do you play for at the moment?
A: Previously, I played for the Kratie Province Football club – before they changed the name to Moha Garuda FC - I've been with them since I was 15-years-old. The team is currently playing in the Cambodian Second League where we are all looking forward to playing in the higher Cambodian Premier League in 2008.
Q: How many goals have you scored for Moha Garuda FC?
A: I've scored 18 goals from 13 matches.
Q: Have you always played as a striker?
A: Always – I like to score goals and of course, I've been told that it is my natural position.
Q: Who do you fashioned your playing style after?
A: Thierry Henry. I feel that we have a similar built and I like the way he moves forward.
Q: What do you think of Cambodian football at the moment?
A: Cambodian football is developing. The level is higher than before. So there is a lot of excitement for the future. The football management currently (in the Football Federation of Cambodia) is working very hard for the game to grow further and in the right direction.
Q: Do you harbour any thoughts of playing abroad some day?
A: Of course – it is the ambition of any footballer to hone their skills to the highest level. I would like to change clubs to get more experience and high level competition. But more that importantly, I would like to join clubs with good coaches.
Q: Where do you think you would like to go?
A: Vietnam for the V-League. The standard is higher than it is in Cambodia. Perhaps given the opportunity, I hope to play for Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) some day.
Q: Now that you part of the Cambodian national Under-17 team, do you have any intention of playing for the senior Cambodian national team?
A: Of course, I would like to be part of the Cambodian national team for the Asean Football Championship qualifiers next year. I don't think that it will be hard to fit in though because the older players in the team will guide me through.
Q: What do you think of Cambodia's chances for the qualifiers of the Asean Football Championship next year?
A: It will not be easy for sure but I believe that we can be competitive.
7 comments:
"Q: Where do you think you would like to go?
A: Vietnam for the V-League. The standard is higher than it is in Cambodia. Perhaps given the opportunity, I hope to play for Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) some day."
why in vietnam(youn)? Why not search your opportunity to in Korea, Japan, europe..?
To 7:47pm
If you want to go to the top, you have to claim one step at a time and then advance to the next step.
One step more in Thailand, Indonesia, , China, Korea, Japan is better than in vietnam(Youn)
The result of ASEAN U17 football championship:
First class : Thailand
Second class : Laos
Third class : Vietnam(Youn)
he want to follow Hun Xen way it's working better in Cambodia with the CPP in power!
Mother fucker!!
He is a son of a Vietnamese family in Kratie province. I sometime played soccer with him too. His father and mother could not speak Khmer clearly at all.
One of my buddies is of part Khmer and part Vietnamese living in Phnom Penh. He is one of the coolest kids that I've gone to school with. We played football and hung out all the time. You ignorant people just hate all the Vietnamese for your dreamy exaggerated reasons. You have nothing in your bodies but HATE. Soon enough, my friend, it will consume you all. As for this U-17 football player, good luck with your future dude. Do what you love and let nothing say you can't.
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