By Neil McCormack
Football Tribe Asia catches up with the 21-year-old half Singaporean defender Perry Ng, who plays in England for League Two side Crewe Alexandra.
Hi Perry. For the benefit of our readers, can you tell us where in England is Crewe?
Crewe is in Cheshire in the North-West of England. It is not far from Stoke and you can get to Manchester in about 35 minutes.
Do people in England have any difficulty pronouncing your surname?
Yes, all the time! People don’t believe me when I say it.
Crewe Alexandra were relegated from League One at the end of the 2015/16 season. How did it feel for you to get relegated?
It was hugely disappointing to be involved in something like that but the challenge now is to get back as soon as we can.
In previous interviews, you’ve stated that you are keen to play for Singapore. Are you serious about that?
Yes, I still have family there and it is something that has been mentioned before. It is certainly an option.
Are you disappointed that the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) didn’t follow through after making contact with you?
They have been in touch previously but things didn’t move forward.
Which manager/coach would you prefer playing for? One who is too cautious and always parks the bus or one who is adventurous and attack minded.
Oh, always attack-minded. Although I am a defender, I want to get forward especially if I am playing at right back. Part of me would love to play in midfield and get further forward, but I’ve got to fully establish myself in whatever position the manager wants me to play.
Is it strange to you that non-Singaporean teams have won the S-League for the last 2 years?
The standard is pretty good. I trained with the Singaporean Development squad once and they were very good. It is football and just means the competition is good.
Singapore recently lost 2-1 to Taiwan in Asian Cup qualifying. Do you think the Lions can still qualify?
Yes. Hopefully, they can. When you have a setback, you have to move on quickly to the next challenge.
What effect will England winning the Under-20 World Cup have on football in the country?
I think them winning it will inspire the young players in the country to want to be successful at both club and international level. Hopefully, it will mean more young players will get a chance at first team level, it is difficult to get that chance in the Premier League.
Crewe Alexandra finished the season in 17th. Can you push for promotion next season?
That is the target we have set ourselves. We want to be challenging at the right end of the table. We will do everything we can to be competitive.
Lastly, you were born in Liverpool. Can they win the title next season?
I think they are going in the right direction under Jurgen Klopp. I’m sure they will be a force but there are a lot of top clubs and they will need a bit of luck with injuries and stuff like that. We’ll have to see.