Star soccer graduate has world at his feet
A Stanley school pupil who beat 600 other young local players will travel half way around the world to test himself against other budding football stars in Manchester United's annual skill competition.
'I play central midfield and my idol is [winger] Ryan Giggs,' said Tam Lok-hin, a Form Two student at St Stephen's College, yesterday.
Lok-hin will travel to Manchester for the Grand Skills Final after being named as the best Hong Kong player yesterday in the 12 to 15-year age group. It is the first batch of graduates from the Manchester United Soccer School in Hong Kong.
The best player from the 8 to 11 age category will be named later this week and also travel to Manchester for the grand final.
Former England international Mick Duxbury, who was the head coach for the skills school in Hong Kong, said Lok-hin had 'great natural abilities', modesty and a desire to succeed. 'I've not seen the other best players yet, but the score Tam got was one of the highest we've seen,' said the ex-England fullback. 'He's a lovely lad.'
The grand final will be held at United's state-of-the-art training complex at Carrington, although the date has not been set. Lok-hin and the other Hong Kong winner, each accompanied by a parent, will also be treated to a Premier League match at United's Old Trafford stadium. Last year's overall winner of the skills competition was sent on an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris Disneyland.
'I'll go to England with my mother, as she will be able to take care of me,' said Lok-hin, who also represents Hong Kong at under-16 level.
The best hopefuls from England and around the world will take part in the competition where players will have to go through a series of skill tests. They will be tested in shooting, ball control, dribbling, lofted passes and short passes. In equivalent tests conducted at the end of his 20-week course, Lok-hin scored 900 points.
Although he admitted he has not learnt many fancy tricks, Lok-hin said: 'Compared with the skills test results I got when I applied for a sponsorship from Cathay Pacific for the course, my skills have improved.'
