Sports Minutes: Kai Whitmore is a Young Lion now, but will he eventually be a part of Gavin's pride?

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

Sports Minutes with Zia-ul Raushan on MoneyFM 89.3.

Zia-ul Raushan (0:05)

MoneyFM 89.3 is time for Sports Minutes with me, Zia-ul Raushan. The brand new season is now a matter of days away, and as promised, Sports Minutes has been building you up to the brand new campaign. Check out the playlist if and when you can. Today's focus is on a team that has finished in the lower echelons of the league table. But could a new season bring a new charge? Kai Whitmore certainly hopes so, and he's in the hot seat to tell us more. Kai, welcome to the show. How are you doing?

Kai Whitmore (0:33)

Yeah, I'm all good, thanks.

Zia-ul Raushan (0:35)

Excited to have you, Kai. I've been trying to track you down for a while, but here you are in the flesh ahead of the new season. And the reason I've been trying to track you down for a while is because you've been in Singapore for a while. How have you spent your time off the pitch, settling in?

Kai Whitmore (0:49)

All good. When I was first year, I was decent going round, tight C and first C and everything. And then when I got into training and just been living normal, proper life, really.

Zia-ul Raushan (1:02)

The listeners are clearly aware of your background, where you come from. They can hear your accent by now. Have you caught up any Singlish along the way?

Kai Whitmore (1:10)

No, no, no Singlish, just English.

Zia-ul Raushan (1:12)

First, let's talk about joining the Young Lions project. It's been brewing for a while. It was made official sometime earlier this year. Kai, having the heritage and your interests to play for Singapore is one thing, but to embark on that adventure and find yourself in Singapore a long way from home is another thing. Why did you decide to take this leap of faith?

Kai Whitmore (1:31)

Just the opportunity, really. I have the part where my grandfather was born here. Rather than that, just come to explore the opportunity and new challenge, play football and see how it goes.

Zia-ul Raushan (1:42)

Kai, I hear what you're saying, but your last employer was Newport, right? Yeah. As far as I'm concerned, objectively speaking, that's of a much higher standard. To give that up must have been a big decision.

Kai Whitmore (1:52)

Yeah, obviously, it's a big decision. I think it's quite exciting and just see how it goes.

Zia-ul Raushan (1:56)

And when you talk about your grandfather's heritage, you make that big decision, right? You obviously consulted your family, I'm guessing?

Kai Whitmore (2:03)

Yeah, we obviously spoke about it briefly, but they're pretty easy going. They didn't really put any pressure on it. Just whatever I thought, they would support me either way.

Zia-ul Raushan (2:11)

They didn't put any pressure. I'm going to put a bit of pressure on you. You're 25, right? A footballer's career does not go on forever, right? To make such a big decision, at, I dare say, 25, is almost a peak of a footballer's life, is a big decision to make. Do you feel the pressure?

Kai Whitmore (2:26)

Yeah, it's obviously a big decision, but yeah, I don't really feel much of the pressure of it. Obviously, I haven't played yet. I just want to get back to playing and see how it goes, really.

Zia-ul Raushan (2:36)

The fact that you don't feel any pressure bodes well in terms of on the pitch. When a player can deal with pressure, that's always going to be good news. You talk about wanting to get back on the pitch. It's been a long wait for you in terms of lacing up your boots and playing an actual football game. How difficult has it been being away from something you love?

Kai Whitmore (2:53)

Yeah, it's been difficult. Obviously not as bad as an injury or something because I've been training every day. Just been missing out on the actual games. But obviously that's a lot easier than no football at all.

Zia-ul Raushan (3:04)

Was it always the plan for you to join midway through last season Singapore Premier League and then now have to wait till the new season starts?

Kai Whitmore (3:12)

No, I don't think it was part of the plan.

Obviously, things go on you got no control of. But yeah, I'm here now ready for the new season. Ready to get going.

Zia-ul Raushan (3:22)

And I guess footballers' lives are filled with curveballs like that, right? Speaking of plans, was it always the Young Lions that you zoomed in on when this opportunity in Singapore came? Was there other clubs that might have been interested?