Sean is glad he chose football over squash
SEAN Eugene Selvaraj was equally good in squash and football in his younger days but chose the latter as a career.
The 21-year-old, who is part of Ong Kim Swee’s 27-member training squad for the Sea Games, represented Negri Sembilan not only in football but also in squash when he was in primary school.
“I played in the CIMB National Junior Circuit in 2007, but I gave it up after that to focus on football. I was encouraged to play football when I was seven years old by my grandfathers, one of whom was a referee while the other played the game in competitions in his estate,” said Sean, who grew up in Lukut, Port Dickson, yesterday.
“I dedicate all my achievements to my mother, Elvira Michell Danker. My parents separated when I was 11 years old.
“My mother brought me up and my other two siblings, and I hope to repay her one day by becoming a successful footballer.”
The striker, who is a member of Negri’s President Cup squad, spent three years at the Tunku Ismail Sports School, before joining the now-defunct Young Tigers C in 2014 in the FAM Cup, where he scored six goals.
In 2015, Sean moved back to Negri, where he has been playing in the President Cup since then.
Sean and is currently the leading scorer for Negri’s President Cup team with 11 goals. He has also played senior matches for Negri’s Premier League team. Last year, he made five appearances and netted two goals.
Sean’s fortunes with the national youth team have improved since Kim Swee was reappointed as the coach in March.
He was part of the team that were on tour in China, where they played three matches, in June. He made the starting line up in one match and came on as a substitute in the other two games.
“I must thank the coach for giving me a break in international youth football. I owe him a lot. The exposure will definitely make me a better player,” said Sean.