It was 7:30pm on Saturday night, July 7, when the phone rang. I was trying to get the DVD player to work without success, so I wasn't in the best of moods. This guy with a South-East Asian accent started talking:
'Hello, is this Mike Jones?'
'Are you trying to sell me something? And who's calling?'
'No, I'm not trying to sell you something, Mr Jones. And I'm Wong Chun Lam, one of the three managing directors at South China Athletics Association'
'I work in football, not athletics'
'We're better known as South China FC'
'The club from Hong Kong?'
'Yes. We are intrested in securing your services'
'I might have to check with my other half'
'Okay, goodbye. I'll call you back tommorow at 6 o'clock in the evening'
Just then, my wife Lucy came up the stairs.
'Who was that?'
'Wong Chun Lam, a managing director from Sotuh China FC'
'Who?'
'South China FC, a club from Hong Kong. They want me to be their manager'
'That's really great! I've always wanted to live in Hong Kong!'
'So have I. He'll be ringing me back at 6 tommorow evening'
'I'm so pleased! You've managed to find a job!'
'I sure have'
Sunday, July 8 2007
It was 6 in the evening when the phone rang. I picked it up eagerly. A rather Indian voice started talking. I thought it was Wong Chun Lam.
'Hello Mr Jones'
'Oh, hi!'
'We have a great sale-' (I hung up at that moment).
Lucy looked at me angrily.
'DID YOU JUST HANG UP ON THAT FOOTBALL GUY FROM HONG KONG?!?'
'No, it was a salesperson'
'Oh, okay.
Then, 8 minutes later the phone rang again.
'Hello, who is it?'
'It's me, Wong Chun Lam'
'Oh, hello!'
'We would like you to come for a meeting in Victoria, the capital of Hong Kong, on July 14. Would you be able to make it?'
'I don't know, that's a rather short time to sort out a flight, and stuff like that'
'Don't worry. We'll send a private jet out tommorow afternoon, at half-past 4'
'Okay, thanks'
Monday, July 9 2007
We went to our nearest airport, Cardiff International Airport, at 1 and three hours later, the private jet arrived to take me and Lucy to Hong Kong. Both of us informed friends and family of what was going on. We arrived in Hong Kong at 10 at night British time, 5 in the morning Hong Kong time.
Wednesday, July 11 2007 We spent the day house hunting in the city of Mong Kok, where the South China home ground and training ground is located. We found a reallt nice property near the training ground. Me and Lucy had spent the day before recovering from jet lag.
Saturday, July 14 2007
I arrived at the meeting at 10am Hong Kong time, 3am British time. Victoria is a really great city. The people who were there from South China were:
Lo Kit Shing, South China chairman
Wong Chun Lam, South China management director
Leung Hung Tak, South China management director
Hung Cho Hong, South China management director
Lee Yun Wah, South China general manager
Lam Shing Tai, South China general manager
Lam Kai Tai, South China general manager
Hu Fa Kuang, South China director
The meeting went really well. At the end, Lo Kit Shing stayed with me. He pushed over the table to me a contract. It said my wages would be £230 per week until May 2009, when the contract would end. I would get a new car, childcare (even though I don't have any kids), and would cover the cost of the house. I signed it immediatly. I will be starting on July 30 2007.
I would be able to work in Hong Kong on 26 July, so everything is sorted, and I'm South China's new manager!
I'll keep you all updated with my career!
