Jasper Chan, is a Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

an footballer

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 who plays as a goalkeeper for S.League

S.League

The S.League is the top men's professional association football league in Singapore. The league was launched in 1996 and currently involves 12 clubs.-History:...

 side, Young Lions

Young Lions (Singapore football team)

The Courts Young Lions are an under-23 football team from Singapore. Most of the members of the squad are players from Singapore's national under-23 team. The team comes under the direct control of the Football Association of Singapore , but is managed as a football club and has competed in...

 and also the Singapore national football team

Singapore national football team

The Singapore national football team is the national association football team of Singapore. The team comes under the organization of the Football Association of Singapore...

.

Club career

Jasper started out in football as a striker, only switching to between the sticks when he was 12 "because the competition for outfield players got a bit hot."

His rise from S-League rookie to major player has been a steep one. When he first joined his current club, Young Lions

Young Lions

Young Lions may refer to:* Young Lions , an album by Adrian Belew* Young Lions , an under-23 football team* Young Lions , an Australian police drama* "Young Lions", a song by Constantines...

, he was only the 2nd choice keeper. But two months into his professional football career, he got a starting spot in the first eleven and he has kept it since.

International career

He was part of the Singapore Under-23 team that took part in the 2007 Southeast Asian Games

2007 Southeast Asian Games

The 24th Southeast Asian Games was held in Nakhon Ratchasima , Thailand from December 6 to December 15, 2007....

 in Korat

Korat

Korats are a slate blue-grey shorthair domestic cat with a small to medium build and a low percentage of body fat. Their bodies are semi-cobby, and surprisingly heavy for their size. They are intelligent, playful, active cats and form strong bonds with people. Among Korats' distinguishing...

, Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

 that won a bronze medal.

His sterling performances for the club has not gone unnoticed. He was first called up to the Singapore national football team

Singapore national football team

The Singapore national football team is the national association football team of Singapore. The team comes under the organization of the Football Association of Singapore...

 in September 2007 and he has been a regular fixture in the national team since, although only as a substitute behind Lionel Lewis

Lionel Lewis

Lionel Lewis is a Singaporean footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for Home United FC and the Singapore national football team. Lewis is known for his bulky frame, remarkable shot-saving abilities and ferocious presence in goal...

 and Hassan Sunny

Hassan Sunny

Hassan Sunny is a professional soccer player who plays for the Tampines Rovers FC in the S.League and the Singapore national football team.-Club career:Hassan has previously played for S.League clubs Geylang United FC and Young Lions....

. As of May 28, 2008, he was still uncapped.

The goalkeeping coach for Singapore, Lee Bee Seng who played for Singapore in the 1970s, made the bold prediction that "it is only a matter of time before (Chan) starts challenging for a place in the national team".

Personal life

Jasper Chan is also a full-time student at Temasek Polytechnic

Temasek Polytechnic

Temasek Polytechnic is the third polytechnic to be set up in Singapore. The polytechnic was established on April 6, 1990. With a 30 hectare campus overlooking the scenic Bedok Reservoir in the eastern part of Singapore, TP's campus places particular emphasis on the preservation of the natural...

, currently studying general business studies and will complete his course in 2011.

He ranks former Manchester United great Peter Schmeichel

Peter Schmeichel

Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...

 and Juventus custodian Gianluigi Buffon

Gianluigi Buffon

Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon, Ufficiale OMRI , is an Italian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Juventus and the Italian national team. He has won the FIFA World Cup and is widely considered by fans and experts to be one of most dominant and successful goalkeepers in history...

 as his heroes.

External links

• http://www.sleague.com/Web/Main.aspx?ID=,887925d1-1861-49fe-945d-b5b80365ea9e&NLT=300&AID=e626c46e-38b1-4810-bca5-2294f73c700c