Interview with Fred Fu - Passionate Arsenal Fan from Hong Kong
By Chris KL Lau
Being an Arsenal supporter, like all football fans can be a rollercoaster ride of emotions. To say that the Gunners have had an ever changing range of results and ups and downs over the last 20 years would be a huge understatement.
The rise of social media and ever-evolving technology now means that fans from all around the world can support a team from afar and keep abreast with all the latest team news and updates at the click of a mouse.
Arsenal are one of the most popular team brands around the world and boast 81.2 million social media followers across all platforms. The Gunners and their style of football is respected globally and at the last 'Count', there were roughly 1,937,7602 fans in Vietnam, 2,478,7921 in Egypt and a huge 3,512,453 in Indonesia.
As Arsenal are currently in the throes of their best top flight season after years of underachievement, a whole new generation of fans could possibly experience something similar to the golden generation of the 'Invincibles' who won all before them in the early 2000s.
Fred Fu is one such overseas Arsenal supporter who has fervently supported the Reds from Hong Kong for nearly two decades. In this in-depth interview, Fu discusses the ins and outs of being a long distance fan, all that it entails and just how dedicated a person needs to be competitive when they play fantasy football.
You're a big Arsenal supporter in Hong Kong. Can you tell me how you first began supporting arsenal? Is it easy being an Arsenal supporter in Hong Kong?
"It is easy and I think it was back in early 2000s when I started to support Arsenal and this was when Arsene Wegner was still the coach and my favourite player back then was Thierry Henry. It was at the height of the 'Invincibles' and they played attractive football and interestingly, that's kind of also when I guess we could watch more football on TV from around the world. So that's kind of when the affection for Arsenal grew in Hong Kong and now I guess there's no shortage of Arsenal supporters actually.
Though, I don't think the Arsenal fans are very organized or united in a way. For example, we don't have an official bar in Hong Kong so it's actually easy to bump into Arsenal supporters just randomly but not in a you know, very organized way!"
Does Hong Kong actually have an official Arsenal Hong Kong supporters club?
"Well, that's a good question! I want to say there is but it's not actively promoted in anyway. Certainly, unlike some of the other EPL clubs, they even have, like a youth football academy like Chelsea does in Hong Kong. Sport or something.
Basically, you've been supporting Arsenal since the early 2000s. Now, obviously technology has really improved. You have podcasts, social media, websites. Would you say that this has really decreased the gap between fans who are based in London and the fans around the world?
"Definitely! You know, we can catch everything about the club nowadays.
For example, on YouTube, I always watch the videos. I think the club has done a good job like putting out footages you know, even interviews with players.
And, obviously with so so many different news channels about the club, it doesn't really actually feel like being that distant. So I think that way, it's much better when we first started watching football when we were little. This aspect of coverage has definitely really improved because it used to be just a highlights and some live radio. It's really expanded now."
Now, some people will cynically say you're based out in Hong Kong. You don't have much physical connection to London. Some would say you're one of those 'fair weather' fans. What do you say to that?
"Well, I think, you know that technology has pulled us closer than it ever has. So people don't really get disconnected so easily. I think the other thing is a fair number of fans that I know of, do go to watch a home game at the Emirates Stadium once in a while. So I don't think you know, distance matters much in what I see anyway.
And I don't think Arsenal fans are fair-weather fans because we honestly haven't had the easiest decade recently! But we've stood by our team and and now hopefully this season, we're bearing fruit. I think we deserve the right to enjoy this time a little. Yes, yeah, it's been like 15 years of pain!15 years of pain and struggling!"
What's your favourite Arsenal memory?
"Well, personally, it's got to be the time when I first went to see a home game at Highbury. I think there was a five zero score line. I think it was towards the end of the season already and that result also was confirming a spot in the Champions League.
The experience was great! You know, we did the whole nine yards; cheer with other fans and have a meal together and have a beer so that was probably my favourite memory. I remember it was us winning and then I think the Spurs lost so it was perfect."
I know that you are a big fantasy football player and the format has really evolved over the years. It's very time consuming. What keeps you playing and does fantasy football really comes down to the people to play with?
"We have a very serious group of players who are really pushing each other! We are trying to do our very best with our teams and go out to beat each other every single week. It really grew from six or seven people about decade ago and now we have 21 managers now."
How long is an average? How long was a player on average have to spend sorting out the team?
"That's a great question because it really depends. It depends on how dedicated you are and to be fair nowadays there, like you said, there's so many different channels online where you can gather information, and you'll be surprised to know how much information there that is fantasy focused. So there are different types of analysis or data mining or tips for managers and so you can really spend a lot of time on it if you want to. I try to control my my time spent on it to maybe half an hour to an hour a week."
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