THE TUESDAY FEATURE: Long Tran



What was supposed to be a one-year stay in New Zealand has since become Long Tran's home.



FROM STREET SOCCER TO UNDERGROUND FC: Long Tran's long road

The leafy Auckland suburb of Mount Eden is a far cry from the suburban streets of Vietnam, but Underground FC striker Long Tran wouldn't have it any other way.

Holidays don't just provide Tran with some refuge from the towering work he has in order to achieve a commerce degree at Auckland University - it provides him with time to think of years gone by.

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Stacked houses line the streets as power cables choke powerlines like many of the 130 different types of snake found in the country. Concrete is the field of dreams, a plastic ball the weapon of choice and the most significant footwear is none at all.

Born and raised in Bac Ai, Tran's childhood was spent playing four-on-four football on the streets, often waiting for bicycles overloaded with rolls of fabrics and other items.

It was there they played for money. 2000 dong - less than 20 New Zealand cents - was on the line for the team who scored a goal. Known as the Bac Ai team, they would often challenge other neighbourhoods - or be challenged - before they underwent battle.

His promise up front saw him play for three schools in Vietnam before he made the daunting move to Auckland, New Zealand in July 2008.

What was supposed to be a trip based solely on learning English has since become a part of Tran. He loves New Zealand, and the land of the long white cloud is most certainly where he calls home.

It's a relaxing sort of place, is New Zealand. Wanganui, in particular, isn't known for its pressure - a great place for him to thrive, and he did just that when he was selected for Wanganui High School's 1^st XI before going on to represent the region as a part of the Athletic club's Under-19 team.

Football wasn't exactly the most important aspect of his life when he came here. Don't get him wrong, it most certainly is a part of who he is, but with the added pressure of learning a new language in a full immersion environment, the sport he loved wasn't going to suffer as a result.

But his progress has reached a stage where his knowledge of English - a language hard enough to learn at the best of times - has seen him pursue a commerce degree at the University of Auckland.

He has also progressed in other areas of life, with his interest in Christianity peaking after after-dinner Bible readings and attending the odd service with his third homestay family before staying at Eden Christian Hostel in 2010. It was there he met his flatmates, Nathan, Ben, Philip and Jonathan.

He stumbled upon Underground FC thanks to some mutual friends and he has enjoyed every moment of it.

"It's a good team - good fun. Nothing's too serious. It's social a bit and it keeps me fit."

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Tran heads home to see his mother and father in Vietnam on occasions. When he does, the striker tries to meet up with his some of his former neighbourhood team mates from Bac Ai.

The times have changed - street football has since been replaced by an indoor arena, with the losing team to pay for the use of the court - but it doesn't matter to Tran.

For him it's about the memories. Those mental snapshots that will live long in the striker's thoughts for occasions when he will look back once more at the good old days.