IN THE PLAYERS' LOUNGE ...

This month, the BC Magazine shares a leisurely glass with the urbane, sartorially elegant Chris Askew, prolific-ish striker, laddish prankster and red-hot computer wheeler-dealer.

Born: April 7, 1962 in Hackney, East London (a true Cockney by birth)

Partner: Nataly, a wonderful German lady who has come into my life; Children: Charlotte, 20, James, 17 – both back in the UK and missed terribly.

Arrived in Singapore: 1984

Work: Senior Vice-President, Lenovo Inc.

Favourite movie: Pulp Fiction/Lock, Stock and Two-Smoking Barrels

Favourite album: Winelight by Grover Washington
Favourite book: Papillon by Henri Charriere
Favourite team: Spurs

Nickname: Dell Boy

BCM: Chris, thanks for sparing time out from your busy corporate schedule. You recently switched from Dell (a U.S. computer maker) to Lenovo (a Chinese rival). What have been the main surprises in moving to China Inc.?

Chris: Now that’s a great question … one I could take many pages on … However, if I’m honest there are perhaps not too many surprises. I’ve been doing business in China for 13+years now and just thoroughly enjoy focus on growth, the customer and winning. Maybe the biggest surprise, and it makes me realise why we had trouble competing with Lenovo previously, is the fantastic quality of the product and the amazing levels of innovation it represents.

OK, enough of the serious stuff, I have a reputation to maintain …

BCM: Yes, but, you’re a bit of a thinker on the quiet. Where do you stand in the debate between Locke, who maintains Man is inherently good, versus Hobbes, who says we are born evil and need good government to keep us in check?

Chris: Oh c’mon … although it seems somewhat paradoxical to refer to the need for good government to contain the evils of Man when you look around at the geopolitical landscape today that so called ‘good governments’ have created. I do though, absolutely believe, that we are all born inherently good.

BCM: Maybe, but not necessarily good at football. You’re into your fourth season with the BC. As a striker, you have scored 19 goals … few enough that you can probably remember them all quite clearly. Which has brought you the most pleasure?

Chris: Well to be fair, I’ve been a bit of a sick-note recently. There are quite a few very wealthy surgeons spending a lot of time at Sentosa Golf Club at my expense! Equally, both times I’ve made a comeback, I’ve scored a hat-trick and 4 goals respectively. Then there are all the fantastic saves, the rebounds off the bar and post, and the goals I’ve unselfishly set up for team-mates. So, not that bad a record … almost up there with the legendary Martin Chivers! (Did I tell you I met him recently …?) Most pleasure? All of them (isn’t that what a striker’s meant to say!) … Apart from the one Mr. Petyt still claims, which I’m sure I nudged over the line with my left boob.

BCM: Favourite Asian holiday hideaway?

Chris: Maldives, followed closely by Bali. Fantastic diving in the Maldives, a true escape from the craziness around us.

BCM: If you were sent to a desert island for six months, but could take one BC soccer team-mate for company, who would it be, and why?

Chris: Hmm … none of them would look good in a grass skirt, but, maybe, Nick Groth could teach me German (go figure); Antony Litherland would always ensure there was food around; and Andy Petyt’s day job selling creams would ensure the skin didn’t get all burnt and wrinkled.

BCM: Best-Ever Spurs XI?

Chris: Pat Jennings (forgiven for moving to Arsenal); Mike England, Sol Campbell (still not forgiven for moving to Arsenal), Danny Blanchflower, Phil Beale; Glenn Hoddle (God), Paul Gascoigne (almost God!), Martin Peters, Ralph Coates (just for the comb-over!); Martin Chivers and Chris Askew

BCM: Er, so that’s Chivers and Askew … but no Lineker, Klinsmann, Berbatov, Greaves? I asked for Best-Ever XI, not Fantasy XI. Also, no place for Dave Mackay, Ossie Ardiles, Alan Gilzean, Cliff Jones? And no Steve Perryman? And who on earth is Phil Beale?