One Pitch, One Home Team | Part 2

Written by Tang Ying Hui

PHOTO and GRAPHIC: Tang Ying Hui

A continued hobby from childhood

As a CNB Senior Investigation Officer (SIO), Faizil’s main role is to investigate drug offences. PHOTO: Tang Ying Hui

No fancy kits or proper pitches. For Mohamed Faizil bin Mohamed Farook, football began at the void deck when he was a six-year-old — slippers and water bottles standing in as goalposts, and a bunch of kids who wanted to play.

Growing up, SIO Faizil watched Manchester United when the big matches were shown on national TV. The club’s playstyle appealed to him and he has been a fan ever since. PHOTO: Tang Ying Hui

Decades later, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officer’s passion for football continues into the futsal pitch.

After his “O” Levels, SIO Faizil (right) participated in the try-outs for an S-League team, Marine Castle (now known as Hougang United Football Club). Even though he was not selected, he has continued playing the game. PHOTO: Tang Ying Hui

From kickabouts to conversations

On Friday nights, SIO Faizil enters the field for a game with his friends. Yet, there have been times when duty calls. “I’ve had to cancel my sessions due to work commitments,” he says. “But they know the nature of my work. They understand.”

SIO Faizil (right) and his primary school friend (left) started a futsal interest group. The games are a way for SIO Faizil to unwind. PHOTO: Tang Ying Hui

Over the years, the group has grown, with younger players joining. SIO Faizil’s friends would introduce him to them. This would naturally lead to conversations on the harms of drugs. “I share with them how drugs can harm not just the individual, but tear families apart.”

SIO Faizil (left) notices the differences in sharing about the harm of drugs at CNB’s outreach booths and during breaks between futsal games. “When I’m chatting in an informal setting, people tend to open up (and ask more).” PHOTO: Claire Tan

Some of his friends bring their children along to daytime futsal sessions. “They would joke with their kids that if they misbehave or get involved in drugs, I'll catch them,” SIO Faizil shares with a laugh. Beneath the humour, the real message on drug deterrence is not lost on them. “They might not fully understand it now,” he says, “but at least it gets to them that drugs are something bad. That impression sticks."

“Football has made me more attuned to the importance of meeting people where they are. I think that mindset carries over into engaging the community. I try to first build rapport and let trust develop naturally,” shares SIO Faizil (right). PHOTO: Claire Tan

Versatility on the pitch and into Home Team

Every game pairs SIO Faizil with a different set of teammates, much like the different colleagues he works alongside. “I can easily get along with most of them. Just like on the field, I would adapt my game according to the teammates.” During his days as the duty officer at Woodlands Division, SIO Faizil coordinated regularly with Singapore Police Force officers on drug cases. "Having an open mind and an approachable personality makes working across agencies so much smoother.”

SIO Faizil (right) learned to adapt his game on the pitch. Just like his idol, Ryan Giggs, he traded pace for precision and let his passes do the talking. PHOTO: Tang Ying Hui

A lesson he carries from the pitch is the leadership of Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson. “He was like a father figure. He taught the players that no one was above the team.” It is a standard he hopes to live up to. "I'm still learning how to be a good leader," he admits. But with Sir Alex Ferguson as his north star and 16 years in CNB behind him, the foundations are there.

“Individual skill matters, but it means nothing without teamwork. If they don't work together towards a common goal, those skills count for very little,” says SIO Faizil (centre). PHOTO: Tang Ying Hui

When the World Cup final kicks off, he will be among the millions glued to the screen – a boy from the void deck who never stopped believing in the beautiful game and in the connections it makes possible.

“That early joy of just kicking a ball around with friends is really what got me into football, and I haven’t stopped since,” says SIO Faizil. PHOTO: Tang Ying Hui