Draft:Quek Hian Ze

Quek Hian Ze (born 28 January 2007) is a Singaporean amateur footballer who plays as a Goalkeeper for Black Lions FC and Northern United FC.

Early Life
Quek Hian Ze was born on 28 January 2007 in the city of Johor, Malaysia. He then made a move to Singapore 1 year after. As a youth, Hian Ze first started off as a Center Midfielder in his primary school. However, during the transition to secondary school, he envisioned the career of a goalkeeper and he excelled from there.

Hian Ze studied in Whitley Secondary School until he graduated in November 2023

Youth Career
Hian Ze began his youth career at the ActiveSG Football Academy U12, where he honed his skills and developed a passion for the sport in the football clinic.

Woodlands Lions U17
He later progressed to the Woodlands Lions FC U17, further refining his abilities and gaining valuable experience in youth football under Coach Joseph.

Black Lions FC
In 2022, Hian Ze made the transition to semi-professional football with Black Lions FC. He quickly established himself as a key player for the team, contributing to his side's successes with solid performances. From 2022-, he made 10 appearances and kept 1 clean sheet.

Northern United FC
In mid 2023, Hian Ze joined Northern United FC on a duo contract, continuing his semi-pro career with another reputable club. His best friend and Black Lions teammate, Ashvein Nair, played a crucial role in convincing Hian Ze to join Northern to play alongside him more. Hian Ze showed his talent in his team's campaigns, showcasing his goalkeeping prowess and contributing to the overall success of the squad.

Style of Play
Hian Ze is a traditional goalkeeper who values the fundamental aspects of goalkeeping. Unlike the modern trend that emphasizes goalkeepers' distribution skills, Hian Ze prioritizes shot-stopping and reflexes as the core elements of his game.

In a press conference, Hian Ze expressed his belief, stating, "I don't believe keepers should be focused on fancy distributions. For me, it's about making crucial saves and being a reliable last line of defense for the team."

Hian Ze draws inspiration from goalkeeping legends such as Oliver Kahn. He admires Kahn's aggressiveness on the field and incorporates that same level of determination into his own playing style. Hian Ze understands the importance of instilling fear in opponents and commanding the penalty area with authority.

Additionally, Hian Ze has learned valuable lessons from watching Thibaut Courtois, particularly in dealing with one-on-one situations. He emphasizes being quick off the goal line to narrow down the angle and make it challenging for opposing attackers to score in such scenarios.

Hian Ze's approach to goalkeeping reflects a commitment to traditional values while incorporating insights from both historical and contemporary goalkeeping greats. His focus on shot-stopping, reflexes, and aggressiveness sets him apart in an era where distribution skills often take center stage.

Quotes

 * "I have always watched Kahn as a kid, learning his aggressiveness."
 * "Watching Courtois also taught me to be quick off my lines for 1-on-1s."

Personal Life
Hian Ze has always loved sports as a kid. In secondary school, he wanted to go professional in Table Tennis, but reality struck him as there were much better players around him. Hian Ze has always stuck with his group of friends, his teammates. He stated in an interview," My group of friends always have my back. Ashvein will forever be by my side, and of course who am I without Krithik, Mikail, Eugene, Fergus, Derric, Marc, Xing Yong, Hong Jun, Jun Xiang. "

Honors
Golden Glove 2022 Golden Glove 2023