CARRIE ON ARSENAL



Meet my guest this week Carrie Chong, radio host and Arsenal fan


THE last time I had a meaningful conversation with Carrie Chong was more than 10 years ago, when she was a teenager.

"You said something about my eyebrows,'' says Carrie, host of the 2pm to 5pm segment on Perfect 10, 98.7FM. "I'll always remember that,'' says Carrie of what I had uttered at a time when I had no occasion to discuss with her the delicate subject of football.

Carrie has the most eloquent eyebrows I've met. For instance, a near-imperceptible raise would say, what's wrong?

"How do you stay so slim after so many years,'' she asks. Try supporting Liverpool, I tell her, which raises that brow a millimetre above imperceptible to say, as if!

But it was my eyebrows that went sky-high when someone told me Carrie was serious about her football.

"My dad's a Manchester United fan, so I've always had an interest in soccer,'' she explains.

So what possessed her to lend her support to Arsenal, of all clubs?

"It started with an ex-boyfriend who was an Arsenal fan,'' says Carrie. "And as it happens, my current boyfriend is also an Arsenal fan.''

I see. So you only date guys from the Arsenal fan club, right?

Her expressive eyebrows meet to form a scowl.

"No! Hai ya. You ah!'' she exclaims, pointing her chopsticks meaningfully at two spaces below my eyebrows. "Yes, it's strange, but true. I like Arsenal, and Arsenal fans are less flashy, not scum like the Manchester United and Liverpool types,'' she proclaims.

So, that Arsenal jersey you're wearing, you borrowed it for this shoot?

"No!'' she says, as I duck to avoid losing an eye."My boyfriend bought one for himself, and he bought one for me. We are planning a trip to Highbury before they move to Ashburton Grove,'' she says sweetly.

Oh, you mean the Emirates Stadium? She smiles politely at my valiant attempt to illuminate her, and adds: "I have never been to a live Premiership match, so I'm very happy. Also, it's the last year that they are going to be at Highbury, so it will be special.''

What are your thoughts on your team's current fortunes?

"Arsenal are a good team even though they haven't been winning the Premiership title. They aren't like Liverpool and Manchester United,'' she says, taking every opportunity to slag off the more illustrious teams who finished below Arsenal in the Premiership last season.

"And of course, there is Thierry Henry,'' she adds. "Arsenal are a good team and Arsene Wenger has got a knack of discovering talent. He doesn't buy big players but gets players and grooms them. Henry was a humble nobody when he first came to Highbury, but look at him now. And Wenger is now grooming the team for the future, with the van Persies and the Fabregases."

So, why aren't they doing so well now?

"They are not winning like they used to because they do not have the stability in midfield. The defence is okay, it's there, now that Sol Campbell is back. Perhaps we're missing Vieira. He provides the service that Henry needs. We're feeling the absence of Vieira.''

But she remains upbeat.

"Well, maybe Wenger's in talks right now to get someone during the transfer window in January, to get someone really to kick ass!'' she says, all fired up.

But I don't have the heart to remind her that it could be over by January, with Wenger's Arsenal really kicked. I don't even want to mention Chelsea, but she reads my mind.

"Chelsea? Arrogance can only get you so far,'' she says confidently.

I avoid breaking her heart with the memory that Chelsea's arrogance won them last season's Premiership as she continues her assault on the Blues.

"They are good, but I don't like Jose Mourinho. He is really, really arrogant,'' she says through furrowed brows. So, I'm now absolutely convinced she likes the game.

"I enjoy the game. I know how some girls can't even spend a minute in a situation with guys watching football. But I love it, especially when Arsenal is playing. And yes, I know what to be caught offside means.''

On Carrie's radio show is a segment called What's Wrong, Chong?

"There'll be something wrong with a statement. Like, I'll say that the lead singer of U2 is Bobo, and callers have to call to tell me it is Bono instead of Bobo,'' she explains, giggling girlishly. "So, it is very stupid stuff, and you win if you call in and get it right,'' she says.

"My segment is at a time when people are working, or driving out for a sales pitch. They want to listen to music, so I keep my talk-sets short,'' she says. Very considerate.

"Yes, it's three hours of bliss.''

And she likes what she's doing.

"I love radio! I started as a part-timer in 1997. If not for the passion, I wouldn't have stuck it out and got a full-time position. I did TV and I didn't enjoy it so much.

"In TV, the crew, the lights, the director ... a one-minute scene would like take a day to shoot,'' she adds.

And there's the personal touch to radio.

"It's like somebody talking beside you, to you,'' she says.

So there you go. Have a meaningful conversation with her. Pity you won't see those eyebrows.