Dave Kainey is the Flyer!

Dave Kainey is the Flyer and this week, he caught up with the Saigon President, Derrin Limbrick.

1. Dez, you have been associated with the Vietnam Swans for several years now, as a player, coaching panel member and Saigon President. How has the journey been from your point of view?

It’s been a fantastic journey so far.  Over the last three years I have been involved in many great moments.  It is also satisfying to know that I have been involved in a group which has helped the Club move forward, overcome challenges which has ultimately lead to some great success stories.  I think that our goals were pretty modest when I first became involved, and now there seems to be a collective voice throughout the Club who are hungry to achieve, which is fantastic.

Our first trip to Cambodia is what really got me hooked.  We had a small undermanned team yet still pulled together and made it though to the decider in the Indochina Cup. The camaraderie was fantastic. It was also a memorable for many other moments however those stories can be left for another Flyer Special.

Dez and wife, Fleur.

Probably the highlights on the football field have included winning the Indochina Cup (2010) , the Kainey Cup (2010) and the  ANZAC Friendship Match against Hong Kong earlier this year.  However for me personally, there has been many truly great moments on the field during most of our matches.

Off the field I think that we can be very proud of the state of our football club.  We are financially strong because of ongoing support from our major sponsors.  Our membership base covers the length and breadth of Vietnam and has spread to many other SE Asian Countries, including lots of ex players who remain members and supporters of the Swans, living in Australia.

We now have strong links to the community off the field and have been passionate and active supporters of Swim Vietnam  as well as Loreto Vietnam. We also have been actively involved in several important fundraisers in the last few years which has been a demonstration of the integrity and passion of our footy club beyond the game of AFL.  We have been fortunate to have many skilled and talented Swannies to help us achieve success both on and off the field.

2. With Phil (National President), Dan (President Hanoi) and yourself (Saigon President) at the helm, the Vietnam Swans have had a massive calendar for 2011, collectively you must have had some great support?

We have had so many great contributors to the Club since I became the Saigon President.  Fabbo and Danny A were there from the start and have been the rocks that helped me evolve into my role.  Since then there are too many to name, but collectively this has allowed me to turn a lot of ideas into reality. What is particularly pleasing this year is the number of new people who have put their hand up to contribute.  We have already had new volunteers helping with Club functions, training and tours. The unsung hero behind the scenes had been my amazing wife.  She has helped me out on so many occasions and is patient enough to allow me to spend more time than I should helping run the Club.

3. You are an experienced Asian Championships campaigner. What have been the highlights?

This will be my third Asian Champs.  Last year I was enjoying the first week of my honeymoon which of course meant I could not be there. The first Champs were great for me because it was my first tour with the Swans and I had only been in Saigon for two months, even if we didn’t win a match.   Apart from that, I have had sickness and injuries to deal which have really restricted my contribution on the field, so this year I am pretty fired up to make sure it is memorable.

4. How prepared are the playing group for the Asian Championships? What can the supporters expect of the group?

The timing of the Champs has not been ideal this year because it is right at the end of the summer holidays so we have had a lot of guys away over the last couple of months.  However, in saying that, I am very happy with our preparation.  Since the trip to KL we have been planning every training session to maximize our chances at the Champs.  We have included more fitness work than ever before and I have enjoyed watching the squad improve.   I know that Dan and Adrian have been working the guys in Hanoi hard as well so I am confident that every player in the squad will give us their best effort.  That is all you can ask for.

5. What are your thoughts on the state of footy in Asia Pacific in general?

From my perspective Asian Footy is strong and will only get stronger, especially as Asia’s presence grows in the global community.  Eventually Australian Rules Football will become the number one sport in the whole of the Asia Pacific and Fabbo will become the official Ambassador for AFL in Asia.  Ok, I might be getting a bit ahead of myself there, but then again you never know.  I am looking forward to reading that 5 mins with The Flyer!

Have a great Asian Championships and thanks for being a part of ‘5 Minutes with The Flyer’.