Roughly nine hundred kilometers or so separate Hong Kong from Guiyang, China. However, for Guizhou Heng Feng Zhicheng's Hong Kong international Festus Baise, the nine hundred kilometers might as well be nine hundred thousand.

Separated from his favourite African dishes and far away from any English-speaking teammates, nothing seems to be working out for Baise on his early days in Chinese football, especially with his side faring well below expectations to start the season.

There could be thousands of excuses for the uncompromising defender yet, he insists on keeping his head down and keep working hard. Baise always believes in hard work and keeps reminding himself – it is all about what your goals are, as well as what kind of targets you have set for yourself.

Having missed out on Hong Kong's international duty in September, Baise rejoined the squad in October and secured a spot in the starting lineup on both of Hong Kong's international friendlies. After a season of tough and grinding battles in Chinese football, Baise has returned to Hong Kong seemingly better than ever. “I cannot say if I have improved or not from my time in China. I will let the others be the judge on that. But what is true is that I am working hard every single day, pursuing my goals in the most serious manner,” Festus offered.

“There is a legitimate difference in the quality of football between the Chinese first division and the Hong Kong top flight. I have certainly learnt a lot from my first season in China, experiencing a higher standard and a different style of football.”

Lying relaxed on a sofa, Baise looked back and smiled when he recounted his early days in China, when his Guizhou Heng Feng Zhicheng teammates would mock him for being a skinny lad. “I desperately want to play in every single game and in order to achieve that goal, I push myself to the limit and have been working hard every single day,” said the defender.

After the first twenty-nine rounds of fixtures in the Chinese first division, Baise has found the back of the net six times, not bad for a central defender or a defensive midfielder. “I never thought I am THE MAN in the team. But I think my play has opened some eyes, as well as proving something to the people. At the end of the day, I just try to work hard and bring something to the table for my team.”

Looking back at the start of the season, Guizhou Heng Feng Zhicheng started slowly and picked up pace afterwards. The change of the team's fortune certainly has caught a lot of people by surprise, including the team's own players and Baise himself. “No one, including the players, can believe how good we are actually doing. When I first joined the team, nothing was what I wanted. The team looked destined for the bottom and no matter how hard I tried, nothing was working out at all.”

A change in management was exactly what the doctor ordered for Baise's team, as the side's performance and results both picked up. “When we went through the coaching change, all the players were wondering whether they would be retained by the club. Because of that, everyone became very focused and started giving their all. With the new manager in charge, we went on an eight-game winning streak. I guess the team owner made the right decision on that one.”

On life outside the pitch, Baise maintains Guiyang is an OK place to live. But it is definitely not Hong Kong. “In Hong Kong, I can easily get my hands on my favourite African dishes. However, it is relatively hard to come up with the ingredients in mainland China. Even the Chinese food is a bit different from the ones that I am used to in Hong Kong. That is why I usually go for Italian or Thai meals instead.”

Besides his meals, the language barrier is also something that Baise has to come to terms with playing in China. “The team has arranged for a translator to assist me but not a lot of players speak English and it is still very difficult to start up a conversation with them. Even after a win, sometimes I would just hang out with the foreigners. On the occasions that we gather as a team, though we all try very hard, it is still quite difficult to understand what the mainland players are talking about.” 

Challenges on and off the pitch are never excuses for any player to runaway from.  Baise believes no matter where you find yourself, you never forget what motivates you in the very first place. “I chose to play in China and had come to terms with facing these challenges. I have no problem with that whatsoever. It all depends on what you are actually after, and what kind of targets you have set for yourself.”

“After I join Guizhou Heng Feng Zhicheng, I know fully well that as long as I can show my true colors, I will not be the one sitting on the bench. I need to show them what I am capable of doing.”

With two more years to run on his contract with his team, Baise maintains he is motivated to stay fit and keep pushing himself to the limit. “I want to see how strong I can be. Brazil's Ze Roberto is still playing every game at forty-two and I am not going to confine myself by a number. Look, maybe my body will slow down eventually but I am also trying my best to stay fit, live a healthy lifestyle and stay away from injuries.”

Doubted by many when he first played in Hong Kong years ago, Baise insists all is in the past and does not care what the others might think. What he cares about, at this point, is the opportunity to represent Hong Kong in the upcoming EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2017 Round 2.

“Representing Hong Kong is an honor, as well as a promise. This is the first time that I am playing in this particular tournament and if we can make it to the finals, it will certainly be a great achievement in my football career.”