‘On the field, I’m not trying to make friends’: Stefan Mauk on life across Asia

Stefan Mauk has built a career by embracing what comes next. From Melbourne and Adelaide to Nijmegen, Okayama and Hanoi, the Australian midfielder has learned to treat climates, cultures and competitions as part of football’s reward, rather than obstacles.

That outlook led him to Công An Hà Nội, where he became a V.League 1 champion and found a football environment full of ambition, fervour and change. It also set up a personal AFC Champions League Elite play-off against former club Adelaide United, staged in the city where his career began.

Speaking to Ryan Walters on Tunnel Vision before that match, Mauk discussed the heat of Hanoi, Vietnam’s infrastructure challenge, the mentality behind his confrontational playing style and the less glamorous realities of professional football. He also reflected on how long he wants to keep playing — and why the experiences collected across Asia may matter as much as the trophies.

Editor’s note: This conversation was recorded before Công An Hà Nội defeated Adelaide United 2–0 in the AFC Champions League Elite play-off.

Answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

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How are you finding life back in Hanoi and the start of pre-season?

It has been a big climate adjustment. When I left here (Vietnam) it was hot, to winter in Australia, which was cold for Australian standards, then came back here to 30 to 35 degrees with the humidity through the roof.

We signed a few foreign players and after the first session they asked me, “How are you running?” I said, “This isn’t even too hot yet.”

I’ve played in Asia for a long time, when I was in Japan, or junior national teams, you get used to the climate and you understand it and you know what to expect.

If you haven’t been to this part of the world, you don’t know what to expect, but they’ll acclimatise quickly, we’ve got five weeks before the (AFC) Champions League Elite playoff against my old team, Adelaide United.

So they better get in good shape nice and quick because I wanna win that one, that’s for sure.

What was your reaction when the draw paired you with Adelaide?

I was really excited because I get to play in front of my family and friends. I wanted to go to Australia again.

I think both teams would have wanted each other. No disrespect to either side, but the Korean and Japanese teams are probably a level above. This was the best match-up for us, and I’m sure Adelaide would have said the same thing.

I wished it was two legs and they had to come to Hanoi because that would have been a big advantage for us. But it was a one-off play-off, so we had to see how we went.

How different are the conversations around football in Australia and Vietnam?

In Australia, fans often want to talk about the state of the game. We have enormous participation and millions watching the Socceroos, yet we struggle to grow football domestically. There are constant issues involving Football Australia, the state federations, A-League clubs and the semi-professional game.

That was one reason I was happy to leave. It is tiring and frustrating as a player. I love the game and want it to get better, but when you’re playing, you want to focus on playing.

Here, fans come up and adore you. The excitement around the national team players is crazy. It feels like another world.

You have said infrastructure is the next big step for Vietnamese football. What needs to improve?

There is a lot of good going on here. Clubs spend money on players and coaches, but infrastructure is probably the next step. The huge new stadium projects are great, but you also need 15,000- and 20,000-seat grounds for the smaller teams.

Thailand is advanced in that area, and Japan has focused massively on it as well. Vietnam will get there because football is only going to grow, but it takes years of planning and investment from governments, owners and sponsors.

The visual side matters, too. If somebody tunes in and sees a poor stadium, they immediately question the league and its players. You want to put the best of Vietnamese football on show. Once these stadiums are done, it will be amazing. I hope I get to enjoy it while I’m still playing here.

If a scouting report described someone as a “Mauk-type player”, what would that mean?

High energy, aggressive, a desire to score and win, comfortable on the ball and not afraid to get his hands dirty.

I keep telling myself I don’t want to argue with opposition players or referees. I want to be calmer and more composed. But once I get out there, something takes over and I can’t control myself. I am trying, because I don’t want to be a bad influence on my son, but I don’t know how well it’s going to go.

People from other teams might say, “I hate this guy,” but whatever is said and done on the pitch is fine as long as it doesn’t go too far. Afterwards, shake hands and go for a coffee or a beer. On the field I’m not trying to be nice or make friends. I’m trying to win.

What is the biggest misconception about being a professional footballer?

Everybody thinks you’re living your dream and getting paid a lot of money, so what more could you ask for? It is a good job, but it is very different from being a kid playing with your mates on the weekend. Once you become a professional, it is about winning and losing. There are politics, pressure and stress because jobs are on the line, and the fun can be taken out of it.

Financially, people see the top one or two per cent in the major leagues, driving Ferraris and wearing Rolexes. They don’t look at what players further down earn.

You also have to move your family to the other side of the world, into a different climate, language and culture. It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but I wouldn’t trade it.

As I’ve got older, I’ve realised that nothing is personal in football. It is business. I try to separate Stefan Mauk the person from Stefan Mauk the player. Plenty of people will tell you that you are not good enough, but you only need a few to say you are good enough to have a very good career.

If your career were a 90-minute match, what minute would you be in?

Probably the 60th — two-thirds of the way through. I’m 30 and I started playing professionally at 16. If I could get another seven years out of myself, that would be good, although I don’t know if I want to play for seven more years.

You probably want to leave the game before you pick up injuries that stay with you for the rest of your life. I would hate to be a few years into retirement and struggle to go for a run, play padel or play football with my son or future children.

The problem is that nobody knows. Some people finish at 33 and struggle; others finish at 40 and they’re okay. It is about understanding where your body is at. So let’s see.