Lim Tong Hai
 |
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14 May 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Singapore | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1989 | Jurong | ||
| 1990–1993 | Geylang International | ||
| 1994–1995 | Singapore FA | ||
| 1996–1997 | Tiong Bahru United | ||
| 1998–2001 | Tanjong Pagar United | ||
| 2002–2003 | Geylang United | ||
| International career | |||
| 1989–1999 | Singapore | 47[1] | |
| Managerial career | |||
| Geylang United (Head of Development) | |||
| Geylang United (Prime League coach) | |||
| Geylang United (Head coach) | |||
| 2010–2012 | Geylang United (Team manager) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Lim Tong Hai (born 14 May 1969) was a centre-back for the Singapore national football team from 1989 to 1999. He held various backroom roles at former club Geylang United after retiring from his playing career until his departure in 2012.[2]
Club career
Lim played for Geylang International (later renamed Geylang United) in the FAS Premier League before signing for the Singapore Lions in 1994. He formed a strong partnership with South Korean Jang Jung in the heart of defence as the Lions achieved the M-League and Malaysia Cup double in 1994. With the withdrawal of the Lions from Malaysian competitions and subsequent launch of the S.League, he signed for Tiong Bahru United (later renamed Tanjong Pagar United) in 1996. In 1998, he captained Tanjong Pagar United to a Singapore Cup and Singapore FA Cup double. He made a return to Geylang United in 2002, playing a further 2 seasons until he retired as a player.
International career
Lim played for the Singapore national football team and had many memorable matches for Singapore. However, the nadir of his international career came at the 1993 Southeast Asian Games where he scored two own goals against Myanmar to cost Singapore the match and a spot in the final.[3]
Coaching career
Lim retired from playing in 2003 and was appointed coach for Geylang United's Prime League team the following year. In 2006, he was promoted to caretaker coach of the first team and was likely to continue to lead the team for the 2007 S.League season as he was ready to rebuild the team after years of dismal results in the league, where Geylang United was last in the standings.
However, there was a turn of fortunes when Lim led Geylang to a much-improved 2007 season high of 4th in the S-League table. There were much changes in the Geylang United side with Kim Grant, Noh Rahman, Hassan Sunny and Lim leading the team for a better start for the 2007 S-League season.
In late 2007, he assumed the role of team manager when Slovak Jozef Herel was brought in as Geylang's coach.
References
- ^ "FAS launches FAS Captains' Advisory Panel". FAS. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ "Tong Hai 'honoured' at new appointment". FAS. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ Joe Dorai (18 June 1993). "Tong Hai's double blunder makes history". The Straits Times. p. 34.
External links
- Lim Tong Hai at National-Football-Teams.com
- 1969 births
- Association football defenders
- Living people
- Singaporean footballers
- Singapore international footballers
- Singapore Premier League players
- Singaporean people of Chinese descent
- Geylang International FC players
- Singapore FA players
- Singaporean football managers
- Singapore Premier League head coaches
- Jurong FC players
- Tanjong Pagar United FC players
- Southeast Asian Games silver medalists for Singapore
- Southeast Asian Games medalists in football
- Competitors at the 1993 Southeast Asian Games