Lim Tong Hai
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14 May 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Singapore | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1989 | Jurong Town | ||
| 1990–1993 | Geylang International | ||
| 1994–1995 | Singapore FA | ||
| 1996–2001 | Tanjong Pagar United | ||
| 2002–2003 | Geylang United | ||
| International career | |||
| 1989–1999 | Singapore | 47[1] | (1) |
| Managerial career | |||
| Geylang United (Head of Development) | |||
| 2006–07 | Geylang United | ||
| 2008 | Geylang United | ||
| 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] Lim is widely considered one of the greatest defenders in Singapore's history. He was renowned for his marking, awareness and ability to anticipate a threat from the opposition. A precise tackler and an imposing defensive presence, Lim was also known for his aerial ability, strength, man-marking and tactical knowledge
Club career
[edit | edit source]Geylang International
[edit | edit source]Lim played for Geylang International in the FAS Premier League
Singapore FA
[edit | edit source]In 1994, Lim signed for Singapore FA. 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.
Tiong Bahru United (Now known as Tanjong Pagar United)
[edit | edit source]With the withdrawal of the Lions from Malaysian competitions and subsequent launch of the S.League, Lim signed for Tiong Bahru United in 1996. In 1998, the club changed it named to Tanjong Pagar United and he captained the club in its debut season to a Singapore Cup and Singapore FA Cup double.
Geylang United
[edit | edit source]Lim made a return to Geylang United in 2002, playing a further 2 seasons until he retired as a player in 2003 where he won the Singapore Cup.[3]
International career
[edit | edit source]Lim was part of the Singapore national football team at the 1993 Southeast Asian Games where Singapore won the bronze medal. In the semi-finals against Myanmar, after Singapore was 2–0 up, Lim in two attempts to clear the ball in the penalty area, scored two own goals instead, causing the match to be a draw at 2–2 in full time.[4] The match went into extra time which was a draw again at 3–3 but Singapore lost the match in the resulting penalty shootouts 4–5.[4][5]
Coaching career
[edit | edit source]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.
Management career
[edit | edit source]In September 2013, Lim was appointed to the Football Association of Singapore council.[3]
He is also the chairman of the FAS' Referees' Committee.[3][4]
Post-football career
[edit | edit source]Post football, Lim became a sports and wellness senior lecturer with the Institute of Technical Education College East and also a physical education and sports science consultant with National Institute of Education.[4]
He is currently with Sport Singapore as a Team Lead for the Coaching Industry Development (CID) team within CoachSG.[6]
In 2023, Lim, alongside Jasmine Yeong-Nathan, was the assistant chef-de-mission for the Singapore delegation to the 2023 SEA Games.[7]
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Lim is married and has 2 children.[4] His uncle, Lim Teong Kim is a formerly an assistant coach of Bayern Munich U-19, head coach of Malaysia U-17 and head coach of Perak. [8]
Statistics
[edit | edit source]International goals
[edit | edit source]| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 6 September 1996 | National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore | File:Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1996 AFF Championship |
Honours
[edit | edit source]Club
[edit | edit source]Singapore FA
[edit | edit source]- M-League: 1994
- Malaysia Cup: 1994
Tanjong Pagar United
[edit | edit source]- Singapore Cup: 1998
- Singapore FA Cup: 1998
Geylang United
[edit | edit source]- Singapore Cup: 2003
References
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External links
[edit | edit source]- Lim Tong Hai at National-Football-Teams.comLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- 1969 births
- Men's association football defenders
- Living people
- Singaporean men's footballers
- Singapore men's international footballers
- Singapore Premier League players
- Singaporean people of Chinese descent
- Sportspeople of Chinese descent
- Geylang International FC players
- Singapore FA players
- Singaporean football managers
- Singapore Premier League managers
- Jurong FC players
- Tanjong Pagar United FC players
- SEA Games silver medalists for Singapore
- SEA Games medalists in football
- Competitors at the 1993 SEA Games