Lim Tong Hai
Personal information
Date of birth (1969-05-14) 14 May 1969
Place of birth Singapore
Position(s) 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 to be one of the greatest defender in the history of Singapore. He was renowned for his marking, awareness and ability to anticipate a threat from the opposition. Despite being a precise tackler and an imposing defensive presence. Lim was also known for his aerial ability, strength, tackling and man-marking, as well as his tactical knowledge

Club career

Geylang International

Lim played for Geylang International in the FAS Premier League

Singapore FA

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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]

Personal life

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. [6]

Statistics

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.6 September 1996National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore Philippines3–03–01996 AFF Championship

Honours

Club

Singapore FA

Tanjong Pagar United

Geylang United

References

  1. ↑ "FAS launches FAS Captains' Advisory Panel". FAS. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  2. ↑ "Tong Hai 'honoured' at new appointment". FAS. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Lim Tong Hai to run in FAS election". AsiaOne. 2017-03-24. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Migration (2015-06-01). "Lim Tong Hai faces up to darkest moment of 2 own goals in 1993 SEA Games match | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  5. ↑ Joe Dorai (18 June 1993). "Tong Hai's double blunder makes history". The Straits Times. p. 34.
  6. ↑ "30 years after SEA Games heartbreak, Lim Tong Hai returns as Team Singapore official". CNA. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
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