Choo Seng Quee

Joseph Choo Seng Quee (1 December 1914 – 30 June 1983), popularly known as Uncle Choo, was a Singaporean footballer and football coach.

He was coach of the Indonesia, Malaya/Malaysia and Singapore national teams.

He is widely recognised as one of Singapore's best football coaches.

He represented the school in the inter-school competition in 1930, playing as a right full-back.

National player Lim Yong Liang began to mentor him after he was impressed by his ability.

Choo began his playing career playing as a right full-back with Singapore Chinese Football Association in the SAFA leagues in 1933.

His performances led to a call-up to the Singapore FA team in the Malaya Cup competition.

Choo began his playing career for Singapore Chinese F.A.'s third team in the Third Division in 1933.

The club won all of their league games that season to win the title.

The following year, he was selected for their Second Division title-winning team.

He broke into the S.C.F.A.'s senior team in 1935 and won the SAFA First Division in 1937 and 1938, and the SAFA Challenge Cup in 1935, 1937 and 1939.

His performances led to a call-up by Singapore FA for the Malaya Cup.

He was converted to the centre-half position he played in the team from 1936 to 1939.

He was converted to a centre-half as the Lions won the Malaya Cup in 1937 and 1939.

During World War II, he wrote propaganda for the British in Macau.

Choo won the Malaya Cup with Singapore in 1937 and 1939, after defeating Selangor in both finals.

In 1939, he helped to found the Chinese Athletic Association where he took on the role of player-coach.

In 1939, Choo was part of the Malayan Chinese F.A. side that toured Manila, Hong Kong and Macau.

The China national team selectors expressed interest in calling Choo for the 1940 Summer Olympics but the event was cancelled with the impending World War II.

He retired as a player to concentrate on his coaching duties in 1949.

From 1951 to 1953, Choo coached the Indonesia national team on an honorary basis.

The team toured Hong Kong in 1953, achieving wins over professional Hong Kong outfits.

Choo was appointed Malaya national coach in 1958.

He led the team to three Merdeka Tournament titles from 1958 to 1960.

With Choo, Malaya also won the 1961 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games football competition and the bronze at the 1962 Asian Games.

Choo left Malaysia and returned to Singapore in 1964.

He was appointed Singapore national coach over four stints from 1964 to 1977.

He won the Malaysia Cup in 1977, twelve years after Singapore's last triumph.

His achievements earned him the 1977 Coach of the Year award.

The following year, he was honoured with the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat medal for his services to Singapore football.

Choo had a skin infection of his leg which he left untreated during the 1977 season.

With diabetes as a complication, his condition worsened and he was forced to amputate his gangrenous right leg in September 1977.

He returned to coaching during a brief stint with Johor FA in 1980 but left in early 1981.

In June 1983, he was admitted to hospital with kidney problems.

He died at the age of 68 on 30 June.

As a teenager, Choo would spurn his violin lessons to play football.

This angered his elder brother that he ruined Choo's football kits and boots.

His brother finally gave his approval and bought Choo a set of football equipment when he made Singapore's Malaya Cup squad.

Choo received his education at Victoria Bridge School and Raffles Institution.

He picked up football when he was studying for his Senior Cambridge certificate at Raffles Institution.