Choo Seng Quee – Dari pemain ke jurulatih legenda (Bhg. 2)

Choo Seng Quee memainkan peranan yang penting dalam pembangunan bola sepak remaja di Malaya. Beliau juga menjalankan kem latihan untuk pasukan remaja kebangsaan semasa beliau dilantik sebagai jurulatih pasukan Malaya.

Setelah pasukan Malaya muncul naib johan di Kejohanan Belia Asia yang pertama pada tahun 1959, Seng Quee semakin serius dalam menyediakan pasukan untuk bertanding pada tahun berikutnya. Beliau menganjurkan kem-kem latihan pusat dan memanggil jurulatih dari negeri-negeri lain untuk mempelajari dan mengamal teknik beliau.

Walaupun sesi latihan di padang adalah lasak dan keras, senaman mental juga mustahak. “Uncle Choo”, nama yang dikenali oleh pemain beliau, percaya bahawa motivasi adalah kunci bagi seorang jurulatih yang baik. Beliau sentiasa menanam keyakinan dalam setiap pemain yang dilatih dan selalu menasihati anak didik beliau supaya mereka mengetahui betapa pentingnya kerja keras dan keazaman. Pada tahun 1960, Malaya sekali lagi muncul naib johan setelah kalah kepada Korea Selatan 0–1 di pentas final.

Apabila kontrak bersama FAM tamat pada tahun 1963, Seng Quee dilantik secara rasminya sebagai jurulatih sekolah-sekolah Malaya. Posisi yang diwujudkan oleh Tunku Abdul Rahman untuk beliau memberi tumpuan melatih pasukan remaja dan mencari bakat-bakat baru. Ini merupakan satu perubahan yang bijak untuk memajukan bola sepak remaja negara. Tugasan pertama beliau adalah untuk melatih skuad remaja negara selama sebulan sebelum menyertai Kejohanan Belia Asia 1963, di mana Malaya menjadi tuan rumah. Selepas itu, beliau bebas untuk mengembara ke seluruh negara untuk mencungkil dan mebangunkan bakat-bakat baharu.

Semasa menjalankan kursus latihan untuk pelajar dan guru di Pulau Pinang, Seng Quee mengakui bahawa negeri itu kaya dengan bakat-bakat baharu. Beliau mendapati ramai pemain Pulau Pinang yang boleh pergi jauh dalam dunia bola sepak. Antara nama yang mendapat perhatian beliau pada waktu itu termasuk legenda Ibrahim Mydin dan Soo-Toh Kim Poh. Ternyata mereka berdua dipilih untuk mewakili Malaya dalam Kejohanan Belia Asia 1964, di mana pasukan negara berjaya membawa pulang pingat gangsa.

Kami dapat bertemu dengan Soo-Toh Kim Poh, dan beliau sudi berkongsi pengalaman beliau bermain di bawah bimbingan Choo Seng Quee.

“Bagi saya, Seng Quee adalah jurulatih terbaik untuk saya. Kami bertiga, Ibrahim Mydin, Teoh Peng Choi dan saya terpilih dari Pulau Pinang untuk menyertai latihan pusat di Stadium Merdeka selama sebulan,” Soo-Toh Kim Poh mengimbau kembali kali pertama mendapat panggilan untuk skuad belia kebangsaan selama sebulan pada akhir 1962. Choo Seng Quee mengendalikan latihan mereka pada waktu itu. 

“Dia memang bagus untuk melatih kami yang masih muda. Latihannya keras. Ada antara kami yang menahan daripada menangis. Lepas berlatih, dia beri taklimat lagi. Dia juga menjaga pemakanan kami. Waktu makan pun kami tak boleh buat bising. Semua ini menbantu kami  menjadii lebih cergas dan berdisiplin,” tambah Kim Poh yang baru berusia 16 tahun pada waktu itu.

Kim Poh sangat terhutang budi kepada jurulatih Seng Quee.

“Nasib baik ada Seng Quee. Saya boleh jadi pemain kebangsaan yang baik. Seng Quee berikan semua pada waktu latihan dan saya dapat menerima ajarannya dengan cepat. Dengan bakat yang ada, saya menjadi pemain yang lebih baik,” kata hormat Kim Poh, pemain bek kanan yang mendapat gelaran ‘Ironman’ daripada jurulatihnya. 

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Choo Seng Quee played an integral role in the development of youth football in Malaya. When he was hired as coach for the Malayan national team, he also ran training camps for the national youth team. 

After Malaya emerged as runners-up at the inaugural Asian Youth Tournament in 1959, Choo was serious in preparing the best youth team the following year. He held centralised training camps and called on coaches from various states to study and adopt his techniques. 

While the training sessions were rigorous, mental exercises were also important. “Uncle Choo” as he was known to his players, believed that motivation was key in being a good coach and instilling confidence in those he trained. He was never short of advice, making sure his players knew the importance of hardwork and determination. In 1960, Malaya were runners-up once again after losing to South Korea, 0–4. 

In 1963, when his contract with FAM ended, Choo was officially appointed as the national schools coach for Malaya. A position that was created for him by Tunku Abdul Rahman, he would focus on training the national youth team and scout for talents. It was a progressive turn for Malayan youth football. His first task was to coach the national team for one month before they competed at the 1963 Asian Youth Tournament, held in Malaya. He was then free to tour the country to develop new talents. 

When he held a coaching course for students and teachers in Penang, Choo admitted that the state was rich in new talent. He could see many Penang youngsters go far. His list of players to look out for included football legends Ibrahim Mydin and Soo-Toh Kim Poh. Surely enough, they were both selected to represent Malaya at the 1964 Asian Youth Tournament, bringing home the bronze medal. 

When we met with Soo-Toh Kim Poh, he kindly shared with us his experience of playing under the tutelage of Choo Seng Quee. 

“Personally, I feel that Seng Quee was the best coach for me. The three of us –Ibrahim Mydin, Teoh Peng Choi and I–were selected from Penang to participate in centralised training at the Merdeka Stadium for a month,” Soo-Toh Kim Poh said, recalling the first time he was called up to join the national youth squad for a month at the end of 1962. Choo was overseeing their training at the time.

“He was really good at coaching us who were still young. The training was hard. Some of us held back from crying. He would give a debrief after every training session. He also took care of our diet. Even when eating, we couldn’t make noise. All of this helped us to be more active and disciplined,” Kim Poh added, who was only 16 years old at the time.

Kim Poh is very much indebted to coach Seng Quee. 

“Fortunately, Seng Quee was there for me to be a good national player. Seng Quee gave his all during practice and I was able to follow his teachings quickly. Combined with my talent, I became a better player,” Kim Poh said, a senior defender who received the nickname ‘Iron Man’ from his coach.