Penampilan Terakhir Robert Choe di Sukan Asia 1966

Pada tahun 1966, Robert Choe diberi penghormatan menggalas tugas sebagai kapten pasukan bola sepak kebangsaan Malaysia dalam misi mereka di Sukan Asia, yang berlangsung di Bangkok, Thailand.

Bagi temasya Sukan Asia ke-5 itu, Malaysia mencatatkan prestasi cemerlang dalam sukan olahraga dan badminton, malah turut meraih pingat dalam sukan tinju. Namun, kejohanan bola sepak dirasakan cukup mencabar sejak undian kumpulan lagi.

Malaysia diundi dalam Kumpulan B bersama Jepun, India, dan Iran. Mereka merupakan pasukan-pasukan yang dianggap sebagai lawan yang hebat pada ketika itu. Jepun menggabungkan pemain daripada dua pasukan mereka yang telah menjelajah Eropah pada awal tahun tersebut, manakala Iran pula telah menjalani latihan ala pasukan Eropah di bawah bimbingan ketua jurulatih dari Hungary.

Jurulatih Malaysia, Peter Velappan, yakin beliau memiliki pasukan yang kuat setelah menjalani latihan intensif selama sebulan. Beliau menyatakan bahawa anak buahnya berada pada tahap kecergasan yang tinggi dan memiliki semangat juang yang kental.

Sebagai tanda penghormatan menjelang persaraannya, Robert Choe dipilih sebagai kapten pasukan yang turut dianggotai oleh adiknya, Richard. Dalam kerjaya bola sepaknya, Robert mencetak nama sebagai generasi pertama skuad Harimau Malaya. Beliau telah beraksi dalam pelbagai kejohanan antarabangsa dan pernah menyertai lawatan ke Eropah bersama Abdul Ghani Minhat.

Walaupun skuad kebangsaan ketika itu dibarisi pemain legenda seperti Abdullah Nordin, M. Chandran, Foo Fok Chuan, M. Karathu, Shaharuddin Abdullah, dan ramai lagi, Malaysia malangnya gagal melepasi peringkat kumpulan setelah tewas dalam ketiga-tiga perlawanan kumpulan.

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Robert Choe’s Swan Song at the 1966 Asian Games

In 1966, Robert Choe was given the honour to captain the Malaysian national football team as they embarked on their Asian Games mission in Bangkok, Thailand.

For the fifth Asian Games, Malaysia excelled in athletics and badminton and even secured medals in boxing. The football tournament was daunting from the start.

Malaysia was drawn into Group B with Japan, India and Iran, all said to be tough opponents at the time. Japan combined players from two of their teams who toured Europe earlier that year while Iran had also gone through European style training under the guidance of their Hungarian coach. However, coach Peter Velappan believed that he had a strong team after a month of intensive training, stating that his men were very fit and morale was high.

As a sign of respect before his retirement, Robert Choe was captain of the team, which also consisted of his brother Richard. During his time, Robert made a healthy career from being part of the first generation of Harimau Malaya. He played in various international tournaments and once toured Europe with Abdul Ghani Minhat.

Although the national team at the time was filled with legends such as Abdullah Nordin, M. Chandran, Foo Fok Chuan, M. Karathu, Shaharuddin Abdullah and more, Malaysia unfortunately did not advance past the group stage after losing all three matches.