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Lee Kin Wo
Champion footballer eyes his retirement
Lee
Kin Wo plans to retire soon and wants to teach
football in the future. (Cindy Pat)
By Ronnie Kwok
Lee Kin Wo, 36, is a three-time Hong Kong Footballer of the Year. He was awarded the distinction in 1993, 1994 and 2003.
Regarded as one of Hong Kong’s best right-wingers during the 1990s, his fast pace and skillful techniques, together with his trademark long hair, have made him easily recognizable by fans.
He has devoted the best years of his life as a professional football player since 1985, and is now approaching retirement.
Although fans can now watch live matches of David Beckham kicking free kicks and Zinezine Zidane showing awesome skills on television, Mr. Lee was not so lucky in the 1970s.
At that time, the communication technology was less sophisticated and fans obtained football news mainly from newspapers.
“Although some families had black-and-white televisions at that time, it was impossible for me to watch any matches because I lived in Ping Chau,” said Mr. Lee.
Before the 1990s, watching live local matches was popular among football lovers. It was common for thousands of fans to sit together in the stands and cheer for their favorite teams.
Mr. Lee, too, found his idol in the stadium.
“Wu Kwok Hung, who got the title of Hong Kong Footballer of the Year five times, is one of the football players I like most,” he said.
Mr. Lee’s passion for football was sparked when he first played the game in primary school.
“Football attracted me when I was young. I was so happy to play with a group of friends. Since then, I have been willing to devote my life to football, without thinking of any alternatives,” said Mr. Lee.
In a friendly, yet competitive environment, Mr. Lee made an effort to improve his skills. Eventually he got a place in the Hong Kong Football Team.
In 1987, he played his debut match for Hong Kong.
“I was very excited at that time. All my teammates were eager and willing to play. The atmosphere was positive and we had a strong team spirit,” he said.
In the early 1990s, Mr. Lee’s career reached its peak. He played for the team Eastern, and led the team to three consecutive Hong Kong First Division Football League championships.
“At that time, I played with many skillful local and foreign players, including Tam Siu Wai and Law Kai Wah. They were all young and energetic.
“All of us, including the manager and coaches, cooperated well with each other. We all became friends,” said Mr. Lee.
These friends were the ones who stood by him during his moments of frustration.
In May 2000, Mr. Lee got a red card in a friendly match against Macau. He kicked the ball intentionally at a referee, and the referee punched him in return. This inci-dent ended with the referee being banned from his job for life. At the same time, Mr. Lee was sentenced to a 1-year ban.
During that year, Mr. Lee could only attend regular team practices. He was not allowed to play in any matches.
“Fortunately, my family, teammates and my manager, Peter Leung, gave me a lot of support,” he said.
Mr. Lee finally returned to the pitch and continued to play for 2 years after the ban. However, to this day, he still feels regretful.
“I regret having had a conflict with the referee. I wasted one year because of my foolishness.”
Learning from his mistake, Mr. Lee now knows he must control his emotions. Even in the face of fans’ criticisms of his performance during matches, Mr. Lee tries his best to be tolerant and walks away without saying a word.
“That’s the way they act. What I can do is either to say a few words in revenge, or to keep silent. Yet, the result remains the same,” he said.
Last year, fans were surprised when Mr. Lee was invited back, at age 35, to play for Hong Kong in the match against Liverpool in July.
While supporters of Mr. Lee were delighted at the news, some doubted if he was suitable for the team. They thought he was too old to play against such strong opponents.
In response, Mr. Lee said, “I don’t care what others think.”
He said that on the battlefield of soccer, victory depends not only on the physical fitness of the players, but also on their skills and experience.
In the English Premier League, veteran members like Teddy Sheringham and Gary McAllister were crucial players even though they both were 36 years old.
He said that experienced players are valuable assets to teams.
“It is unfair to judge who can play well only by one’s age. I believe the actual ability of a player is more important, and I have confidence in myself,” said Mr. Lee.
Rumors have followed his fame.
One such rumor said that Mr. Lee would transfer to a famous international football club like Liverpool or Real Madrid for a record-breaking transfer fee.
In response to such rumors, Mr. Lee said, “Of course I do not take them seriously. Leaving them as jokes will do.”
Nothing lasts forever. The football industry in Hong Kong declined greatly after 1995, when the owner of Eastern withdrew his investment in football.
“This is not surprising,” Mr. Lee said matter-of-factly.
“Every industry has its booms and troughs, and it happens everywhere.”
In the 1985/1986 season, a match between two top teams, South China and Happy Valley, was so popular that it attracted 19,484 fans to the stadium.
In comparison, only 2,353 people went to watch the match between Happy Valley and Sun Hei in the 2002/2003 season.
Mr. Lee sees the reason for the industry’s decline resting on the attitudes of football players.
“Players in this generation are less serious than before. When it comes to soccer skills, I know Hong Kong players lag behind players in other countries.
“I think we need to have an organization to bring us together and lead us out of the trough,” he said.
Mr. Lee also said the intensive coverage of foreign matches, which are of a high standard, give audiences more choices and chances to compare the quality of matches from all over the world.
Some people say that if local soccer gambling is legalized, Hong Kong’s football industry may be revived.
Mr. Lee supports the legalization of soccer gambling.
However, he said that, on the downside, some soccer watchers may focus on gambling only. This would diminish the essence of watching a football match.
Some soccer players write newspaper columns in which they give tips for soccer gamblers. Mr. Lee is no exception.
He said he is not doing something new. Before the legalization of soccer gambling in Hong Kong, many people were already writing predictions on up-coming matches.
He said, “These so-called ‘tips’ are the same as those predictions in the past.”
Mr. Lee has served several local football clubs, including Eastern, South China and Lai Sun Fa Fa.
Currently, Mr. Lee serves the football club Sun Hei.
Mr. Lee will retire soon, and he wants to be a football coach in the future. He is now taking coaching courses from the Asian Football Confederation.
“Actually, I do not have much ambition. The environment in Hong Kong seems unfavorable for the football industry to develop.
“I only want to teach youth teams in a few schools. That would be good enough for me,” said Mr. Lee.
Mr. Lee’s long hair is well recognized by football fans.
“Long hair is my unique icon,” said he.
“Actually, I have regular haircuts. I keep this hairstyle mainly because I got lucky and got a reputation after I kept it.
“However, I may cut it someday,” said he.
Having strived for success and fame for years, Mr. Lee’s reason for playing football has changed.
“In the past, when I was still young, I played football out of my own interest,” said Mr. Lee. “I played soccer because I loved soccer.
“Now, since I have a family, I have to play to earn a living.”
Apart from regular training, Mr. Lee, who has two children, spends most of his leisure time with his family.
Asked whether, if he could do it all over again, he would choose an occupation other than professional football, Mr. Lee emphatically said, “No, I would not choose any other occupation.”
Today Mr. Lee’s face is a study in maturity and reticence. After all the ups and downs of an athlete, it is now time for him to evaluate his football career.
“Absolutely no regrets,” Mr. Lee said firmly. “That is all I want to say.”
Lee
Kin Wo receives the Champion F. A. Cup from Michael Hui in the company
of Hui Chun Fui J.P. (Courtesy of Lee Kin Wo)
Lee Kin Wo praised by teammates
‘His
serious manner. . . deserves our admiration.’
Chan
Fat Chi (left) and Santos Leslie George (right)
admire Lee Kin Wo’s serious manner in trainings. (Ronnie Kwok)
By Ronnie Kwok
Lee Kin Wo, also known as Wo Chai, is well liked and has a good reputation among his team-mates.
Chan Fat Chi, assistant coach of Sun Hei, a local football club, said, “Wo Chai is righteous and not hypocritical. He is also sincere with us.
“His serious manner in matches and training deserves our admiration.”
Santos Leslie George, 36, has been Mr. Lee’s teammate at South China for 4 years.
He represented Hong Kong in a match against France together with Mr. Lee when they were both 16. Santos knows him well.
He said, “Wo Chai is a professional player, with a serious manner.
“Though Wo Chai looks rather bad tempered, he is just being blunt for our sake,” said Santos.
“Even if you have known him for long, you may be scolded if he feels you are not doing right.
“We played and grew up together.
“Despite his bad temper, I think being his friend is good,” said Santos.
Mr. Lee spares no effort in training, and he leads the team when the coach orders them to run around the pitch.
During an interview at the Hong Kong Sports Institute in Sha Tin, Mr. Lee took the initiative to run a longer route, and he was about 100 meters ahead of his teammates.
When Mr. Lee was leaving the training ground, he saw a younger player talking on his mobile phone. Immediately, he got worked up.
“Why don’t you go and have your training?” Mr. Lee shouted at the young player.