A stern disciplinarian and a father figure to many players, Choo is credited as the one who introduced modern methods of training, tactics, nutrition and psychology into the game in the region.

# Playing career

In 1933, Choo joined the Singapore Chinese Football Association (SCFA) and was promoted to the first team in 1935. The club won the Singapore Amateur Football Association (SAFA) League first division championship and the SAFA Cup in 1937.

His performance in the league led to his call up to the national team for the Malaysia Cup in 1936. Choo won the Cup in 1937 but lost the final in 1938 against Selangor.

In 1939, Choo left SCFA and cofounded the Chinese Athletic Association team (aka Chung Wah FC, which made its debut in the SAFA League in 1941 with Choo as team manager.

Choo also represented the Malaysia Chinese team which toured Manila, Hong Kong, and Macau in 1939. He was named as a likely selection for the China team for the 1940 Olympic Games, but the Games were cancelled due to World War Two. 

Choo spent time in Macau and China managing the Macau Tribune newspaper and writing propaganda for the British during the war.

# Coaching career 

Choo was player manager for Chung Wah FC until he retired as a player in 1949. He also coached Singapore’s Malaya Cup team on an honorary basis. 

In late 1949, he self-funded a trip to Bombay, Saigon, Hong Kong and Manila to canvass support for a regional football tournament involving national teams.

Choo was appointed coach of the Indonesia national team in 1950, leading the team to a fourth place finish at the Asian Games in Delhi in 1951.

He remained coach until 1954, concurrently coaching Star Soccerites and youth teams in Singapore from 1952. He won the SAFA league title with Star Soccerites in 1954.

Choo was appointed national coach of the Ferderation of Malaya in 1958 by then Prime Minister and President of the Football Association of Malaya Tunku Abdul Rahman.

His job was to run coaching clinics in every Malayan state, scout  talented players, and coach the national team.

Malaya beat Singapore 5-2 in March 1958 in Choo’s first match as national coach. Malaya went on to win the Merdeka Tournament in 1958 and 1959, and were joint champions in 1960.

They also won a gold medal in the 1961 South East Asian Peninsula (SEAP) Games and a bronze medal in the 1962 Asian Games.

Choo was also training Malaya’s youth teams for international tournaments, with the youth team finishing runner up in the inaugural Asian Youth Championship in 1959.

After his contract with the Football Association of Malaya expired in March 1963, Choo was appointed Malaya’s national school coach, a position created for him by Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Choo was responsible for talent scouting as well as coaching schoolboys and teachers. He continued to coach Malaya’s youth teams and the national team, even training Singapore’s national team for two months and leading the team to victories in the Malaya Cup and Aw Hoe Cup.

After the Merdeka Tournament in September 1964, Choo left his Malaya appointment and applied for a coaching job with SAFA.

He was tasked to train the national team together with incumbent coach Harith Omar from March 1965, where Singapore won the Malaya Cup and Aw Hoe Cup yet again.

Choo coached Singapore for the SEAP Games in Kuala Lumpur in December 1965. After the tournament, team manager Tan Peng Ghee alleged that Choo and a number of national players showed “gross insubordination” during the games, leading to their sacking by SAFA.

Choo refuted the allegations and called for an independent inquiry but the Singapore Olympic and Sports Council decided not to intervene.

In January 1967, Choo rejoined SAFa’s panel of coaches and began training the national reserve team.

He was appointed national coach in August 1967 and trained Singapore for the Merdeka Tournament that year.

Choo then left the SAFA setup and coached a number of local teams, including Police and Burnley United.

In July 1971, Choo was reappointed to the national team coaching panel, which included national coach Andrew Yap, Abbas Abu Amin and Sebastian Yap. Choo achieved a notable 1-0 win over Burma, considered one of Asia’s strongest teams at the time. He left and Sebastian Yap took over.

In September 1976, FAS (formerly SAFA) reappointed Choo as national coach, resulting in a number of national players quitting the team after disagreements with Choo, causing the team to suffer a poor run in friendlies.

Three months after his appointment, fans petitioned the FAS, Singapore Sports Council and then Minister for Social Affairs Othman Wok for Choo to be replaced by technical advisor Trevor Hartley and for the reinstatement of several players back to the team.

However, Choo was credited for Singapore victories over Thailand and Malaysia in the World Cup qualifiers, eventually losing to Hong Kong in the penultimate round.

He then announced he would leave due to his age and business commitments, but returned to coach Singapore to the Malaysia Cup in 1977.

Singapore beat Penang 3-2, the first cup triumph in 12 years.

# Health Problems 

During the Malaysia Cup campaign, Chik suffered a fall at the Merdeka Stadium, resulting in an infection on his right leg.

Due to coaching commitments, he did not seek treatment for the wound which turned gangrenous with complications from a diabetic condition.

In September 1977, Choo was hospitalised and had his right leg amputated at the knee to prevent the gangrene from spreading. Another amputation on the upper part of his leg followed.

Choo was visited by fans, players, officials and ministers during his recovery, with fans and officials even donating blood for him.

While still hospitalised, Choo told the press of his determination to return to coaching despite the loss of his right leg. However FAS subsequently appointed Sebastian Yap as national coach.

Choo was both voted as Coach of the Year by the Singapore National Olympic Council and received the Public Service Medal in 1978.

In 1980, Choo became a part-time coach for the Johor team during the Malaysia Cup campaign, leading it to a 2-2 draw with Singapore. 

He was awarded a gold medal by the Indonesian Soccer Federation for his services to Indonesian football, and left his position as part-time coach in January 1981.

In June 1983, Choo was admitted to hospital for kidney issues and passed away in his sleep at home on 30 June 1983.

“Uncle” Choo Seng Quee: Singapore’s greatest ever football coach