LIM Teong Kim, who had a decent stint with German-side Hertha Berlin in the 1980s, hopes Luqman Hakim Shamsudin will overcome adversities and have a successful career when he joins Belgian side KV Kortrijk next year.
Having watched Luqman grow into a fearless striker, Teong Kim has nothing but raving reviews about the Kota Baru-born, who is a product of the Mokhtar Dahari Academy (MDA).
Luqman has been offered a five-year contract by KV Kortrijk, which will only begin after his 18th birthday in March next year.
“I am happy for him. It will be a challenge but people must understand there would be hurdles in front of him when he is in Europe.
“Luqman must always believe in himself. When you are alone, your mind will play tricks. However, one will succeed if he believes in his abilities.
“My advice is to keep challenging yourself, and not take anything lightly. It is not just about being physically strong in football. Players also need to be mentally tough.
“I believe Luqman can overcome all adversities, and if he speaks to me, I will advise him on how to prepare for the challenges,” said Teong Kim, who is the MDA technical director, yesterday.
Teong Kim is regarded as the only Malaysian who had a successful career with a European club. In 1987, he scored eight goals in 29 appearances for Hertha before returning to Malaysia.
The 56-year-old, a former Bayern Munich Under-19 assistant coach, disclosed that it was a struggle for him when he first arrived in Germany to earn a contract in 1987.
“It was tough at first. I presented myself well during training and earned a contract but when winter came, I was struggling because it was cold,” he said.
“I never played in the snow and never wore mitts and beanies. I knew nothing about warm clothes such as tights then.
“Nobody taught or prepared me for it. Luqman needs to always keep his body warm during winter.
“Once your legs are cold, then there’s no control and your hands will also get cold, which is why you have to wear gloves.
“So we need to prepare Luqman for all adversities when he is there. He needs to get proper clothes for winter. He needs to be prepared.
Apart from the weather, Teong Kim also touched on the importance of having a good command of the English language.
“Communication is important in team sports. He needs to polish his English.
“Luqman is a ‘kampung boy’ and those around him need to educate him about certain things. Language is a must apart from advising him on getting proper winter clothes,” he said.
Having groomed Luqman since he was 12, Teong Kim’s main concern is whether he will get the required support from the concerned parties.
“People (who sent him there) need to support him. You cannot just expect him to do things on his own,” he said.
Teong Kim added: “Luqman has a special talent.... very dynamic, fast and brave. He is also a hard-working player, and he always gives full commitment.
“He lacked technical, tactical and psychological aspects when he first started with us.
“However, we, coaches, helped him to overcome his weaknesses. He can now read the game well and dribble,” he added.