April 18, 2004

After his heart surgery back in 2001, Tan Kim Leng almost decided to give up football as the near death experience had given him a new outlook on life.

He felt he must be more prepared for any uncertainly that could pop up anytime in his life & that mean he must have a strong finances to fall back on if needed.

With several of his friends, the Singapore international started a business selling second-hand cars & have make up his mind to give up football.

That was until the Stags chairman Teo Hock Seng, also known as the ‘Godfather’ by many, step in.

Mr Teo persuades Tan Kim Leng not to give up football & instead continuing playing football with the Stags. Seeing how passion Mr Teo was about football, Tan Kim Leng was moved by it & decided to give football another shot

To help Tan Kim Leng secured his future; Mr Teo gave Tan Kim Leng business the rights to sell new Hyundai cars & it helped Tan Kim Leng business off it feet.

The Singapore international feel the general public think he has it easy with Mr Teo help but it is not the case as he is so busy selling cars & playing football that he had no time for his family. He is the only part-time player to go for all the morning training & after that still go to the office. In the evening when there is training again, he will be there again & if there was work still to be done at the office, he will go back to finish it.

He felt Nazri Nasir wills understand him now as he is in the same shoe. That is why until those people who claimed how easy Tan Kim Leng life is try out his life, Tan Kim Leng feel they have no right to comment on his life.

But he agreed his hard work had pay off in that his office is placed as the fourth highest out of 12 offices in selling Hyundai cars. Still he is not satisfied & will work towards being the highest selling office in Mr Teo business.

On rumors that he is an arrogant person, Tan Kim Leng feel that it come with the fame he got from playing football & in the past he will be affected but now he does not care anymore wanting just  to get on with his own life.

As a part-time player, Tan Kim Leng admit that he is no longer as fit a player as he was when he was a full-time player with the Warriors but he claimed he can still pass the Beep test the S-league conduct.

Still forever grateful for all the things Mr Teo had done to help him; Tan Kim Leng wants to fulfill Mr Teo dream before retiring from football.

He revealed Mr Teo had during his birthday secretly told him & Stags captain Nazri Nasir that he wants to see the Stags win both the league championship & Singapore Cup. With the Stags having won the Singapore Cup in 2002, only the S-league title remained & once that is achieved Tan Kim Leng feel it will be the time for him to retire.