‘Great gentleman’: Former Singapore national footballer D. Tokijan dies, aged 62

SINGAPORE – A fantastic player on the pitch, and an even better gentleman off it.

That is how those in the football fraternity remember former national footballer Darimosuvito Tokijan, who died on Dec 23 aged 62.

According to a Berita Harian report, Tokijan had been battling cancer.

The left-winger represented Singapore from 1983 to 1992, including at the 1984 Asian Cup on home soil. He made 23 appearances for the Lions and scored 11 goals.

A constant menace down the flank, he troubled defenders with his intelligence and tireless running, while having a knack for contributing crucial goals.

Ex-Lion Abbas Saad, who was Tokijan’s teammate when he played for Singapore FA in 1990, recalled how the latter was always smiling and was a popular figure.

The 58-year-old said: “Whatever you tell him, he gets along with it and he just does it, he was great.

“For me, those are the best memories. He just used to smile, his demeanour. He was a very warm and down-to-earth guy.”

Former international Malek Awab told The Straits Times that he was glad to have gotten the chance to visit his former teammate in hospital last week.

The 64-year-old said: “He had a good personality, was hard-working, a quiet kind of personality.

“He worked very hard and was one of the fitter players in the team. He was a very good man, I never saw any player having any problems with him.”

Expressing sadness at his death, the Football Association of Singapore said in a statement that “our heartfelt condolences go out to his friends and family during this difficult time”.

Tokijan was also a key member of Singapore’s Malaysian League-winning squad in 1985. In that season, he scored 13 league goals to finish as their top scorer.

He also played a part in Singapore’s run to the Malaysia Cup final in 1990, when the Lions eventually lost 3-1 to Kedah.

Among his most memorable goals is a 25-metre left-footed rocket in Singapore’s 7-0 win over Kelantan in the 1991 Malaysian Semi-Pro Division 1 League.

On the pitch, he was a steady presence and never one to back down, even when they came up against partisan crowds at away games, Abbas said.

In a 2012 article in The New Paper, Tokijan spoke about the “immense” atmosphere he experienced playing in Malaysia, with the crowd throwing water bombs, oranges and even hard-boiled eggs at players.

Abbas said: “He’s just the kind of person you want in the dressing room, the kind of player you want to go into battle with because he was a lion-hearted player, very strong, very fit.

“At home, he was wonderful. When we go and played away, especially against the Malaysian states in the 90s, it was really hostile wherever we went but it didn’t bother him.”

At club level, Tokijan played for Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association (SAFSA), Geylang International, Jurong Town and Balestier Central.

After retiring from football, he coached youth and reserve teams, including at Geylang, Tanjong Pagar United and Balestier Khalsa.

He later worked with ActiveSG, a national movement by Sport Singapore to promote inclusive sports and active living.

During his time as assistant coach at Balestier, he won the 2014 Singapore Cup after the Tigers beat Home United 3-1 in the final.

Balestier coach Marko Kraljevic, who worked closely with Tokijan at the club for two years, was saddened by his death.

He recalled Tokijan’s dedication to helping players improve and how he was always generous with his time, staying back after training sessions to work on their skills.

The Croat said: “He wanted the players to improve, these young boys coming in and he was really good in this area.

“He was very patient about it. One week a few times he would stay behind after training and show them how to (do) proper body positioning.

“He had a lot of patience and he never got angry. Off and on the pitch, he was a great gentleman, he’s gone too soon.”