James Ha

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Ha.

James Ha
Ha playing for Kitchee against Hong Kong on 16 July 2011
Personal information
Full name James Stephen Gee Ha
Date of birth (1992-12-26) 26 December 1992 (age 31)
Place of birth Middlesbrough, England
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Striker
Winger
Youth career
2007–2008 Kitchee[1]
2011
Birmingham City[2]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Sha Tin 0 (0)
2009–2010
Fourway
 0 (0)
2010–2011
HKFC
 15 (0)
2011–2014 Kitchee 0 (0)
2013–2014 → Sun Hei (loan) 8 (2)
2014 → Southern (loan) 9 (0)
2014–2015 Rangers (HKG) 6 (2)
2015–2022 Southern 93 (33)
International career‡
2011–2012 Hong Kong U-23 8 (5)
2017– Hong Kong 11 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 May 2021
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 June 2021

James Stephen Gee Ha (

Hong Kong former professional footballer who played as a striker.[3]

He is a member of the Hong Kong national football team. He was awarded Best Youth Player of Hong Kong in the 2010–11 season and best midfielder of Hong Kong Premier League in the 2018–19 season.[3]

Early life

Ha was born in

Hongkongese heritage. Ha moved to Hong Kong where his Hongkongese father resided and grew up on Hong Kong Island at an early age.[4][5]

Ha reportedly had always taken an interest in football, ever since a young age. He attended

St. Joseph's College for two years, but later transferred to St. Joan of Arc, but not for long. As Ha decided it was best to start year 12 at South Island School in 2009, in which he represented the school team as an attacking midfielder. During these years he was also selected by Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation football team for the 36th Asian Schools Football Championship.[6]

Club career

Early career

Ha had started playing for reserves matches of

Fourway Athletics
a year later but did not have much success.

He joined

HKFC before the 2010–11 season of Hong Kong First Division League. He made his first division debut on the opening match of Hong Kong FC drew NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po on 4 September 2010.[7] In the League Cup game on 8 January 2011, he scored his first goal in formal match on the 19th-minute and Hong Kong FC defeated NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po by 2–1 lastly.[8]

In January 2011, Kitchee signed Ha with a 1.5-year-long contract after dealing with Hong Kong FC, but Ha would continue to play in Hong Kong FC until the end of 2010–11 season.[5][9]

Kitchee

While Ha was playing for youth tournament Mediterranean Cup as member of Kitchee's youth academy in Spain in April 2011, Paraguayan club

Paraguayan Primera Division. But he concerned about playing so far away from home and rejected the offer finally.[5][10][11]

The first appearance of Ha in Kitchee is the training match against

2011 Barclays Asia Trophy and 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification. His first formal appearance is in a semifinal match of 2011 Barclays Asia Trophy against Chelsea in Hong Kong Stadium on 27 July 2011. Ha was sent to the field on the 82nd-minute to replace Roberto Losada, and Kitchee lost the game by 4 goals.[12]

After the rejection of Guaraní's offer and the postpone of Ha's university study, the new first division team for 2013 East Asian Games has founded and James was called up by the long-term training section.[13][14] Kitchee general manager Ken Ng asserted in what a choice depended on Ha and head coach Josep Gombau and Ng would make a decision after summer training in Spain.[15] Finally, although Ha did not be loaned to Hong Kong Sapling, he also has left Kitchee in the short term to study in United Kingdom.[16]

Trials in Europe

In November 2011, while Ha was in the United Kingdom playing for amateur side

Wolverhampton Wanderers. Ha made a substitute appearance.[2]

Ha went back to Hong Kong in January 2012 for Lunar New Year celebration and ended the two months training but Birmingham City abandoned him after the holidays.[18][19] In accordance with Dani Cancela's suggestion, Kitchee sent Ha to Sevilla Atlético for further training.[19] Lamentably, he went back to Hong Kong in early April 2012.[20]

Back To Kitchee

After a year for academic study and trial in Europe, Kitchee general manager Ken Ng announced that Ha would be back to Kitchee in 2012–13 season.[21]

Southern District

After spending several years on loan from Kitchee, Ha was transferred over to Southern where he played there for seven seasons before he was released in 2022.

International career

2010–11

In 2010, the

Hong Kong Football Association have decided to play James Ha in an age group above his age.[4][5] Ha was just 17 when he played for the Hong Kong national under-23 football team at the exhibition matches against Guangdong under-23 team in 2010.[22] His outstanding performance in those two exhibition matches gave rise to that he can be the regular player of Hong Kong under-23 team.[5]

Ha was called up to the under-23 squad for the first formal game for their friendly against

first preliminary round of 2012 Summer Olympics against Maldives, he was sent to the field by head coach Tsang Wai Chung both two matches and he scored a total of four goals.[25][26]

James Ha (11) came off the bench on 23 June 2011

He was also named in the under-23 list squad for

second preliminary round of 2012 Summer Olympics against Uzbekistan,[27] but did not feature in the first leg at the Uzbek stadium, which lost by a goal. Before the second leg, some media in Hong Kong claimed that Ha was the 'secret weapon' of Hong Kong team.[28][29] In the second leg, Hong Kong astonishingly opted defending formation and caused two losing goals to put Uzbekistan 2–0 up in 20 minutes. Ha replaced Au Yeung Yiu Chung in 34th-minute as winger and played as target man in second half. However, in a match in which Hong Kong were generally regarded as having underachieved and Uzbekistan won 3–0 on aggregate, he was widely considered one of the few successes of the Hong Kong under-23 squad.[30][31]

2011–12

In August 2011, Hong Kong Football Association has formed the long-term training section for 2013 East Asian Games and Ha was selected by the association.[13] For the preparing of the games, Ha would be sent to a new first division league team consisting of members of the training section.[14] At last, Ha did not be listed by Hong Kong Sapling and stayed in Kitchee.[32]

After the Europe trial of Ha, new Hong Kong national football team coach Ernie Merrick selected Ha for the friendlies against Singapore and Vietnam due to absent Chan Siu Ki and Godfred Karikari.[33][34]

In June 2012, Ha was chosen by Merrick for

2014 AFC U-22 Asian Cup qualification in Laos. He played the opening match of the Hong Kong team as a substitute but Hong Kong lost the game by 2–3.[35]

2017–18

Ha made his international debut for the national team on 5 October 2017, in a 4–0 friendly win over Laos.

Honours

Individual

Career statistics

Club

As of 19 May 2021
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Hong Kong League
Shield
League Cup
 Asia Total
2008–09 Shatin Second Division 0 0 0 0 - - 0 0
2009–10
Fourway
 First Division 0 0 0 0 - - 0 0
2010–11
HKFC
 15 0 2 0 2 1 - 19 1
2011–12 Kitchee 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2012–13 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 41 0
Sun Hei 4 2 0 0 - 2 0 6 2
2013–14 4 0 1 0 - - 5 0
Southern 7 0 1 0 - - 8 0
2014–15 Rangers Premier League 6 2 0 0 - - 6 2
2015–16 Southern 8 3 4 4 2 1 - 14 8
2016–17 9 6 1 2 - - 10 8
2017–18 6 0 3 2 - - 9 2
2018–19 12 7 3 2 - - 15 9
2019–20 8 4 0 0 - - 8 4
2020–21 13 11 0 0 - - 13 11
Total Hong Kong 92 35 6 0 4 2 2 0 117 47
Career total 92 35 6 0 4 2 2 0 117 47

1Including 2 games in 2012 Hong Kong–Shanghai Inter Club Championship.


International

Hong Kong U-23

As of 3 July 2012
Hong Kong U23 appearances and goals
# Date Venue Opponent Result Scored Competition
2010–11
[36] 1 January 2011 Guangdong People's Stadium, Guangzhou, China Guangdong 4–2 0 Exhibition
[37] 4 January 2011 Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong Guangdong 2–2 1 Exhibition
1[23] 24 January 2011 So Kon Po Recreation Ground, Hong Kong  Chinese Taipei 4–0 0 Friendly
2[24] 26 January 2011 Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground, Hong Kong  Chinese Taipei 1–0 1 Friendly
3[25] 23 February 2011 Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong  Maldives 4–0 2
2012 AFC Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
4[26] 9 March 2011
Rasmee Dhandu Stadium, Malé
, Maldives 		 Maldives 3–0 2
2012 AFC Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
5[38] 23 June 2011 Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong  Uzbekistan 0–2 0
2012 AFC Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
6[35] 23 June 2012
Chao Anouvong Stadium, Vientiane
, Laos 		 Cambodia 2–3 0
2014 AFC U-22 Asian Cup qualification
7[39] 30 June 2012 Laos National Stadium, Vientiane, Laos  Laos 0–2 0
2014 AFC U-22 Asian Cup qualification
8[40] 3 July 2012
Chao Anouvong Stadium, Vientiane
, Laos 		 Thailand 0–4 0
2014 AFC U-22 Asian Cup qualification

Hong Kong

As of 15 June 2021
National team Year Apps Goals
Hong Kong 2017 3 0
2018 0 0
2019 5 1
2020 0 0
2021 3 0
Total 11 1

International goals

Scores and results list Hong Kong's goal tally first.[41]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 19 November 2019 Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong  Cambodia 1–0 2–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Personal life

Ha has lived on

Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. He thinks there are many top players in Victoria Park and he learnt a lot of skills and sense of soccer in the park. Recently, Victoria Park is always closed for special events so he goes to the park in low frequency now.[4][5] Besides football, Ha is a rugby union footballer, and won the HKFSS Inter-School Rugby Competition in 2011.[42]

Ha is the owner of Scene 852 Productions, a new media company of creators in Hong Kong.[3]

References

  1. ^
    Hong Kong Football Association
    , 23 April 2008
  2. ^ a b Reserve report: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Birmingham City 0, Birmingham Mail, 9 November 2011
  3. ^ a b c "The best midfielder of Hong Kong Premier League and video producer - James Ha the 'Bullet' - Ep. 11". Disrupters Asia. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d (in Chinese) 起飛前　跑, Page 28–29, Keymansoho, June 2011
  5. ^ a b c d e f (in Chinese) 足球 – 高速夏志明獲南美球會賞識, i-Cable, 2 May 2011
  6. ^ Hong Kong Team List, 36th Asian Schools Football Championship, Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation
  7. Hong Kong Football Association
    , 4 September 2010
  8. Hong Kong Football Association
    , 8 January 2011
  9. ^ (in Chinese) "夏志明已與傑志簽訂一紙合約，至2011–12季尾。但他在今季餘下的賽事，將會繼續為港會出賽。" From the comment of Kitchee SC general manager, Ken K. Ng in Facebook on 7 February 2011.
  10. ^ (in Chinese) 港小快翼受寵若驚, Oriental Daily News, 24 April 2011
  11. ^ (in Chinese) 夏志明或登陸南美球壇, i-Cable, 30 April 2011
  12. ^ Live: Chelsea 4 Kitchee 0, Sky Sports, 27 July 2011
  13. ^
    Hong Kong Football Association
    , 9 August 2011
  14. ^
    Tai Kung Pao
    , 10 August 2011
  15. ^ "Whether he stays or goes to EAG13 is a choice for him and for Josep Gombau. He may mature quicker if he has more chance to play regularly. One never knows." From the comment of Kitchee SC general manager, Ken K. Ng in Facebook on 15 August 2011.
  16. Oriental Daily
    , 14 September 2011
  17. ^ (in Chinese) 子彈橫飛伯明翰 夏志明英倫試腳, Apple Daily. 6 November 2011
  18. ^ (in Chinese)夏志明：不枉英倫行, Sing Tao Daily, 30 December 2011
  19. ^ a b (in Chinese) 飛馬vs傑志 港甲榜首大戰[permanent dead link], Apple Daily, 12 February 2012
  20. ^ (in Chinese) 亞協盃 F組 傑志亞協盃 3連勝, Apple Daily, 5 April 2012
  21. ^ (in Chinese) 體壇快訊﹕鄭少偉回巢傑志, Ming Pao, 31 May 2012
  22. Hong Kong Football Association
    , 30 December 2010
  23. ^
    Hong Kong Football Association
    , 24 January 2011
  24. ^
    Hong Kong Football Association
    , 28 January 2011
  25. ^ a b Hong Kong 4–0 Maldives, Asian Football Confederation, 23 February 2011
  26. ^ a b Maldives 0–3 Hong Kong, Asian Football Confederation, 9 March 2011
  27. Hong Kong Football Association
    , 14 June 2011
  28. ^ (in Chinese) 港隊秘密武器爭出線, Ming Pao, 23 June 2011
  29. ^ (in Chinese) 奧運隊「乘風」襲烏軍, Sing Tao Daily, 23 June 2011
  30. ^ (in Chinese) 2012奧運足球亞洲區外圍賽　港奧捱打再負烏軍出局, Apple Daily, 24 June 2011
  31. Metropolis Daily
    , 24 June 2011
  32. Tai Kung Pao
    , 19 August 2011
  33. Now TV
    , 29 May 2012
  34. Tai Kung Pao
    , 30 May 2012
  35. ^
    Hong Kong Football Association
    , 23 June 2011
  36. Sina
    , 1 January 2011
  37. Sina
    , 4 January 2011
  38. Hong Kong Football Association
    , 23 June 2011
  39. Hong Kong Football Association
    , 25 June 2011
  40. Hong Kong Football Association
    , 3 July 2012
  41. ^ "James Ha". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  42. ^ (in Chinese) 夏志明手足都咁醒, The Sun, 23 March 2011

External links

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