James Ha

James Stephen Gee Ha (Chinese: 夏志明 born 26 December 1992), nicknamed Bullet, is an English-born Hong Kong professional footballer who plays as a striker and is currently a free agent.[3]

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
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

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.[4]

Early life

Ha was born in Middlesbrough, England in 1992 into a family of English and Hongkongese heritage. Ha moved to Hong Kong where his Hongkongese father resided and grew up on Hong Kong Island at an early age.[5][6]

Ha reportedly had always taken an interest in football, ever since a young age. He attended The Salvation Army Ann Wyllie Memorial School for primary education.[5] And for high school education 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.[7]

Club career

Early career

James Ha had started playing for reserves matches of Kitchee since joining Kitchee academy in 2007.[1] He left Kitchee academy to Shatin when he was 16, but he had no debut in the club. Ha entered 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.[8] 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.[9]

In January 2011, Kitchee signed James Ha with a 1.5-year-long contract after dealing with Hong Kong FC, but James Ha would continue to play in Hong Kong FC until the end of 2010–11 season.[6][10]

Kitchee

While James Ha playing for youth tournament Mediterranean Cup as member of Kitchee's youth academy in Spain in April 2011, Paraguayan club Guaraní approached him about playing for them in the Paraguayan Primera Division. But he concerned about playing so far away from home and rejected the offer finally.[6][11][12]

The first appearance of James Ha in Kitchee is the training match against Hong Kong national football team in Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground on 16 July 2011 for Kitchee and Hong Kong prepared 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.[13]

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.[14][15] 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.[16] 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.[17]

Trials in Europe

In November 2011, while James Ha is in the United Kingdom playing for amateur side Salisbury City Academy#Reserves|reserve team]], which is owned by Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung. Kitchee said it will not stand in his way if Yeung's Birmingham City decides to recruit him.[18] On 8 November 2011, Birmingham City reserves lost to a couple of late goals in a private friendly at Wolverhampton Wanderers. James Ha made a substitute appearance.[2]

James 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.[19][20] In accordance with Dani Cancela's suggestion, Kitchee sent Ha to Sevilla Atlético for further training.[20] Lamentably, he went back to Hong Kong in early April 2012.[21]

Back To Kitchee

After a year for academic study and trial in Europe, Kitchee general manager Ken Ng announced that James Ha would be back to Kitchee in 2012–13 season.[22]

Southern District

After spending several years on loan from Kitchee, James Ha was transferred over to Southern District where he played there for seven seasons before he was released in 2021.

International career

2010–11

In 2010, the Hong Kong Football Association have decided to play James Ha in an age group above his age.[5][6] 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.[23] His outstanding performance in those two exhibition matches gave rise to that he can be the regular player of Hong Kong under-23 team.[6]

Ha was called up to the under-23 squad for the first formal game for their friendly against Chinese Taipei on 24 January 2011.[24] He scored his under-23 international goal in the match two days later, which against Chinese Taipei too.[25] For the 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.[26][27]

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,[28] 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.[29][30] 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.[31][32]

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.[14] For the preparing of the games, Ha would be sent to a new first division league team consisting of members of the training section.[15] At last, Ha did not be listed by Hong Kong Sapling and stayed in Kitchee.[33]

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.[34][35]

In June 2012, Ha was chosen by Merrick for under-23 team to 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.[36]

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
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Hong Kong League FA Cup & Shield League Cup Asia Total
2008–09 Shatin Second Division 0000--00
2009–10 Fourway First Division 0000--00
2010–11 HKFC First Division 1502021-191
2011–12 Kitchee First Division 0000000000
2012–13 00200000410
Sun Hei First Division 4200-2062
2013–14 4010--50
Southern First Division 7010--80
2014–15 Rangers First Division 6 2 0 0 - - 6 2
2015–16 Southern First Division 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 923560422011747
Career total 923560422011747

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

Hong Kong U-23
As of 3 July 2012
Hong Kong U23 appearances and goals
# Date Venue Opponent Result Scored Competition
2010–11
[37] 1 January 2011 Guangdong People's Stadium, Guangzhou, China Guangdong 4–2 0 Exhibition
[38] 4 January 2011 Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong Guangdong 2–2 1 Exhibition
1[24] 24 January 2011 So Kon Po Recreation Ground, Hong Kong  Chinese Taipei 4–0 0 Friendly
2[25] 26 January 2011 Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground, Hong Kong  Chinese Taipei 1–0 1 Friendly
3[26] 23 February 2011 Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong  Maldives 4–0 2 2012 AFC Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
4[27] 9 March 2011 Rasmee Dhandu Stadium, Malé, Maldives  Maldives 3–0 2 2012 AFC Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
5[39] 23 June 2011 Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong  Uzbekistan 0–2 0 2012 AFC Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament
6[36] 23 June 2012 Chao Anouvong Stadium, Vientiane, Laos  Cambodia 2–3 0 2014 AFC U-22 Asian Cup qualification
7[40] 30 June 2012 Laos National Stadium, Vientiane, Laos  Laos 0–2 0 2014 AFC U-22 Asian Cup qualification
8[41] 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 teamYearAppsGoals
Hong Kong 201730
201800
201951
202000
202130
Total111

International goals
Scores and results list Hong Kong's goal tally first.[42]
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.19 November 2019Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong Cambodia1–02–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Personal life

Ha has lived on Hong Kong Island for a long time and he loves playing football for leisure in 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.[5][6] Besides football, Ha is a rugby union footballer, and won the HKFSS Inter-School Rugby Competition in 2011.[43]

Ha is the owner of Scene 852 Productions, a new media company of creators in Hong Kong.[44]

References
  1. 2007–2008 Reserve Division, Hong Kong Football Association, 23 April 2008
  2. Reserve report: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Birmingham City 0, Birmingham Mail, 9 November 2011
  3. "The best midfielder of Hong Kong Premier League and video producer - James Ha the 'Bullet' - Ep. 11". Disrupters Asia. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  4. "The best midfielder of Hong Kong Premier League and video producer - James Ha the 'Bullet' - Ep. 11". Disrupters Asia. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  5. (in Chinese) 起飛前　跑, Page 28–29, Keymansoho, June 2011
  6. (in Chinese) 足球 – 高速夏志明獲南美球會賞識, i-Cable, 2 May 2011
  7. Hong Kong Team List, 36th Asian Schools Football Championship, Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation
  8. Match Results: bma 1st Division Football League – NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po 1:1 HKFC, Hong Kong Football Association, 4 September 2010
  9. Match Results: League Cup – NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po 1:2 HKFC, Hong Kong Football Association, 8 January 2011
  10. (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.
  11. (in Chinese) 港小快翼受寵若驚, Oriental Daily News, 24 April 2011
  12. (in Chinese) 夏志明或登陸南美球壇, i-Cable, 30 April 2011
  13. Live: Chelsea 4 Kitchee 0, Sky Sports, 27 July 2011
  14. (in Chinese) 香港2013東亞運長期集訓隊名單公佈, Hong Kong Football Association, 9 August 2011
  15. (in Chinese) 甲組新軍空降代淦源 Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Tai Kung Pao, 10 August 2011
  16. "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.
  17. (in Chinese) 傑志回收長春門將鬥大埔, Oriental Daily, 14 September 2011
  18. (in Chinese) 子彈橫飛伯明翰 夏志明英倫試腳, Apple Daily. 6 November 2011
  19. (in Chinese)夏志明：不枉英倫行, Sing Tao Daily, 30 December 2011
  20. (in Chinese) 飛馬vs傑志 港甲榜首大戰, Apple Daily, 12 February 2012
  21. (in Chinese) 亞協盃 F組 傑志亞協盃 3連勝, Apple Daily, 5 April 2012
  22. (in Chinese) 體壇快訊﹕鄭少偉回巢傑志, Ming Pao, 31 May 2012
  23. (in Chinese) 香港奧運集訓隊　友賽廣東全運一隊名單公佈, Hong Kong Football Association, 30 December 2010
  24. (in Chinese) 香港奧運隊　友賽擊敗中華台北奧運隊, Hong Kong Football Association, 24 January 2011
  25. (in Chinese) 香港奧運隊　友賽再次擊敗中華台北奧運隊, Hong Kong Football Association, 28 January 2011
  26. Hong Kong 4–0 Maldives, Asian Football Confederation, 23 February 2011
  27. Maldives 0–3 Hong Kong, Asian Football Confederation, 9 March 2011
  28. (in Chinese) 2012奧運會亞洲區外圍賽第二圈　香港奧運隊 – 名單事宜, Hong Kong Football Association, 14 June 2011
  29. (in Chinese) 港隊秘密武器爭出線, Ming Pao, 23 June 2011
  30. (in Chinese) 奧運隊「乘風」襲烏軍, Sing Tao Daily, 23 June 2011
  31. (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
  32. (in Chinese) 港再吞兩蛋衝奧失敗, Metropolis Daily, 24 June 2011
  33. (in Chinese) 科士打執教東亞運13 Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Tai Kung Pao, 19 August 2011
  34. (in Chinese) 港隊點兵對新加坡 陳七落選, Now TV, 29 May 2012
  35. (in Chinese) 港足鬥新加坡缺箭頭 Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Tai Kung Pao, 30 May 2012
  36. 2014 AFC U-22 Asian Cup qualification Match Report: Hong Kong 2 – 3 Cambodia, Hong Kong Football Association, 23 June 2011
  37. (in Chinese) 图文-广东全运队1–0香港奥运队 双方拼抢互不相让, Sina, 1 January 2011
  38. (in Chinese) 图文-广东全运队2–2香港奥运队 双方拼抢先动手, Sina, 4 January 2011
  39. Olympic Tournaments London 2012 – Preliminary Hong Kong Olympic Team 0:2 Uzbekistan Olympic Team, Hong Kong Football Association, 23 June 2011
  40. 2014 AFC U-22 Asian Cup qualification Match Report: Hong Kong 0 – 1 DPR Korea, Hong Kong Football Association, 25 June 2011
  41. 2014 AFC U-22 Asian Cup qualification Match Report: Hong Kong 0 – 4 Thailand, Hong Kong Football Association, 3 July 2012
  42. "James Ha". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  43. (in Chinese) 夏志明手足都咁醒, The Sun, 23 March 2011
  44. "The best midfielder of Hong Kong Premier League and video producer - James Ha the 'Bullet' - Ep. 11". Disrupters Asia. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
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