Disclaimer : This statement is based on my experience
Talking about Chinese school and football. I have a story.
I am from Chinese School. To be precise Sek Men Keat Hwa, Alor Star, Kedah. Among good school and excel in their education. You can see every year when gov announcing PMR, SPM and STPM result there will be top student coming from this school. In term of facility, everything great. Thanks to rich parent that sponsoring through PIBG.
But if you talk about sport especially football. Its really sad. Chinese is more oriented to play basketball. When PJ time only few people that playing football because they don't want to get dirty. Its end up less then 10 people playing 5 a side try to score between pair of shoe. But that was when I was form 1. Still OK
Form 2 and 3 u need to go to another Keat Hwa branch behind Wisma Persekutuan that damn small! i think like three times football field size. And guess what there is no football field at all! only basketball court. So what is the conclusion? Management like teacher, guru besar only target specific sport for their student to excel. If you are good playing ping pong, badminton, basketball and volleyball. Yes you will get what you want. But football? NO NO NO
From here you can see the direction why there is no Chinese excel in football. Because school never encourage their student to do so. I believe if they encourage, there will be representative from my school representing Alor Star and Kedah. Their target is to be the best school in academics! But my school have a good marching band too

For school football team, we have a good teacher who willing to become coach, but lacks of support from school management. When there is announcement that there will be football squad selection, only few people turn up for it. Less than 25 people. So if you turn up, you will be selected. so good right?
But even with this limitation, we able to build up a good squad. Because what? When i was form 2 we go until quarter final and lose out to Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid [KSAH] where all state academy player come from. But only at group stage next year.
So if you want more Chinese to play football. You need to change development program at the grass root. We need to start from basics. Another thing is to educate parents to see footballer have a good career as badminton player. It's take times to change this mindset.
After i left my school, they build new building at the football field. I pity for students that enjoy playing football.
P/S: I dont think Lim Teong Kim deserve to get 'Datuk'. Any football player after Mokhtar Dahari doesn't deserved at all! Better give it to Badminton, Squash and Hockey player.