KUALA LUMPUR – In a bid to elevate the standard of Malaysian football, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) hosted a session that brought together past and present football luminaries.
Sixteen iconic former Harimau Malaya players from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and early 2000s gathered for an exchange of ideas, coinciding with the prestigious Pestabola Merdeka tournament.
FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin, head coach Kim Pan-gon, and the national players engaged in candid discussions at the Harimau Malaya squad accommodation hotel.
The gathering was a tribute to the invaluable contributions of these national heroes and aimed to forge a stronger path for Malaysian football, particularly Harimau Malaya.
“In commemoration of the services of these national heroes and in alignment with the Pestabola Merdeka final, I am uniting legends and current players,” stated Hamidin.
“Beyond the opportunity for socialisation and mutual acquaintance, this session provided a platform for all former players, including coach Kim Pan-gon, to express their perspectives openly, fostering a collaborative effort to advance Harimau Malaya’s performance.
“This gathering, where legends of the past collaborated with contemporary talents, yielded invaluable insights as they generously shared their expertise and suggestions, all of which will be instrumental in refining the national squad’s capabilities,” said Hamidin.
Among the distinguished football legends in attendance were Datuk Santokh Singh, Datuk Soh Chin Ann, Datuk Hassan Sani, Bakri Ibni, Datuk Jamal Nasir, Datuk Zainal Abidin Hassan, and Datuk K. Rajagobal.
Additionally, Datuk Subadron Aziz, Azman Adnan, Ahmad Shahrul Azhar, Datuk Dollah Salleh, Malek Rahman, Reduan Abdullah, Safee Sali, Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, and Shukor Adan graced the event.
The Pestabola Merdeka tournament was once heralded as the ‘Grand Old Lady of Asia’ due to its historical significance as the oldest Asian football tournament.
“Most of tonight’s legendary players have played at Pestabola Merdeka.
“Therefore, as veteran players, they can recall old memories when they represented the national squad in the past,” Hamidin added.
Pan-gon’s squad, which beat India 4-2 on Friday, will meet Tajikistan in today’s final. – October 17, 2023