A TITLE FIT FOR A KING
Zainal reminisces the time when he ‘gifted’ Sultan Ahmad Shah the Malaysia Cup crown
FORMER international Zainal Abidin Hassan’s greatest gift to the late Sultan Ahmad Shah was leading Pahang to their first ever Malaysia Cup crown in 1983.
The 57-year-old still cherishes the 1983 triumph as it was his first season with Pahang. Zainal started
his career as a right-back for Selangor before Frank Lord, who was coaching Pahang then, tried him out as a striker with the blessing of Sultan Ahmad Shah, and it turned out to be the right move.
The well-built Zainal was a defender’s nightmare and he went on to become one of Asia’s most feared strikers.
Zainal said the 1983 Malaysia Cup triumph was special as Sultan Ahmad Shah was the King then.
“I scored one goal in the 3-2 win over my former team, Selangor. When the final whistle blew, Sultan Ahmad Shah and the people of Pahang celebrated that victory.
“Sultan Ahmad Shah, being a person who loved football and other sports, congratulated us by saying ‘thank you’. It was a great night for us.
“His passing is a great loss. He was a wonderful man and ruler. When he was the president of the FA of Malaysia (FAM), he took efforts to elevate our football.”
Zainal added: “I was touched when he attended my son’s (Zaiza) wedding three years ago in Kuala Lumpur.
“When I was a player, he often advised me to do my best for both club and the national team. I will always remember this great man.”
Former national footballer Datuk Jamal Nasir Ismail said it was Sultan Ahmad Shah who coaxed his late father to allow him to play football.
“I hung up my boots after fracturing my right hand during an inter-school match in Kelantan in 1970. My father, who was a policeman, did not want me to play football when we moved to Kuantan a year later.
“I was, however, still playing other sports. However, Sultan Ahmad Shah told my father and me to have an audience with him at his palace in Pekan in 1971.
“When he saw my father, Sultan Ahmad Shah asked ‘what are you doing here, Mail?’ and then I got to know that they were former classmates in Pekan.
“He told my father to allow me to play for the state and the rest was history.”
Jamil Nasir added that the late ruler played a major part in shaping his career as a footballer.
"His dream was to see Malaysia become a top football nation and he did a lot when he was president of FAM and the Asean Football Federation (AFF).
“He was passionate about the game and would listen to feedback from those in the football fraternity.”
Pahang coach Dollah Salleh said Sultan Ahmad Shah was jovial and would often crack jokes with players.
“I remember him as someone who loved to joke with the players. He would also talk to us in the dressing room before and after matches.
“He not only motivated the players when I was in the national team but would jokingly ask Zainal and me what rewards we were expecting after a win.
“He went an extra mile just for the sake of football.
“He has certainly left Malaysian football with a lot of fond memories,” said Dollah.
National Under-23 coach Ong Kim Swee also has good memories of Sultan Ahmad Shah.
“Sultan Ahmad Shah, who was then FAM president, came to visit my team (Young Tigers) during our tour of Europe seven years ago. Following the 5-1 defeat to Hungarian side, Ferencvaros Torna Club, he told us — it does not matter if you lose 5-1 as this is the kind of matches you have to play (in order to improve)... keep doing the right things,” said Kim Swee on Twitter.