Former Malaysia and Selangor football legend Datuk M Chandran, hailed as one of the best skippers the country has ever seen, was laid to rest in a private ceremony at the Athieswaran Temple Cremation Ground in Sentul this afternoon.
Chandran, the captain of the 1972 Munich Olympic Men’s football team, was remembered as a disciplined and strict leader on a football field, but a loyal, warm and good friend off it.
In his modest two-storey terrace house in Ampang Jaya, fellow Malaysian football legends paid their last respects and reminisced about the good old times they had with their former captain.
Among the first to pay tribute to Chandran were his former teammates, led by Soh Chin Aun, president of the Ex-State and Ex-National Footballers Association of Malaysia.
“We are saddened by the passing of our past president and national football legend, Datuk M Chandran,” Soh said in a statement.
“He had excellent leadership qualities and was respected by his teammates and the football fraternity.”
Soh said Chandran was a great role model as a player and an administrator, who led by example, and a disciplinarian.
Another footballing great, Santokh Singh, said Chandran was always there to provide moral support when the odds were against the team.
“He held the national team together and led them to the highest achievement the nation had made so far – qualifying and playing in the 1972 Munich Olympics. He will be greatly missed,” Santokh said.
Former Asian Football Federation (AFF) Secretary-General Datuk Seri Azzuddin Ahmad hailed Chandran as the best centre-back Malaysia ever produced.
“He gave a good picture of Malaysia football. He will be missed.
“When he was the coach, it was hard. The training was very hard. That’s why we were good back then.
“He was the best centre-back. It was very hard for any striker to defeat him in Asia. Back then, South Korea was the best team, but we defeated them. Of course, because of his talent,” he said.
Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) Exco Christopher Raj Aralanthu, on behalf of the family, thanked everyone who came to pay their respects.
He said Chandran has been suffering from neuro motor disease for 17 years after his stroke in 2006 and has been thankful for the help he received from FAM, the government and friends.
“On behalf of the family, we would like to thank all those who come to pay respect. I think in the last two to three weeks, there were many people who come and gave encouragement to his children.
“We knew that he was struggling for 17 years with his sickness.
“Also, to the Ministry of Health, especially the Neuro Centre of Kuala Lumpur Hospital that treated him for 15 years,” he said.
As a FAM exco, Christopher also promised to help Chandran’s family.
“We knew his services to the country and relayed our condolences to the family. If the family needs any help, FAM will provide for it like we did to all our former national players,” he said.
The son of a Malayan Railway train driver, Chandran started his playing career with Selangor Indian Association. He was born in Sg Siput, Perak.
While playing for then employers Chartered Bank, he was spotted by Selangor manager Harun Idris and taken into the state team, which triumphed a number of times in the Malaysia Cup tournament.
He had played with some of Malaysia’s most illustrious players, including Chow Chee Keong, Wong Choon Wah, Soh Chin Aun, Santokh Singh, R Arumugam and Mokhtar Dahari.
In the 1972 Munich Olympics, the national team led by Chandran finished third in a group consisting of West Germany, Morocco and the United States. The team also secured the bronze medal in the 1974 Tehran Asian Games.
Chandran retired from playing a year later and moved to coaching.
He was awarded a datukship from Pahang in 2000 for his services in national football.
Chandran, 77, died peacefully at his house in Ampang Jaya at 7.30am leaving behind his two sons, C Kumarason, 38, and C Vicknaraj, 36.
