From The Stands To The Pitch | #KaranganBolaSepak
From the stands to the pitch | #KaranganBolaSepak by Sivanasvaran Suppiah - Physiotherapist National Team of Football Association of Malaysia
When I was a student doing my Physiotherapy studies in College of Health Science Kuala Lumpur Hospital, I had a great opportunity to witness the 1989 SEA Games which was held from 20 to 31 August 1989. Coming from a smaller city, Ipoh it was my first experience being able to watch the big game in our national stadium.
My long-lasting experience will be the closing ceremony of the SEA Games which coincide with the last medal of the games football match between Malaysia and Singapore at Stadium Merdeka on 31st August 1989. This will be my first experience watching the Malaysia team playing not knowing that one day I will be with the team as a physiotherapist. People said that you can win many medals in games but it is nothing like winning a gold medal in football. The ticket was bought by my cousin Gunasegaran Muthusamy who came down from Penang to watch the match together, I would not be in the stadium if he did not get me the tickets. We were seated at a stand closer to Jalan Stadium.
The stadium was already packed by 6 pm before the match started, there was a show by Dato Hj Sudirman Arshad followed by the presence of Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to grace the match. The everlasting entertainer made his rounds on the tarmac of the stadium with his trademark dress of Malaysian flag, I could not exactly remember what were the songs he sang. It was already pouring heavily when Sudirman came on to perform, all of us were soaked before the match started.
The match started with Malaysia getting an early lead through an own goal by Borhan Abu Samah of Singapore. Fandi Ahmad equalised the match for Singapore before the half time. The second half started with a more aggressive approach by Malaysia with the support of fans. Malaysia took the lead with a goal by Lim Teong Kim, followed by a quick goal by Dollah Salleh. Malaysia won the match 3 goals to 1. Malaysia won the mother of all gold medals. It was the 67th gold medal and this was our best total at that time. We were positioned at second place overall right behind our neighbours Indonesia. The day of this match was Thursday and already a public holiday being 31st August our Independence Day. Tun came on to do the closing ceremony and this is when the crowd continuously chanted ‘CUTI! CUTI! CUTI!’, he officially announced it is a public holiday for the following day. The joyous crowd went back home happily.
I went on to finish my studies and my first posting was in Physio Department of Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Baharu. During my time in Johor, I use to treat players from Johor state team and was given a free pass to watch Johor home matches. It was a big thing for me to watch the match. After two years, I was transferred to Kuala Lumpur Hospital, where I took up a part-time job as a physiotherapist with the Kuala Lumpur President Cup team. I was led by Coach Lim Kim Lean and senior physiotherapist Mr Prabhakaran Karuppiah. Mr Prabhakaran was with Kuala Lumpur senior team and the pioneer of sports physiotherapist in Malaysia. He guided me in many ways and thought me things I did not learn in college to be better sports physiotherapist. It was in 1997 when we had a friendly match between Malaysia U19 Youth World Cup Team against Kuala Lumpur President Cup. In this match, I crossed paths with coach Hatem Soussi and he took me in for the Malaysia U19 Youth World Cup Team. It was a great experience and this continued my journey with coach Hatem Soussi for the Malaysia U23 team, who was preparing for Sydney Olympic Qualifiers. I had to make a big decision to leave the Ministry of Health and join as a full-time staff of Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). This was the year I joined FAM.
During my tenure, I have crossed path with Zainal Abidin Hassan, Dollah Salleh and Razip Ismail from the 1989 Sea Games team. When they were appointed as national coaches at various levels, it was a privilege for me to serve as a physiotherapist for their teams. Never would I have thought to myself that I would be working as the National Team Physiotherapist alongside these great players I used to watch at the 1989 SEA Games.
It took a long time before we Malaysians would relive from the 1989 SEA Games moment. On 17th Dec 2009, Malaysia won the gold medal at Laos Sea Games under the guidance of Datuk Rajagopal, assisted by Tan Cheng Ho and Mohd Faozi Muklas. It was a different experience winning the medal from stands and then winning by being part of the team exactly after 20 years of gap but nevertheless, it was an amazing one through both ways.
Sivanasvaran Suppiah
Physiotherapist National Team
Football Association of Malaysia
Note from padangbolasepak.com: During the Restriction Movement Order 2020 Malaysia to combat Covid19 - Padangbolasepak.com encourages you from home to write essays about our beloved game of football. Can be anything. Why you fell in love with it? Your first game watching or playing? Friendships forged? Etc. Stars the limit.
500-1,000 / more words.
The objective is simple. Sharing the joy of football. Challenge you to write about the joy you may want to share. As well as keep you occupied and encourage to write. Provided that you have nothing else to do. Email us your essay with a photo attached at contact@padangbolasepak.com & we’ll post on the website as well on social media.
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