KUALA LUMPUR – The 2007 and 2008 treble-winning Kedah FC squad will forever be cherished by local football fans for the excellence and resilience they showed on the field under the guidance of the late head coach, Azraai Khor Abdullah.
The club legend, who passed away yesterday noon after suffering a stroke at the age of 71, not only paved the way for many promising local talents, but also for several foreign players who sought to spread their wings with the Canaries.
Among them was former Chile international Nelson San Martin, who was signed by Azraai in 2006 from the Chilean second-division team Curicó Unido.
San Martin went on to win accolades with Kedah FC through his midfield prowess alongside teammates Ahmad Fauzi Saari, Marlon Alex James, Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri, and Baddrol Bakhtiar.
Speaking to Scoop from Santiago, Chile, San Martin expressed his grief with Azraai’s passing, whom he viewed as a father figure.
He also said that he is forever grateful to the former coach for rejuvenating his career, which nearly fell apart.
“I feel very sad now and I’m at a loss for words. Not only myself, but my whole family is indebted to coach Azraai, including my wife and kids, as he was the one who gave me a stable career when I was struggling to find one for myself back home in Chile.
“He was more like a father to me than a coach. When I heard the news about his passing at 1am Chilean time (yesterday), I was unable to digest the news and couldn’t sleep after hearing it.
“We used to chat every day, and I have never had such a close relationship with any of my former coaches like coach Azraai. Not even once did he treat me like a foreigner. He always viewed me as his own son.
“I’m going to miss him a lot. I was supposed to meet him next week by coming over to Malaysia, but now I’m sad that I won’t be able to see him anymore.
“I will forever be grateful for what he has done for me and for making me into a strong and disciplined player,” added San Martin, who was unable to hold back his tears when reminiscing about his late coach.
San Martin, who retired from the game in 2014, also said that he has been following Malaysian football over the years and believes that Azraai was the best coach the country has ever had.
“I have been following Malaysian football for a long time, even after my retirement, and for me, coach Azraai will always be the best coach in Malaysian football.
“His dedication to the game is beyond anything that I have seen and experienced. In my opinion, he was the one who elevated the standard of Malaysian football, especially in the Malaysia Super League.
“I remember how well we did with limited resources and won the treble for two consecutive seasons, which I don’t think any coach can do in modern Malaysian football. May his soul rest in peace,” San Martin added.
Aside from his treble-winning accolades with Kedah, Nelson has also won trophies with Universidad de Chile FC (Primera División de Chile and Copa Chile – 2000)
The news of Azraai’s passing was shared by his son, Firdaus Zainuddin, on Facebook.
It is understood that Azraai was rushed to Kedah Medical Centre after suffering a stroke.
Azraai also became the head coach of the national junior squad, Harimau Muda, in 2010. He was also instrumental in Negri Sembilan’s 2011 Malaysia Cup triumph. – February 9, 2024