“Kita Dulu Dalam National Team Macam Family” — Dato’ Shukor Salleh

(Dipetik daripada judul sulung Siri Legenda: Dato’ Shukor Salleh – Jeneral Padang)

Apakah agaknya yang dikongsikan antara Dato’ Shukor Salleh dan Remeli Junit hingga tak kering gusi Wong Kuw Fou dan Allahyarham Dato’ Muhammad Bakar? 

Foto yang dirakam pada tahun 2019 memperlihatkan empat pemain kebangsaan kita yang telah menempah nama di tempat tertinggi dalam perjalanan bola sepak masing-masing.

Keempat-empat mereka pernah bersama-sama menjalani latihan di Bukit Fraser bagi menghadapi saingan Kelayakan Sukan Olimpik 1980. Namun, Wong Kuw Fou, pemain pertahanan, terpaksa digugurkan daripada senarai akhir akibat kecederaan kaki. “Jeneral Padang” Shukor Salleh merupakan tonggak utama mengemudi bahagian tengah pasukan. Sementara itu, Remeli Junit yang berjaya menembusi skuad utama negara dari Pasukan ‘B’ berjaya menyumbang dua gol di saingan kelayakan tersebut. 

Mohd Bakar memiliki kejayaan yang unik. Sebagai pemain, beliau pernah beraksi di Sukan Olimpik Munich 1972 dan pada tahun 1980 beliau bertindak sebagai jurulatih bersama Karl  Weigang membimbing skuad negara untuk layak ke temasya Sukan Olimpik Moscow. Walau bagaimanapun, kerajaan Malaysia telah membuat keputusan untuk memulaukan temasya sukan tersebut kerana pencerobohan Rusia ke atas Afghanistan.

Enam tahun sebelum itu, Mohd Bakar yang bermain di posisi sayap bersama Shukor Salleh dan Wong Kuw Fou berada dalam pasukan yang membawa pulang pingat gangsa Sukan Asia 1974 yang berlangsung di Teheran, Iran.

Pencapaian dan pengorbanan mereka harus menjadi inspirasi kepada generasi muda dan akan datang. Penting juga untuk meneladani keakraban mereka yang dipupuk di atas padang dan berkekalan hingga kini. 

Semoga roh Allahyarham Mohd Bakar dicucuri rahmat Allah SWT dan semoga Dato’ Shukor Salleh, Wong Kuw Fou serta Remeli Junit kekal sihat walafiat. 

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What do we think was shared by Dato’ Shukor Salleh and Remeli Junit that made Wong Kuw Fou and the late Dato’ Mohamad Bakar fill with laughter?

This photo taken in 2019 shows four of our national football legends who have achieved greatness at the highest level of their respective careers. 

All four of them once trained together at Fraser’s Hill to face the 1980 Olympic Games Qualifiers. However, Wong Kuw Fou, a defender, was eventually dropped from the final list due to a leg injury. “Jeneral padang” Shukor Salleh was the main pillar leading the team’s midfield whereas Remeli Junit, who managed to break into the main squad from Malaysia ‘B’, contributed two goals in the qualification tournament. 

Meanwhile, Mohd Bakar was a unique success. As a player, he qualified for and played at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Then in 1980, he was coach alongside Karl Weigang guiding the team to qualify for the Moscow Olympic Games. Although they succeeded, the Malaysian government boycotted the event due to Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan. 

Six years prior, Mohd Bakar who played wing in the same team as Shukor Salleh and Wong Kuw Fou, brought home the bronze medal at the 1974 Asian Games held in Tehran, Iran. 

Their achievements and sacrifices should be an inspiration for generations to come. It is also important to emulate their camaraderie that they fostered on the field and continued later in life.

May Allahyarham Mohd Bakar’s soul be blessed by Allah SWT and may Dato’ Shukor Salleh, Wong Kuw Fou and Remeli Junit remain healthy and well.