Rahim Abdullah – Dari Berkaki Ayam ke Kota Munich

Legasi Lagenda mengucapkan selamat hari kelahiran yang ke-76 kepada legenda bola sepak negara, Rahim Abdullah.

Rahim, yang dilahirkan di Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang pada tahun 1947, merupakan anak kedua dan anak lelaki yang tertua antara 8 adik-beradik yang terdiri daripada 3 lelaki dan 5 perempuan.

Beliau seorang Olimpian yang bermain bola sepak hanya berkaki ayam sejak kecil lagi.

“Saya tak pernah pakai ‘boots’ hinggalah saya ke TI Penang (Sekolah Menengah Teknik Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra),” jelas Rahim yang mendapat pendidikan awal di Sekolah Rendah dan Menengah Methodist di Nibong Tebal sebelum melanjutkan pelajaran Tingkatan 4 di TI Penang.

Seorang guru beliau, Encik Bakar Ismail, menawarkan beliau sepasang kasut bola setelah melihat kaki anak muridnya, hanya dilindungi oleh ‘ankle guard’, dipijak-pijak lawan pada perlawanan pertama peringkat antara sekolah bawah 18 tahun di Pulau Pinang.

“Cikgu Bakar yang suruh. ‘Rahim, hang pi kat Chulia Street, pi kat Kedai Chit Bee, hang ambil boots.’” ujar Rahim Abdullah yang masih ingat kata-kata guru beliau. Encik Bakar bukan sahaja mengurus pasukan sekolah, malah bertugas sebagai pengulas sukan radio juga. Rahim, bermain sebagai penyerang pada masa itu, muncul sebagai penjaring terbanyak pasukan sekolah.

Pada awalnya, Rahim mewakili Pulau Pinang di pertandingan Piala Malaysia. Kemudian, beliau menjadi pemain Selangor dan Perak setelah terpaksa berhijrah mengikut kerjaya sebagai anggota polis.

Pemain sayap yang mahir menendang kuat dengan kedua-dua belah kaki, beliau boleh bermain di kedua-dua belah bahagian padang. Rahim pernah bermain di sayap kiri Pulau Pinang dan mendapat tempat sebagai sayap kanan bersama pasukan Harimau Malaya.

Sebagai pemain pasukan kebangsaan, beliau telah bertanding di beberapa kejohanan antarabangsa termasuk Pestabola Merdeka, Piala Kemerdekaan Vietnam Selatan dan Kejohanan Ulang Tahun Jakarta. Kemuncak karir bola sepak beliau tentunya apabila beliau beraksi di Sukan Olimpik 1972 di Munich, Jerman.

Rahim terus menabur bakti sebagai jurulatih setelah bersara sebagai pemain. Beliau mengendali pasukan Polis DiRaja Malaysia dan kemudiannya pasukan kebangsaan pada 1991.

Sekali lagi kami ucapkan selamat menyambut hari kelahiran yang ke-76.

Terima kasih ke atas segala jasa dan pengorbanan demi mewarnai dunia bola sepak negara.

//

Legasi Lagenda wishes a happy 76th birthday to national football legend, Rahim Abdullah.

Rahim, who was born in Nibong Tebal, Penang in 1947, is the second child and eldest son amongst his eight siblings consisting of three boys and five girls.

He who became an Olympian had played football barefoot since young.

“I didn’t wear boots until I went to TI Penang (Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Technical Secondary School),” Rahim explained. He began his education at Methodist Primary and Secondary School in Nibong Tebal before continuing his Form 4 studies at TI Penang.

It was one of his teachers, Bakar Ismail, who offered him a pair of football cleats after seeing his student, only protected by ankle guards, being tackled by his opponents during his first U-18 inter-school match in Penang.

“He said ‘Rahim, go to Chulia Street, go to Chit Bee. Go and get your boots.’” Rahim still remembers his teacher’s words. Mr. Bakar not only managed the school team but he also worked as a sports commentator on the radio. Rahim, who played as striker at the time, emerged as top scorer of his school’s team.

Rahim first represented Penang at the Malaysia Cup before moving to Selangor and Perak following his career as a policeman. As a winger who was good on both feet, he could play on either side of the pitch. Rahim used to play on the left wing in Penang and was positioned as right winger with Harimau Malaya.

As a national team player, he competed in various international tournaments including the Merdeka Tournament, South Vietnam Independence Cup, and Jakarta Anniversary Tournament, The highlight of his football career was certainly playing at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.

Rahim continued to share his wisdom as a coach after retiring as a player. His teams included the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and then the national team in 1991.

Once again, we wish him a very happy birthday.

We appreciate all the sacrifices he has made for Malaysian football.