BANGALORE: Hyderabad’s Syed Abdul Rahim, arguably the best football coach India has produced, was born exactly 100 years ago on August 17. Under the late Rahim, India became the first Asian nation to qualify for the semifinals of the Olympics, in 1956 in Melbourne. Rahim was also the coach for the 1952 Olympics and coached the team for the 1960 Rome Olympics campaign. In fact, India is yet to figure in football in the Olympics after that venture. Rahim also guided India to victory in the 1951 Asian Games in Delhi and the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta. Rahim passed away in 1963 after suffering from cancer.
Rahim saab, as he was respectfully known, guided Indian football’s destiny for a decade and more during which he not only brought international laurels to the country but also unearthed talented footballers.
“Rahim saab was the most modern coach of his time. He was a master strategist and the best coach produced by India,” said 1962 gold medal-winning captain Chuni Goswami. “Whatever I am today, is because of Rahim saab. His methods were simple: respect your opponents and play to your potential,” said Syed Nayeemuddin.
“Modest to a fault, Rahim saab would never lose an opportunity to learn himself and then teach others,” said Arumainayagam. Former AP Police striker Zulfiquar, who partnered hat-trick man Neville D’Souza in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics team, said: “Rahim saab was a visionary. He had the uncanny knack of spotting talent.”