ABDUL RASHID HASSAN

He was one of the country’s greatest ever produced goalkeeper and remains one of the most highly decorated players of all time.  Even as a coach he continued winning honours.  He’s the man with the golden gloves, Rashid Hassan.
 
Rashid hailed from Alor Gajah, Malacca but his family moved to Singapore soon after, spending his formative years in the island.  He picked up goalkeeping while playing catcher in his school’s softball team and as fate had it, caught the eye of his school’s football teacher.  He began represeting at the juniors level for his secondary school in Singapore but it was under Choo Seng Kui of Burnley United that Rashid progressed, playing for the former’s team in Singapore’s Division One at that time. 

His first job at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in the republic also saw him action on the field.  Singapore Malays roped Rashid in for the 1972 Sultans Gold Cup in Johor.  Seeing him in action, the late Datuk Harun Idris, Selangor’s Chief Minister at that that time offered Rashid a job at the Selangor State Economic & Development Corporation (PKNS), while playing for UMNO Selangor in the local league.  They emerged champions in the competition and Rashid played a sterling role leading UMNO Selangor to the FAM Cup in 1974.  Just before that success, Rashid broke into the Selangor squad being an understudy to the legendary Spiderman, R.Arumugam.  He was used sparingly in the State team, but continued to play well for Selangor Malays in the Sultans Gold Cup. 

He was first selected to the National squad in 1975 for the Merdeka Tournament, playing against Thailand and featured on and off for Malaysia in his battle with Arumugam for the No.1 spot from 1975-1978, culminating in victory over Thailand in the 1977 SEAP Games (now known as SEA Games) in KL.  It seemed more difficult to break into State ranks though but after waiting patiently for a few years, his big break came in 1978 when Datuk Harun gave him the chance to start in the Malaysia Cup final against Singapore.  A nervous Rashid who was caught off-guard by the announcement, conceded two blunders early on, but Selangor’s fightback saw them win the cup.  In 1978, Rashid left PKNS for Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), representing the latter in the KL League, continuing his ties with Selangor.  A year later, due to the rules back then, he was prevented from donning the Red and Yellow jersey of Selangor, and found himself in limbo as Federal Territory (FT, known as Kuala Lumpur after 1985) were not interested in him. 

He made time for personal aspects in his life, getting married a year later, and to everyone’s shock began shying away from the top level of the game, only playing for MARA in the KL League.  His second calling came in 1982 when FT offered him a chance to play, and this is what the big keeper defined as the ‘proper’ start to his career.  In his first season with the City Boys, he only conceded 8 goals in their spectacular run to the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals.  He also spurred MARA to the final of the 1982 FAM Cup, and his efforts paid huge dividends when Frank Lord recalled him to the National squad in 1983 for the Merdeka Tournament, Asean Cup, Pre-Olympics and the SEA Games.  In between, FT made another run to the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Cup.  He left MARA to join Tan Sri Elyas Omar’s KL City Hall (DBKL) also in 83’, further cementing his place in the FT squad for the Malaysian League as DBKL usually formed the core of the team, and his years there were full of achievements.  With his new employer, Rashid kept goal in their march to four FAM Cup finals, winning two of them, while with FT another run to the quarter-finals of the 1984 Malaysia Cup was in the offing.  Tragedy struck a year later during FT’s last match in the League when he ruptured his knee ligaments, missing the City Boys’ first ever appearance in the Malaysia Cup final in 1985. 

The tiger in him saw Rashid fight back for his place in 1986, but KL failed to repeat their success of the previous year, instead were bundled out of the quarter-finals.  The golden years between 1987 to 1989 saw KL bag the Malaysia Cup three times in a row, an unprecedented feat till this day by any team under the same coach, and he also starred for DBKL with more triumphs in the FAM Cup.  At 35, he received his third stint as National goalkeeper when Trevor Hartley was in charge and he repaid the trust put in him by gallantly performing heroics as Malaysia recaptured the SEA Games gold medal against arch enemies Singapore in 1989 at home, facing the likes of club mates Fandi Ahmad, K.Kannan and Malek Awab who were starring for Singapore. It was the inspiration Malaysian football were looking for just as the game turned semi-professional that year. Holding much promise for the future. Rashid meanwhile, ended the season on a high when he bagged the FAM Footballer of The Year Award, a tremendous achievement for a goalkeeper, even till this day.

Highs of the past year were matched by lows of the following year.  He was dropped from the KL after the 1990 season but the evergreen veteran soldiered on when Police came to rescue him.  His leadership from between the posts saw whipping boys Police climb the table from second off bottom to Top 4, something unheard of by a uniformed body as Police and Armed Forces regularly propped the bottom two positions of the League, back then.  He left Police in 1992 due to differences, but featured regularly for DBKL in the local leagues.  Finally at the age of 40, Rashid left the game as a player.

He did not take much convincing for him to share his experience with the younger generation as a coach.  In 1995, Rashid returned to Selangor as a coach and his first task was to pick Azlisham Ibrahim from oblivion, turning the latter into the hero and man of the match of the Malaysia Cup final that year.  A third rate Yap Kam Choon was given his second lease of life when Rashid guided him to the former’s first ever championship in the Malaysia Cup in 1996, and for the third consecutive year, Rashid helped yet another Selangor keeper to be crowned Malaysia Cup winner.  This time it was Abdul Hadi Tahir, a President’s Cup junior who was forced to replace the two first-team keepers.  Azmin Azram was also rejuvenated under Rashid’s tutelage, and his years spent under Rashid were one of his best ever, leading to another Malaysia Cup winner’s medals.  In total Rashid 11 years of service as a goalkeeper coach to Selangor, saw him help the Red Giants produced a steady stream of top notch goalies who were winners.

Rashid joined the MyTeam reality programme in 2006, as goalkeeper coach to Serbegeth Singh’s MyTeam 1, and was drafted into MyTeam FC when they set out their objective to play in the Malaysian League.  He was keen to join the unknown outfit as the young management were interested in changing the football environment in the country.  It was a challenge but Rashid’s said a new team needs experience in the game to learn from.  He believes that as long as the young players who he is, it makes his job much easier.  He said “I have been in this game long enough, and I know the in and out of the game.  I have to give my experience so that the players can benefit from it”.   

Rashid is tasked as the goalkeeping coach at MyTeam.  His day to day job involves keeping all the keepers  in tip-top condition either physically or mentally.  He is also known as a father figure to the players as he is the one they usually turn to for help either directly or indirectly.  He is also the unofficial part translator in the team, and assists the chief coach in any circumstances arising.  Apart from that, Rashid is constantly involved in boosting MyTeam’s image as he’s always seen doing work in public for charity, sports and others.