The Fifties and 60s are also known as the golden period in Indian soccer. Not solely did the Indians win the gold in soccer on the 1951 and 1962 Asian Video games, additionally they completed fourth on the 1956 Melbourne Olympics – their best-ever end on the Video games.
Tulsidas Balaram, Chuni Goswami, P.Ok. Banerjee, Jarnail Singh, Pradyut Barman, Prasanta Sinha, Peter Thangaraj… the record of legends was lengthy. However the man accountable for these ‘Galacticos’ was a sure Syed Abdul Rahim, then thought-about to be one in all Asia’s best coaches.
The marginally-built however astute tactician is ready to be immortalised on the silver display screen with Maidaan by director Amit Sharma of Badhaai Ho fame. Starring Ajay Devgn and Priyamani amongst others, and co-produced by Boney Kapoor, Akash Chawla and Arunava Pleasure Sengupta, the biopic will likely be launched in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu. Actor Keerthy Suresh will likely be making her debut within the Hindi movie business with this movie, the music of which has been composed by the legendary, A.R. Rahman. The movie’s launch has been postponed a number of instances due to a number of causes since 2021, and is lastly anticipated to hit the theatres in July.
Rahim was thought-about the perfect soccer coach India ever had not only for the trophies or medals India gained beneath him, however his revolutionary imaginative and prescient and ways. The movie offers with the earlier-mentioned golden period of Indian soccer and the way he moulded the star-studded staff right into a world-class unit. It additionally charts the rise of Rahim from a teacher-turned-physical training teacher to the face and soul of Indian soccer.
Born in 1909 in Hyderabad, Rahim took to soccer at school and by no means appeared again. Based on ‘Field to Field – 75 years of the Indian Soccer Staff’, he obtained a BA diploma from Osmania College, and taught historical past and geography in Darul Uloom Excessive Faculty. He additionally obtained a level in bodily training whereas he was switching colleges within the state.
However his old flame remained soccer. He performed as an inside ahead and was a prolific goalscorer and a very good dribbler, the ebook says. At the same time as an administrator, he had an impeccable file. He was the secretary of the Hyderabad Soccer Affiliation (renamed Andhra Pradesh Soccer Affiliation in 1959) for 20 years, and unfold the sport all through the state. He launched a number of tournaments just like the Nizam Gold Cup and inspired the one-touch enjoying model. As a coach, it was Rahim who formed the Hyderabad Metropolis Police staff right into a formidable facet, which gained the Rovers Cup 5 years in a row within the 50s and the Durand Cup 4 instances.
His success with the Hyderabad staff earned him the job of the Indian staff coach. Rahim managed the Indian staff from 1950 to 1963, with the 1962 Asiad triumph in Jakarta being one of many best moments of an incredible teaching profession. He’s mentioned to have used the 4-2-4 system with the Indian staff earlier than Brazil popularised it on the 1958 World Cup.
Rahim, who was a series smoker, succumbed to most cancers at simply 53. He had three sons and as many daughters. His eldest son, S.S. Hakim, represented India on the 1960 Rome Olympics.