ALOR STAR: Legendary football coach Mohd Azraai Khor Abdullah, who led Kedah to an unprecedented success nearly two decades ago, was laid to rest at the Taman Uda Muslim cemetery at about 6.40pm today.
The funeral was attended by family members, friends and football fans.
Earlier, at Masjid Sultanah Bahiyah, final prayers were performed by over 200 congregants.
Azraai, 72, was rushed to the Kedah Medical Centre after he passed out at his home in Alor Semadom before noon today. He had been unwell for the past four days.
He was believed to have suffered a stroke.
According to his wife, Rohani Ibrahim, 64, he was pronounced dead while receiving emergency medical treatment.
Azraai, whose birth name was Khor Sek Leng, played for Kedah and the national team before he was appointed as the state's head coach.
Born on Oct 25, 1952, Azraai started his career with the state senior squad in 1970.
He played for the national team between 1975 and 1978, and was in the 1976 Asia Cup and 1978 Asian Games squads.
He became the head coach of Kedah's President Cup squad in 1991 at the age of 39.
In 1993, Azraai was appointed as a member of the tactical team under the then Kedah head coach, Robert Rene Alberts.
He was part of the coaching team that guided the Kedah squad to dominate the Malaysian league that year.
Azraai served as head coach of the Kedah senior squad for five seasons from 2005 to 2009.
He led the Kedah squad to its most successful outing where it swept all major championships — Malaysia league, FA Cup and Malaysia Cup in the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
In 2010, Azraai was appointed as the head coach of the national Harimau Muda squad.
He was instrumental in Negri Sembilan's 2011 Malaysia Cup triumph.
(Hyperlink https://www.nst.com.my/sports/football/2024/02/1011107/illustrious-footb...)