GOODBYE, AHMAD WARTAM, GOALKEEPER LEGEND: He will always be remembered as one of Singapores greatest goalkeepers although his son is rising higher and will be revered as one of Singapores footballing heroes. Goodbye Ahmad Wartam, the father of Fandi Ahmad. The 79-year-old called his last breath early this morning at the intensive care unit at Tan Tock Seng Hospital after prolonged heart and lung problems. I remember when I first became a journalist in the early 1980s and Ahmad would always be a shadow to guide the little Fandi, who has always credited his father as the biggest inspiration behind him picking up the sport. In his childhood, Fandi would wake up at 5.30am in the morning to jog with his hero-goalkeeper father. Fandis first football boots were bought by his father on hire purchase. Ahmad actually started his football career as a fleet-footed left-winger before a knee injury forced him to pick up the goalkeepers gloves. Seldom known fact: At his peak, Ahmad was even among Singapores top five sprinters for the 100 yards in the 1960s, along with Kesavan Soon and the late Ernest Frida. But Ahmad made exemplary marks between the goalposts as an agile and extraordinary diving goalkeeper, who kept goal for Singapore from 1963-1969 and played in the 1967 Malaysia Cup final, which Perak won 2-1. Rest in peace, my friend, Ahmad, you and your son will be an unforgettable father-son legend duo in the annals of regional football.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 05:49:37 +0000
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