'Father Of Johor Football' dies

The "Father of Johor Football" Datuk Suleiman Mohd Noor died tonight. He was 88.

News of the death of the former deputy president of the FA of Johor was posted on the Johor Southern Tigers Facebook.

"We wish to convey our condolences to the family of Datuk Suleiman Mohd Noor, the "Father of Johor Football, who died just a short while ago. May Allah bless his soul,"the posting on the official Facebook account of the Johor Darul Ta'zim football team said.

It is understood Suleiman died at 7.50 while undergoing dialysis at the KPJ Specialist Hospital here.

News of his death was confirmed by former footballer Hassan Miskam, who played for Johor and the national team in the 80s and 90s.

Hassan, 49, who received a Whatsapp message on Suleiman's passing from JDT assistant coach Ismail Ibrahim, said he was deeply saddened over the loss of one of the greatest figures in Malaysian football.

"He was a very serious man on the field but was quite a joker off it. He was very much a father figure to us," he told Bernama.

Under Suleiman's leadership, Johor became the first state to secure a "double", winning the prestigious Malaysia Cup and M-League title, which they achieved in 1991.

He was also given the honour to open JDT's Indoor Training Centre in Padang Seri Gelam here, which is also named as Datuk Suleiman Mohd Noor Indoor Training Centre in April last year, in appreciation of his immense contributions to Johor football.

-- BERNAMA