Syed Abdul Rahim
|
Rahim Saab as manager of India during their golden era | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Syed Abdul Rahim | ||
| Date of birth | 17 August 1909 | ||
| Place of birth | Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, British India | ||
| Date of death | 11 June 1963 (aged 53) | ||
| Place of death | Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1927–1931 | Osmania University | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1943 | Qamar Club | ||
| 1950 | HSV Hoek | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1950–1963 |
Hyderabad City Police (head coach & secretary) | ||
| 1950–1963 | India | ||
| 1958–1959 | Hyderabad | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Syed Abdul Rahim (17 August 1909 – 11 June 1963), popularly known as Rahim Saab, was an Indian football coach and manager of the India national team from 1950 until his death in 1963, and a former player. He is regarded as the architect of modern Indian football. A teacher by profession, he was a strong motivator and his tenure as a coach is regarded as the "golden age" of football in India.
Under his stewardship, the India national team earned superiority in both technical qualities and tactical innovations, and got the nickname "Brazil of Asia". They went on to win gold medals in Asian Games of—(1951-Delhi and 1962-Jakarta), played semi-finals of the Summer Olympics—(1956-Melbourne) making India the first ever Asian country to achieve this place, win the titles of Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament for the years of—(1952-Colombo and 1954-Calcutta and came runners-up in Pestabola Merdeka—(1959 Kuala Lumpur).