SUBADRON Abdul Aziz
is probably one singular footballer who has given back to the game which had
given him so much, the most.
The former Kuala
Lumpur and national striker who turned 56 on Oct 4, could have used the money
earned through managing his late father’s waste truck and his own real estate
business, to become a wealthy entrepreneur, but his heart and soul are wrapped
around football which made him what he is today.
“If not for football,
I will not be what I am today. And I have to thank the late Tan Sri Elyas Omar,
who was KLFA president and KL mayor then, for looking after me as a player,”
said Subadron, who was a member of the historical city team who won the
Malaysia Cup a record three times from 1987 to 1989.
Subadron was also a member of the victorious national team under coach Trevor Hartley at the 1989 Sea Games in Kuala Lumpur.
“I had several offers during the height of my footballing career to play for other States, but I stayed loyal to KL because of Tan Sri. He was like a father to be.”
Subadron, who married
to singer Salwa Abdul Rahman, still remains his modest self and it was his
wife’s unwavering determination to give back to the game that saw him set up
Subadron Football Club and Subadron Football Academy in 2012.
The father of Puteri
Sulaikha (22) and Putera Sufrie Niza (19), has set up his academy which puts to
shame most State FAs who do not even have an elaborate youth programme or
facilities close to what Subadron has managed.
Subadron's family with Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon (patron Subadron Football Academy)
Finance to set up this academy and manage
it was from his hard earned money through his business.
His Football Club is
registered with Sports Commission, while the FA of Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur FA
have given their blessings to set up the Academy and the Academy also has a
tie-up with his former KL coach, Dr Josef Venglos’ Academy in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Even more disappointing was that when KLFA
expelled nine affiliates last year in the run-up to their congress, which
included Subadron’s club.
The nine affiliates
were expelled after a power struggle which led to the postponement of KLFA’s
elections in December, 2018.
The nine affected
affiliates are Sime Darby, VI Institution, Bukit Bandaraya, Bank Rakyat, KB
Putrajaya, Petaling Putra, Felcra, UniKL and Subadron Academy.
Subadron had sought
financial assistance to set up his academy from the national, KL and even FA of
Selangor, but while giving their blessings, were unable to help financially.
“I had to seek
private sponsors and Proton through then deputy chief executive, Datuk Lukman
Ibrahim, was the first to support us where we were allowed to use their fields
and several other private companies like Coffee Omega who sponsored jerseys and
footballs and Prima Synergy. We also have Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon, (deputy
speaker of the House of Representatives) as our patron who assists us.
“But since
then, we have had to help ourselves and after a few years with the change of
management at Proton, we had to move out and look for public fields.”
The Subadron Academy
now has two centres – one in Shah Alam where they use the Section 26 field and
another for Kuala Lumpur at Taman Ibu Kota.
It was then that he decided to set up a permanent centre with office, dormitory and gymnasium facilities in Sungei Buloh, when he built two semi-detached buildings on a land he purchased and named it Wisma Subdraon and Wisma Salwa to site his Academy which cost close to RM 4 million.
Subadron who is the
director of his Academy, is personally in charge of his coaching programme and
is down on the field at their two training sessions each week together with his
fellow coaches’ former national player Sarawak’s Jalil Ramli, former KL player
Zulkifli Sameon, Rahmat Sameon, Zamri Mazleh, Khairul Ishak, Salim Ismail, Mohd
Izam Harun and trainer Iman Emmanuel.
The Academy currently
has about 80 players ranging from ages 8 to 20.
Subadron received a well-earned
boost when his effort to work at grassroots development gained recognition at
the 2016 National Football Awards when the Subadron Academy received one of the
two awards given in recognition of development at grassroots level.
“That prompted
me to build another academy at Seri Gombak, equipped with a medical room,
gymnasium, swimming pool, dormitory, indoor badminton court and his house too,
dedicated to his wife for all her support.
“It is work in
progress for the last four years but is now near completion. It will cost me RM
1 million and it is designed by me and I am personally involved in the
construction,” said Subadron who hails from Kampong Baru before moving to
Gombak.
Subadron has one
final dream – to erect a mini stadium with two fields on a 4-acre piece of land
he has purchased at Seri Gombak.
“I have approached
the Sports Ministers in the past and FA of Selangor to assist to help build the
mini stadium but nothing has come out of it yet. We can do a joint-venture deal
for a said period, where I will manage it and share profit. After the said
period the stadium is handed over to me as the land is mine,” said the former
Setapak High School student.
“But I am not
giving up and will continue to pursue my ambition to make my dream complete in
giving back to the game.”
Subradron said he has
attained quotes for the mini-stadium with two artificial pitches and container
cabins for changing rooms, toilet facilities and a small management office. It
would cost about RM2 million.
His son, Sufrie Niza,
assists him in the management of the business and his Academy.
Sufrie also trained
at the Academy but decided to get involved in E-Sports (football) and is now
ranked number 3 in Malaysia and goes by the nickname ‘Killer’.
His
daughter helps Subradon when she has time off her modelling and work with
beauty product (L’Oréal) marketing team.
Salwa, who still
sings at functions, remains the backbone behind Subadron’s vision and dreams to
leave a legacy in football development.
“It is my hope
through the Academy to give an opportunity to those who aspire to be
footballers to train in a good environment and be guided by coaches.
“We have already had
players from the Academy who have represented the KL youth team and two of
notably ones are Muhammad Afzal and Muhammad Nazhan in 2016.
“I hope in future we
will be able to supply players to the national youth teams, state teams and
eventually one or two national players emerge from our Academy.”
Subadron Academy is
in the process of registering themselves with Football Association of
Malaysia’s Suparimau Charter – a move by
FAM to register Football Academies and Schools and provide them guidance
in all facets of development.
The primary aim of the Suparimau
Academy is to have credible academies and to achieve excellence in teaching the
game to juniors.
Included in the advantages of being in the Charter
are accreditation, the SupaRimau League and player training compensation when a
junior move on to a big stage.
Subadron Academy should have no problems to be
registered among the three levels (Gold, Silver and Bronze) of classification
based on leadership, planning, facilities, junior competitions and education.
To date, 210 of the estimated 500
academies in the country have enlisted with FAM.
Indeed, Subadron deserves
more recognition and assistance and is a shining example of a player who never
forgot his roots and devoted himself to give back to the game that made him.
Despite being married to a popular singer, that Subadron
has his feet firmly on the ground and remains humble and simple with his wife
and children, who are so respectful and down to earth, speaks volumes of his
upbringing.
Kudos Subadron!
