Thanasekodi leaves a lasting impression for Cheras

 

By Tony Mariadass

As fast as many football hotbeds that launched stars are disappearing in the city of Kuala Lumpur, so are many of the players who rose from these fields.

This morning another player who rose from the JKR Cheras field in the 70s, Thanasekodi Selvaraj, 64, passed away.

Thanasekodi was among the pioneer players who rose from the Cheras JKR fields together with likes goalkeeper Lim Fung Kee, Mokhtar Ahmad and K. Kanagarajah.

While Fung Kee and Mokhtar were the first products from Cheras, Thanasekodi and Kanagarajah rose to ranks playing with Cheras United in the Selangor league after that.

The two JKR fields were not just community fields for residents and clubs in the area, but was also training grounds for the Selangor, national team and visiting teams to the Merdeka tournament in the 70s

Thansekodi, who married late and had no children, moved on to play for Majlis Belia Selangor (MBS) before starting his career with MCIS before moving to a banking career with United Asia Bank.

He retired three years ago from CIMB and continued to work with private companies.

Thanasekodi, who was rated as a very skilful player played for Selangor in the Razak Cup (then Burnley Cup) in 1975 in Kelantan and 1976 (Johor) and went to play for Selangor B.

Thanasekodi also known as Thanesh was born in 1957 at Kampung Semarang (the present site of MARA building).  His parents were deceased Selvaraj and Ponnalagu.  Father was a DBKL staff while his mother was an enterprising businesswoman, operating a stall selling kacang-putih, garlands and flowers.

The couple had four children.  Thanasekodi was the eldest, followed by his sisters Alagammal, Pakiam and Meena. 

Thanasekodi started his primary education at the Kampung Kuantan School in Titiwangsa area.  When the family shifted to DBKL quarters in mid-1960s, Thanasekodi studied at St. Gabriel's Primary School from Standards 4 to 6.  He used to be a brilliant student and was the top student of his batch in Standard 6.  His secondary education was at Sekolah Menengah Cheras and was a science stream student.  He represented the school in football and long-distance running. 

Football was Thanesh's favourite game since his young days.  During his teenage days Thanesh used to organise 6-a-side football tournaments and his team's name was Santos.  Later, he joined Selangor's Premier League club Cheras United and played in the mid-field position.  He used to be good in ball control and dribbling the ball, and earned the nickname ‘Gentello’ (derived from Bahasa Malaysia word 'gentel' (dribble). 

 Thanesh was also playing alongside with the MCIS team for a short while, playing with legends like late Wong Choon Wah. 

 After retiring from active football Thanesh switched to long distance running.  He used to participate in marathons in Malaysia. 

 Thanesh was a devout Hindu and was the treasurer of Sri Thohaiyadi Vinayagar Temple, 2 1/2 miles Cheras since 1995 until 2020.  He did not seek election for 2021.  During his tenure the Temple did a major consecration six years ago.  It was a very successful event for the temple. 

 Thanesh was recently diagnosed to have three blockages in his heart and was required to undergo a surgery.  Though the surgery was successfully done he died two days later.

 The number of football grounds in the city that have vanished over the past four decades is staggering.

They were once fertile fields for the development of young talent and an active production line for some of the best players from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Many of the players, to whom the JKR grounds were “second home”, just as it was to Thaneskodi, as went on to gain recognition at state and national level while some became household names.

Today, neighbourhoods are missing the football culture, community spirit, and the flow of talented players as playing fields have given way to concrete structures.

Some of the other players who rose from the JKR fields in Cheras to don Selangor, Kuala Lumpur or national colours,  include M Pavalamani, K Murugapillai, K Kanagasabai, A Jayakanthan, late K. Ravindran S. Tamilarasan, late V. Gunalan, S. Mathen, Mohd Satar Aziz, K. Dandorangan, Ho Tuck Keong and Wong Fook Keong to name a few.

They turned out for teams in Cheras such as Pemuda Cheras FC, Cheras United FC, JKR FC, Sukaramai FC, Harimau KL, Malay, Indian, Chinese and Others (MICO) FC and FT Hindian FC.

Respected coaches like the late Jeswant Singh, PC Dorai, late Chow Kwai Lam and Chinna Karupan began their football journey here too.

Now the JKLR Cheras grounds have made way for development in 2005 and today the imposing Convention Centre of the Construction Industry Development Board stands tall.

Rest in peace Thaneskodi. You have done Cheras proud.