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LONG before Pep Guardialo’s Manchester City swept everyone away last year to become the first English team to complete a national treble, Azraai Khor Abdullah had done the same … in Malaysia, at least.
In fact, he had done it twice, and more than a decade ago, in 2007 and 2008.
The only coach to have matched Azraai’s feat is former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who led Celtic to victory ten years later in the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup seasons. 2016-17 and 2017-18.
Azraai’s record has stood supreme in the M-League for the past 13 years.
The sheer amount of silverware he has won, including the national double triple, is a testament to his prowess in the dugout.
The former international leads the trophy tally with eight covered during his spell with Kedah (2004-2009) and Negri Sembilan (2011).
His trophy run with the Red Eagles began in 2004 when they won the 2006 Premier League and promotion to the Super League, but what he achieved next was the peak of his career.
He clinched the Super League, FA Cup and Malaysian Cup treble in 2007 and did the unthinkable by repeating the treble next season in 2008.
Azraai attributed the double triplet to the quality of the players at his disposal, the support of the management and his tactical preparation.
He had the services of some of the best imports to grace the M-League: San Vicente forward Marlon James, defender Bernard Huggins and Chilean midfielder Nelson San Martin, combined with locals Victor Andrag, Ahmad Fauzi Saari and bright youngsters like Baddrol Bakhtiar, Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri, and Saber Mat Abu.
“The goal of winning all the M-League trophies for 2015 was set by our coach Datuk Ahmad Basri Akil in 2005 after we returned to the Super League … we achieved the goal only one year later and repeated the following year, Azraai said.
“We made sure that the senior team and the President’s Cup team played the same style of soccer when I joined the team in 2004.
“Everyone understood the pattern of our game and the young President’s Cuppers went on to play for the senior team.
“We also had quality imports in James, Huggins and San Martín.
“They really complemented our young talents.
“If the Soccer Association of Malaysia (FAM) had not banned foreign players in 2009, we would have won the treble for the third time. The team was so good at that time.”
The 67-year-old also added that it was much more difficult to achieve the double treble in the M-League as most teams lacked patience with their coaches.
“Kedah’s double treble is something that happened because of the planning and the faith that the management had in the coach … the training is a long-term project, but these days everyone wants instant success,” Azraai said.
Kedah players in jubilation after winning the FA Cup final at Shah Alam Stadium on June 21, 2008. They beat Selangor 3-2. GLENN GUAN / The star
“We can see that a coach only lasts one season and most of them can only focus on the main team because only winning matters.
“As I said, football needs planning and development.
“When I was with Kedah, our salary budget was low because we promoted the talented local guys from the President’s Cup team.
“We achieved our triple double without a mega budget.”
While Azraai’s record is supreme, he has won eight trophies in the M-League, there are other local coaches who have also made their mark.
In terms of sheer trophy numbers, Dollah Salleh’s record of eight trophies makes him the second highest on the list.
However, his record is ruined by the fact that he does not include the top-tier Super League.
The former international’s season with MPPJ saw him win the Malaysia Cup (2003) and the Premier League (2004), and then he guided Selangor to the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Malaysian Cup (2005).
The Selangor team celebrate with the Malaysia Cup in 2005. Photo by A Malex Yahaya.
With Pahang he won the Malaysian Cup (2013) and the FA Cup (2018), and again the Premier League with Police (2014).
Petaling Jaya City coach K. Devan, who has won six M-League trophies, holds the unique record of winning the Super League three times, the most in the history of the top flight.
Devan won the Super League with Negri Sembilan in 2006 and twice with Selangor in 2009 and 2010.
He had won the FA Cup with the Deers in 2003 and the Red Giants in 2009.
With Kuala Muda, he won the Premier League in 2007.
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