Dutch footballing great Johan Cruyff once greeted Fandi, 'Hey brownie', as a term of endearment

Nothing but affection.

Belmont Lay | March 08, 2021, 04:25 PM

Singapore's greatest footballer of all time, Fandi Ahmad, has appeared in a rare face-to-face interview on video.

The 58-year-old talked exclusively about his footballing days and his approach to competitive football in the 1980s and 1990s, when Singapore still had a semblance of success on the pitch.

He regaled the interviewer off-camera with tales of his glory days, including being acquainted with his idol, Dutch footballing great, Johan Cruyff, who passed away in 2016.

The candid 22-minute video did not stray away from the main topic at all.

Those hoping that Fandi would be caught offside as he reveals more about his wife and children, or even his personal life, would be sorely disappointed.

Meeting Cruyff

But there are still a few gems related by the first millionaire footballer from Singapore, who has always been known to be too humble for his own good.

One of the anecdotes had Fandi recounting his chance meeting with Cruyff in Malaysia, years after the Singaporean became the first footballer here to play in Europe.

Fandi said:

When I was younger, my idol was Johan Cruyff. The one and only because I watch him and then I used to wear number 14.

The world is so small. I met him in Amsterdam.

And he was one of my mentors there. After many years, more than 25 years, then I was coaching in Johor, JDT or Johor FA before, and then there was a ceremony.

They were opening one of the institutes there, he was one of the VIPs.

And then during when all the dignitaries were all there, a lot of people there, the sultan and the datuks and all, I was taking these young boys, I was standing, then suddenly, he saw me.

He saw me and said: "Hey brownie."

And he came and he hugged me and the MTMJ, the sultan all shocked.

'How come this fellow he knows Fandi?' (Laughs) Then the history lah.

Fandi's Holland stint

In February 1982, a scout for the famous Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam, invited Fandi for a trial in the Neatherlands.

Fandi did well during the three-week trial in July, and was offered a three-year contract.

But he ended up joining an Indonesian club instead.

Not joining Ajax, Fandi acknowledged in later years, was the biggest mistake of his life.

Fandi the showman on the pitch

Fandi's passion for football and the love for the game is still evident.

He spoke fondly about being a showman and entertainer on the pitch, giving the audience at matches what they came for -- spectacular goals -- which he trained hard to pull off.

Fandi said, with a hint of disappointment that good goals are hard to come by these days:

You want to play good nice football, but I always tell myself, when these fans go back, they will remember this goal.

Most of the goals are spectacular. I love spectacular, correct?

So most goals I scored are spectacular because I trained to do that.

If you see all the goals are difficult goals.

Not many you can see now. Not many.

Playing smart and dirty football

Fandi also talked about his days roughing it out in the Indonesian league, where players were known to intimidate one another on the pitch with tackles from behind and elbows to the body -- all fair game, which in another country would have elicited marching orders from the referee.

His stint in Indonesia in August 1982 marked the start of his career and allowed him to hone his nice guy persona.

Fandi said:

Because if you play as a front line, you must be able to take their nonsense lah. They will kick you, they will irritate you, they will say all the vulgarities, so when I was young I will play like that, the same, I kick just to irritate.

When I moved to striker I learnt I got to be calm, patient, take my time, study them because if I get emotional, they want me to get the red card.

Last time tackle from behind, I tell you, they elbow, no red card all.

So you need to be really calm, composed and important to take your time. Sometimes you need to be nice to them, talk talk suddenly, but I always do my thing.

I got my own trick, I would a bit cheat here, cheat there a bit. You got to be smart. As a striker you got to be creative.

Fandi with Malek Awab, his goal-scoring partner

How should people remember Fandi?

As Singapore's most successful footballer, Fandi has been a household name.

His currency these days is partly due to his children, who are finding their big breaks in football and music.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMBbH4ABE_g/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLe5fXMBMo3/

Fandi himself has been having some fun online as well.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLyFVFBhMhi/

But what does Fandi want Singapore to remember about "Fandi Ahmad" and his legacy?

In response, Fandi said, pulling the conversation back to football:

Wow many people asked me, I haven't answered. Today maybe I'll answer.

I think the most important thing is, as a player, my team and I, we hope we have moved the people in Singapore to become one during the days of Singapore football.

That means what I'm saying is that we managed to bring people together at the stadium just to support the country.

And importantly, we are footballers in the 80s and 90s, who have brought glory and not only about football. It's about the people of different races getting together.

They will remember us as footballers but for us, importantly, is because how we as footballers managed to bring Singapore as one and everybody is in the National Stadium.

But when we went to KL, it's like the National Stadium in Sha Alam Stadium.

The whole of Singapore, 50,000 to 60,000 people were there.

So, in short, we managed to bring people together as one.

Like I say, it is always nice to be humble, and that's my word always, and I don't think you will stumble.

People remember you for your kindness, your empathy and you know, that's life.

It doesn't really bother me but I think I've done quite a bit for the country as well.

So, I hope we all, and myself, we have inspired Singaporeans of that generation.