Syed Abdul Rahim’s Career Line

• In India, Syed was dubbed “Stan Cullis.” From the 1920s through the early 1940s, he was one of Hyderabad’s best players, playing for the ‘Qamar Club,’ one of the best teams in the local league at the time.
• At the 1960 Rome Olympics, India had a football team.
• In 1939, the Hyderabad Football Association was formed, and three years later, in 1942, SM Hadi was elected President, and Rahim was appointed Secretary, a position he held until his death.
• Rahim’s coaching method was unique, creative, and effective. He organized specialized football tournaments for young players to improve their reflexes, speed, stamina, abilities, and techniques. Syed did not merely dribble the ball, as is customary in the United Kingdom. He introduced the concept of passing the ball more and emphasized on being ambidextrous, or the ability to play with either foot, when he became the coach of the ‘Hyderabad City Police’ (HCP) or’City Afghans’ in 1943.

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• He transformed the HCP squad into a dominant local team in a matter of months, and they rose to prominence in 1943 with their legendary win in the Ashe Gold Cup finals in Bengaluru against the Royal Air Force, which included England’s cricket and football star “Denis Compton.” They were also able to challenge the major Bengal football sides of the period, defeating Mohun Bagan in the 1950 Durand Cup final.
• In 1950, he took over as coach of the Indian national football team while also managing the Hyderabad City Police.
  Rahim modified the Indian squad’s approach after taking over as coach.
•  He eliminated the 1948 Olympic team from the roster. He made decisions that improved the team’s production and efficiency, even if it meant letting go of non-performers and promoting newcomers.

• When India hosted the 1951 Asian Games, Rahim’s first major competition as India’s coach occurred. Rahim’s performance earned India a gold medal when India defeated Iran 1-0 in the final.
  Following India’s loss in the Helsinki Olympics in 1952, a high-ranking AIFF official intervened and prevented Rahim from selecting his preferred side.
• At the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Syed Abdul Rahim was a member of the Indian football team.
• During the years 1950, 1957, and 1959, the HPC won all 12 national tournaments.
• Prior to 1959, football was seen as two separate entities in Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh. The two entities were merged into a single entity, the Andhra Pradesh Football Association, from then on, with Rahim playing a key part in this.
• India didn’t have a good start at the 1960 Rome Olympics, losing 2-1 against South Korea, but they came back to win 2-0 against Japan the next game. India advanced to the next round after defeating Thailand 4-1 in the last group match. By exhibiting such a spirit at the Olympics, India became a spectacle to behold.