Ganesan helped develop S’pore’s best players: Pathmanathan

SINGAPORE — Terry Pathmanathan may be fondly known as “Captain Marvel” for his leadership qualities, but the former Singapore national captain said he is indebted to the late Football Association of Singapore (FAS) chairman Nadesan Ganesan for making him the player he was.

Ganesan, who helmed the FAS from 1974 to 1981, died on Wednesday at the age of 82, four years after a stroke left him wheelchair-bound and with a speech impediment.

Speaking at his funeral at the Singapore Casket at Lavender Road last night, Pathmanathan admitted he would not have become the player he was without the guidance and leadership of “Gani” as the former FAS chief — acknowledged as one of Singapore’s greatest sports administrators — was affectionately known.

“Certainly, he (Ganesan) played a very crucial part in my development,” said 59-year-old Pathmanathan, who was part of the 1980 Malaysia Cup-winning team. “He, along with (the late former Singapore national) coach Choo Seng Quee, moulded me into the player I became.

“Ganesan was always very positive and he would sometimes step into the changing room to speak to us, which proved an inspiration because we would often play much better after his talks.

“He’s a natural motivator and understood the players individually. All of us looked up to him and he made a lot of difference to the players.”

Pathmanathan was among an estimated 40 people who turned up last night to pay their last respects to the former FAS chairman.

Ganesan, a qualified criminal lawyer who married twice but had no children, had pushed for the Singapore national side’s home matches to be moved from the Jalan Besar Stadium to the former 55,000-capacity National Stadium, which led to the creation of the famous “Kallang Roar”.

Ganesan’s niece Murali Ramasamy recalled him as a “lovable, caring and generous” uncle, and said he received the family’s backing during his tenure as FAS chairman, despite the job taking up most of his time.

“Football was his passion, but he still found time during the weekends to spend it with us,” she said. “He used to make us sit and watch all the matches; that’s how we learnt about football. He wanted us to do well in everything, especially in the areas of education and exercise.

“He’ll never say no to anything that we would like to have; (he was) a very kind person and we loved him to bits. I’m so glad to see the love and respect he’s getting now because he deserves it.” NOAH TAN