This work is originally published by Cahya Mata Sarawak. DayakDaily has been given permission to share this story on our platforms.
By Martin Yee, Kenny Ee, and Marlynda Meraw
MOHAMAD Mentali was destined to partner the great Mokhtar Dahari to grace the 1980 Moscow Olympics, but as fate would have it, he was destined to inspire the next generation of Sarawak football as their coach.
Mentali was the only Sarawakian footballer selected for the national team that had qualified for the Olympics in 1980. Destiny, however, had different plans as that year Malaysia joined a bloc of nations in boycotting the Games held in Moscow. It was a time when the world seemed to lie at the feet of the Sarawakian striker.
However, in a remarkable turn of events, he received a last-minute call-up to the national Olympic team—a moment that would forever stick with him. This opportunity came after the national team triumphed over South Korea in a match at the Merdeka Stadium, where Sabahan striker James Wong scored the decisive goal, earning the ticket to the Olympics. In an unpredictable turn of events, it was Mentali who was later called to replace the injured James.
“I received the call (to join the national team) out of the blue, something I never expected,” Mentali recalled.
His entry into the national team began unexpectedly during a Malaysia Cup match. In a fierce contest against the esteemed Singapore team, he scored a solitary goal that caught the attention of national coach Karl-Heinz Weigang. Although the subsequent game resulted in a 2-0 loss to Selangor, Weigang approached Mentali afterwards with a request that would ultimately change the course of his life.
“He (Weigang) told me to report to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), and it came as quite a shock to me.”
Upon arriving at FAM in Kuala Lumpur, Mentali was struck by the orderliness of the players and the profound respect they held for their captain, Soh Chin Aun. The reverence was palpable as each player lined up to greet their captain upon his arrival at the training ground, a sign of unity and esteem that defined the squad.
“It was a lifetime experience having the chance to train and play with the country’s greats like Mokhtar, Santokh Singh, Shukor Salleh, Bakri Ibni, and many others,” said Mentali.
During his time with the national time, he partnered with Mokhtar in two friendly matches—one against Grasshopper Zurich and another European club—as preparation for the Merdeka tournament. These moments may be brief, yet they serve as great memories for Mentali.
Born into a family with four football-playing brothers and two sisters, Mentali’s love for the sport blossomed at an early age. He participated in the Under-15 Rahman Cup and later the Under-18 Razak Cup in 1975, all while still attending school. He began his journey with local clubs such as Boyan Gersik, Surabaya, and Kampung Panglima Seman which eventually led him to receive an invitation from Padungan United when the renowned Kuching footballer Eroll Tan sought to bring him into their ranks.
Mentali’s talent was soon recognised while playing for the Water Board team alongside Awang Mahyan, the Ngap Sayot coach. He proudly donned the Sarawak jersey for the first time in 1977, competing in the Malaysia Cup and later in the Borneo Cup in 1979 and 1981.
As the sun began to set on his playing days, Mentali made the difficult decision to quit competitive football at the age of 27 in 1985. Yet, the allure of football remained strong. The following year, he was recalled to the State team by Sarawak coach Mohd Che Su after delivering a standout performance in a friendly match against the Sarawak senior team.
Eventually, he transitioned from player to coach, serving as an assistant to former coach Mohd Poasa Sahar for the Sarawak Malaysian Games (Sukma) team in 1990. In 1995, he embarked on a new chapter, travelling to Scotland for a one-month coaching course—the first from the State to do so. His coaching journey deepened during an attachment to the English club Nottingham Forest, where he learned invaluable coaching methods under the tutelage of fellow footballer Brian Clough.
After many years of dedication, Mentali retired from both his role with the Sarawak State Sports Council and his football coaching career in 2018, leaving behind a legacy that epitomises the spirit of Sarawak football and the dreams of countless players. –DayakDaily
