In July 1974, Bill Shankly shocked the world by announcing his resignation as Liverpool manager. He almost immediately regretted the decision, but Liverpool acted swiftly, appointing his assistant, Bob Paisley, as his replacement.
While grateful to Shankly for rescuing Liverpool from the old Division Two and turning it into one of England’s biggest clubs, the management did not offer him a directorship. Remarkably, Shankly was then banned from Liverpool’s training ground, Melwood.
The decision may have seemed harsh, but the club understood that Shankly’s presence during training undermined Paisley. Many players still called Shankly ‘boss’. He was welcomed in the director’s box for matches, but Paisley was allowed to lead the team.
The strategy proved correct. Under Paisley, Liverpool became a dominant force in English football, winning six league titles and three European Cups. Success continued under Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish, who added another four league titles and a European Cup.
Liverpool may have taken a lesson from Manchester United. When Sir Matt Busby retired in 1969, he was appointed a director. His successor, Wilf McGuinness, struggled with Busby’s looming presence and lasted only 18 months.
United repeated that mistake in 2013 when Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down after 27 trophy-laden years. He was made a club director and also served as Global Ambassador to honour his achievements. David Moyes, however, struggled to follow Ferguson and lasted only eight months before being sacked.
It would be unfair to blame Ferguson for United’s post-retirement struggles, but the scenario offers a lesson for the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
When Datuk Joehari Ayub became president in February, he could not have anticipated that his predecessor, Tan Sri Hamidin Amin, would return as honorary president four months later. Hamidin is a larger-than-life figure in Malaysian football, with over 30 years of experience. Joehari, the first Sabahan to lead FAM, is relatively new and has yet to establish comparable authority among affiliates. Complicating matters, Hamidin’s office is also in Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya, Selangor.
Rumours suggest many officials still see Hamidin as the ‘boss’, which has undermined Joehari’s position. Could this be why Joehari reportedly submitted his resignation?
Despite speculation about Joehari’s resignation, FAM has yet to issue an official statement. The FAM exco is reportedly meeting tomorrow to discuss the matter. Talks suggest that Malaysian Football League president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan, among others, could take over.
A manager and a president have different duties, but both are team leaders. If FAM sees a leadership change, the incoming president must be strong and independent, as Hamidin’s influence is unlikely to fade quietly.