Karl-Heinz Weigang dies of heart attack (Updated)

PETALING JAYA: Former Malaysia's national coach Karl-Heinz Weigang, the last man to lead the national team to the Olympics, died yesterday at the age of 82. Weigang passed away in Germany after suffering a heart attack.
The news was confirmed by Perak FA deputy president Shahrul Zaman Yahya.
The German guided Malaysia to the 1980 Olympic Games, which is considered one of the greatest feats by the national team. However, Malaysia joined the US-led boycott of the Moscow Games.
Malaysia’s qualification for the Olympics inspired Ola Bola, a widely acclaimed local film that was loosely based on Weigang and the national team..
Weigang had coached in various countries, including national teams in Africa and Asia.
He also had multiple coaching stints with local teams in Malaysia, including three stints with Perak FA. With Perak, he guided the team to win the Malaysia Cup in 1998 and 2000.
Former national captain Datuk Soh Chin Aun, who was one half of the ever-reliable centre-back combination with Datuk Santokh Singh, said he was saddened to hear the news of Weigang’s passing.
Describing the German as “not only a good coach, but a very good friend”, Soh said Weigang’s contribution to national football is something to be remembered forever.
“He has done so much for Malaysia, as far as football is concerned, taking us to the Olympics. We (former national players) will always remember him. We all loved him,” he told theSun.
Santokh said Weigang’s death is a great loss to the national footballing scene. “His touching words ‘play for the country and not for yourself’ is something I will never forget. The experience of playing under him, and qualifying for the Olympics, no words can describe,” he said.