[EXCLUSIVE] ‘Inilah Saya’: Rajagobal’s long-awaited autobiography captures golden era of Malaysian football
The book, published by Karangkraf, offered a heartfelt, unfiltered account of the man who brought glory back to Malaysian football.
KUALA LUMPUR - After nearly a decade in the making, former Harimau Malaya coach Datuk K. Rajagobal launched his much-anticipated autobiography "Inilah Saya K. Rajagobal."
The book, published by Karangkraf, offered a heartfelt, unfiltered account of the man who brought glory back to Malaysian football.
Rajagobal’s name was etched in Malaysian football history as the one who ended decades-long drought by leading the national team to triumph at the 2009 Sea Games and the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup.
Now, the football icon has taken on a new challenge; documenting his journey in his own words.
"After witnessing the launch, it is hard to put my feelings into words, but I am truly happy. After such a long journey writing this book, it is finally complete and published. I am especially glad that Malaysians can now buy it and read it.
"Through this book, I wanted to share my experiences, my challenges, my struggles and most importantly, the lessons I have learned along the way. I hope it shows the younger generation the importance of perseverance. Life will present hurdles, but we must face them with determination and never give up easily.
"My hope is that this book becomes a meaningful resource to inspire and motivate young Malaysians, helping them grow into individuals who are not only resilient but also deeply patriotic.
"That is the heart of why I wrote this book, to share my journey in a way that can uplift others," he said during the book launch at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair held at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
The book, written in Malay, chronicled Rajagobal’s rise from a young footballer in Setapak to becoming one of Malaysia’s most successful coaches.
He shared the field with legends like the late Datuk Mokhtar Dahari, Datuk R. Arumugam and Datuk Santokh Singh in the golden Selangor team of the 1980s.
Rajagobal then reminisced about the moment he would never forget.
"The moment which I cherish is in 1979 when I played for Selangor against Singapore in the Malaysia Cup final. That was my first Malaysia Cup final with Selangor, that is the moment which I think I cannot forget.
"Selangor had legendary players, including Singapore and to win 2-0 was a special moment," he added.
He said he never imagined becoming a coach, let alone leading Harimau Malaya, but a stint as assistant coach for Selangor during the Malaysia Games in Sarawak opened a new path for him.
His coaching career, spanning clubs like PKNS, Selangor, Kelantan, Sarawak and Brunei, peaked when he brought home the long-elusive Sea Games gold and Malaysia’s first AFF Championship.
"After 20 years, we won the Sea Games. That was the beginning. Definitely, it was a proud moment. It was a moment that the nation celebrated. Then came the AFF Suzuki Cup, that was another moment which gave me happiness, emotion and made the whole nation proud.
"At that time, probably nobody believed that the national team would do well. So all of a sudden, the turning point and this gave hope for the football fraternity. And that was, I can say, the proudest moment, which I cherish.
"Still, at times, it brings back memories; the situation and the atmosphere," he said.
When asked why he chose Karangkraf to publish his book, Rajagobal shared that it all began with a chance encounter during a Sinar Daily programme, which sparked the connection.
He said attending Sinar Daily's Footy Forum programme gave him the opportunity to meet Karangkraf Group chairman who is also Grup Buku Karangkraf chief executive officer Firdaus Hussamuddin.
That initial introduction was what truly set everything in motion, he added.
"I was exploring which publisher to approach for my book. Then during the 2022 World Cup, I appeared as a pundit on Sinar Daily’s Footy Forum.
"It was there that I met someone from Sinar Daily and I mentioned my interest in writing a book. She suggested I speak to Firdaus Hussamuddin. I asked for her contact and said I will follow up. Around the same time, my son also encouraged me to go directly to Karangkraf, since I already had the connection.
"So I arranged a meeting and from that very first conversation, everything felt promising. We agreed to explore the idea further. Things progressed naturally from there and I eventually chose to go with Karangkraf.
"They are a well-established publisher with solid experience, particularly in Malay-language books. Looking back, I am confident it was the right call, I have no regrets," he shared.
He said the book entitled "Inilah Saya K. Rajagobal" has been nearly nine years in the making due to various coaching commitments.
Ultimately, he said it was more than a book.
It was a heartfelt tribute to Malaysian football and a motivational roadmap for anyone striving to rise above adversity, he added.
"It is not only the story about me. It is the story about others to learn and to feel, going through all the stages and to be a better person in life; for their family, for the nation and to be a strong character in any challenges we want to face," he said.
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