00:00I don't bother. I don't hear. I cannot hear.
00:03Then he scolds me also, I cannot hear. I don't care.
00:07Because, number one, I love football.
00:17Meet coach Gopal Krishnan.
00:20Twice a week, you can find him on the pitch of a local Seremban school,
00:24coaching a team of senior football lovers.
00:28The former state player may have lost his hearing when he was 40,
00:32but he still maintains a deep love for the beautiful game.
00:37I love football.
00:39When I'm coaching, I never think about this.
00:42I want to warm up.
00:43Because players don't talk to me, I talk to the players.
00:46Gopal, who began his professional football career in 1978,
00:51has previously played for Negeri Sembilan in the Malaysia Cup.
00:55Today, he is the coach of the Negeri Sembilan United walking football team,
01:01a role he has played for the past three years.
01:04Walking football is a variant of football where, as the name suggests,
01:08players walk instead of run.
01:11Talking about walking football,
01:13maybe play 20 minutes, rest 10 minutes, then play 20 minutes.
01:16Easy to play.
01:17Actually, the walking football for 50 years.
01:20Once you're injured or penchant, you're alone,
01:23they come and join us to play.
01:25My main aim, I found the club for Warga Mas.
01:31His team consists of individuals aged 40 to 70 of all races and backgrounds
01:36who enjoy playing twice a week.
01:39Just last month, they were invited to Perth, Australia
01:43to participate in a tournament where they emerged as champions.
01:48Negeri Sembilan United walking football club president,
01:52Nur Aini Abu Hassan says she is delighted to have someone of Gopal's calibre on their side.
01:59He's an ex-player, so I'm proud of his spirit.
02:04Even though he has shortcomings, I like his spirit.
02:09He never gives up.
02:11In the near future, Gopal hopes to start a football academy
02:15to introduce more people to the joys of walking football.
02:19Because we're coaching so many players, 20, 30 players.
02:22I don't bother, I don't hear, I cannot hear.
02:27Then he scolds me also, I cannot hear.
02:29I don't care.
02:31Because number one, I love football.
02:36Divya Raghu and Terence Toh, FMT Lifestyle.
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