The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has announced the passing of veteran coach M.S. Arasu, describing him as a “dedicated servant of Singapore football”.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday (28 April), FAS said Mr Arasu had served as Head Coach of the National Youth team under the National Football Academy, playing a key role in developing the next generation of Singapore footballers.
Source: Football Association of Singapore on Facebook
He also contributed to the growth of the game as a Coach Educator with both FAS and the Asian Football Confederation.
FAS extended its condolences to Mr Arasu’s family and friends, as tributes from the wider football community reflected on the lasting legacy he leaves behind.
Former players, students, and colleagues have since paid tribute to Mr Arasu, with many highlighting his impact both on and off the pitch.
One former student described him as “more than just a coach”. “You were a mentor, a guide, and a believer in people before they believed in themselves,” they wrote.
Although the two lost contact after Mr Arasu moved to Perth, Australia, the student said his impact “never faded”.
Source: Facebook
Another former student recalled how Mr Arasu had influenced their progress in athletics, crediting him as one of the physical education (PE) instructors who helped them improve their running times.
Source: Facebook
Others remembered Mr Arasu for his creative and forward-thinking coaching style.
“I don’t think he gets enough credit for his creative and unorthodox, but highly effective approach to coaching,” one commenter wrote, adding that he was “way ahead of his time”.
Source: Facebook
Meanwhile, Spain-based football camp Global Pro Camps paid tribute to Mr Arasu in an Instagram post on Wednesday (29 April), describing him as “more than a partner to us in Perth”.
“A coach who genuinely cared, and someone who believed in developing players the right way,” the post read.
Source: @globalprocamps on Threads
“Singapore football has lost one of its gentlest souls,” read a tribute by sports reporter A. Thiyaga Raju, which was shared on Facebook by one of Mr Arasu’s former students.
According to the tribute, Mr Arasu died on Sunday (26 April) at the age of 66 after being hospitalised in Perth due to diabetes-related complications.
A PE teacher by profession, he was previously Head of the PE Department at ITE MacPherson before making the move into full-time football coaching.
Source: Institute of Technical Education, Singapore on Facebook, for illustration purposes only
In 1996, he left his teaching career to join Balestier Central FC as a full-time coach, a move the tribute described as being “guided purely by his passion for the game”.
His involvement in football development began even earlier. In April 1992, Mr Arasu was among 26 local coaches selected for a FIFA/Coca-Cola Football Development Programme at the National Stadium, conducted by FIFA instructor Terry Casey.
He later joined the national set-up in December 1999 as assistant coach to Vincent Subramaniam, and was also involved with the national pre-Olympic squad.
That same year, he became one of the staff coaches under Goal 2010, working alongside project director, Danish football manager Jan Poulsen.
Mr Arasu’s contributions were recognised with the Coach Recognition Award in 2006.
Beyond his professional achievements, many remembered Mr Arasu for his humility, warmth, and ability to connect with young players.
The tribute also noted that Arasu believed football development should begin in schools, and that children should first be allowed to enjoy the game freely and joyfully.
One anecdote shared by Mr Thiyaga recalled how Mr Arasu once shaved off his moustache after noticing that it intimidated young children he was coaching at Pei Chun and Tao Nan Primary Schools.
Source: MOE Heritage Centre, for illustration purposes only
After the gesture, the children reportedly warmed up to him and even started calling him “uncle”.
“That was Arasu — always willing to adapt, to meet others where they were, if it meant making them feel comfortable, valued, and included,” the tribute read.
In football, legacies are often measured in trophies and scorelines. But for men like Arasu, they are found elsewhere — in the confidence he nurtured, the respect he earned, and the countless lives he shaped with patience and heart.
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Featured image adapted from @globalprocamps on Threads.