Myanmar Soccer Team in 1970s (Where have all the flowers gone)

Burma Stays, will never ever fade away easy 

BURMA

We still like to call them “Burma” although the name wise (has been changed from Burma to Myanmar), the ‘ism’, the culture and the sports system of the country have been changed. We are talking about Myanmar Soccer Team in the past

During 1970s football in Myanmar was at best shape, international level, national level and club teams competition level

As a young soccer fan, I watched national team played for first ever Olympic qualifying matches and in Olympics in 1972 by beating all Asian rivals such as Isreal, and to Thai national team (7-1) decisively. The team wise, and the individual wise they were so innovative and too many talents and too much for other Asian rivals back then      

I had a privilege to watch Khin Maung Tun (he played for Burma and Customs in 60s & 70s, he is a big tall guy but he was so swift and played balls so beautifully in air), Tin Aung (he played for Army, tall but slim, quick, firm, best GK Myanmar ever had, his outstanding consistency through out his career, I met him so many times during his successful career abroad), Mg Mg Nyunt (he was a first class goal keeper and a backup goalkeeper for first line up Goal Tin Aung, he was from Rakhine State, light heavyweight class classy goal keeper too, very need and tidy ball keeping), Tin Win (he played for Trade first division team, he could play anywhere in the field, physically the most fittest in the then Burma first division, rarely played for Burma, was the father of Myo Hlaing Win, also a Myanmar national team soccer captain, grandfather of current national team player Kaung Set Naing), Kyaw Min (goalkeeper, he played for Navy Team, he was individually so strong and so great that he could carry ball from goal and still score goal to opposite side , big guy, seldom chosen to Burma team because his outstanding solo play in first division), John Steel (Customs reputed goalkeeper, watched him played several games, very entertaining ), Myo Win Nyunt (most disciplined defensive and offensive player of Burma), Tin Sein (great player, great offensive assist player for customs & Burma), Maung Maung Tin (one of the best sweeper Burma had ever had, smart, proud, always head high, cool, dedicated player, later became captain of the Burma Railways soccer team, He always covered Ko Tin Aung every time there was a dogfight in front of the goal post in international tournaments), Khin Maung Kyaing (with Customs, centre back, great penalty kicker, he always kicked straight to goalkeeper but upward to the goal roof, never gave them any chances, great player in first division),  Thein Htay Aung (he played for Trade, short, great controls about the size of David Luis, just like him) Aung Than (tall, he played sweeper after Mg Mg Tin retired from Burma, centre defensive, sweeper), Than Htike (paired with Aung Than, centre defensive player, played for Burma and in first division, soccer smart, quick-tempered player), Khin Mg Tint (he was a backup player during Burma Golden Era, very young, good looking player, he was with Trade Ministry team), Htun Hla Aung (he played for EPC as sweeper #4 in first division league), Tin Han (he was a old school defensive player for Ministry of Construction, tough, fighter), Kyaw Nyunt (he played for EPC, very smart player, played with distinct style), Kyaw Tint (he played for Air Force team with Aye Maung Lay, backup left side back for Burma), Aye Maung (Gyi)(one of greatest player Burma possessed then and may be forever, team captain, intelligent, great dribbler, set piece maker), Aye Maung (Lay)(played for Air Force team, had great stamina, he could play the whole field for 90 minutes easy, running all around, real life dedicated soccer player with crew cut), Sein Win (Gyi) (ArtChiKaung was his Chinese name, what we normally called him in the field) (he played for Trade, midfielder, rarely chosen in Burma team because his hot temper and having fights in almost every first division league games), Sein Win (Lay)(he played with Ministry of Construction team and a protege of Aye Maung Gyi but he played with his own style and very fast, lightning team offensive midfielder for MOC, very entertaining), Than Win (younger brother of Sein Win Lay, played for Trade and very talented player, very creative, great dribbling skills, fast, left footer) Thein Aung (Army muscled midfielder, should be Mr Universe instead of football player, and Army team captain for quite a while), Benny Tin Aung (we just called him Benny at that time, he played for Trade, midfielder, backup player for Burma for (2)Aye Maungs in the midfield, steady, cool, low profile) Pan Sit (he played for Yangon Minicipal with Than Soe, famous player), Hla Htay (cool, classy, bike rider with a tobacco pipe, intelligent, highly gifted winger from Irrawaddy Division), Ye Nyunt (one of Burma main striker, played for Customs with Myo Win Nyunt and Tin Sein), Than Soe (Sut Thee)(Burma main striker, aggressive,daring player scoring goals in critical times of crises), Win Mg (tall, always smiling, humble, fast moving, very cool winger from Army), Tin Ag Moe (short, stocky, very good nature winger from Ministry of Construction died in young age, a favourite of Thailand and Shan State, he was loved dearly, when Ko Tin Ag Moe died, we all cried), Tin Shwe (great dribbler, he played great in first division league games, played so smooth, smart all around player), May Kyaing (he is a short, so stocky but fast strong striker for Burma team in later days), Win Sein (he is good, fast, and a lot of muscles, popular in macho country like Afganistan, they offered him a job for their league team, he refused),  Kyi Lwin (short, small, very fast, dedicated first division player, always entertaining in league games), Kyaw Min (he played for Navy, sometimes he played as goalkeeper and sometimes he played forward, and in one of night league game in Aung San stadium, recalled that he was impatient with his forwards that he went ahead and dribbled past all opposite team (11) himself scored one goal as a goalkeeper, could you believe that?) international, national level and club level played at Aung San stadium 

During 1970s ‘Burma’ has won all Asian football circuit trophies such as Park Chung Hee Cup, Madeka, Thai King Cup, Asian Soccer Cup, Olympic qualifying rounds. And it went on to win the most cleanest/fairest team in 1972 Munich Olympic games. Asians football fans know Burmese Soccer players by name. Ko Tin Ag Moe and Aye Maung were very well known in Asian Circuit. Aik Maung, as Malays fans called Aye Mg, especially Malay girls, crazy back then. Myanmar players were way popular abroad than inside Burma those days. Today in year 2017, some of these players are not here with us, some were long gone. I salute and miss them much       

With this a little write up, I bow, honor and salute  Khin Maung Tun, Ko Tin Aung, Ko Mg Mg Nyunt, Ko Myo Win Nyunt, Ko Tin Sein, Ko Mg Mg Tin, Ko Aye Mg (Gyi), Ko Aye Mg (Lay), Ko Hla Htay, Ko Tin Ag Moe, Ko Ye Nyunt, Ko Than Soe, Ko Win Maung, Ko Khin Maung Tint, Ko Than Win, and so so many talents from my heart. It will be a very thick book if you write it up all about these great players still not included in this brief writeup like Myo Chit, Thant Zin, Myo Thein , Maung Maung, Khin Mg Nyunt, Shwe Baw, Sai Kenneth, Ba Pu, Bahadur, Kyaw Sein Tun, Gwan Shein, Soe Myint Lwin and so so so so so on

Lastly, I really feel like I would like to hear the song “Doh Bamar Naing Pyi” again at 8 am after the every final match like we used to on those glorious days

And I request Myanmar football authorities to show old golden Burma Soccer games  




So I say here: Burma will not fade away, never ever in my mind and other football loving fans in Myanmar forever




Note: Writer is a soccer fan for all of his life. He started out watching taped Pele/Carlos Alberto, Socrates, Falcao, Roberto Carlos,  and all Brazil World Cup teams up to Dunga/Neymer era. Italy team with Paulo Rossi to Baggio and England team with Gari Linekar, Beckham.  Orange Team with Cryff, Johan Nieeskin, Rud Gulik, Marco Van ..., French team with M Platini and Deschamps, German team with Beckanbauer,Breitner, Uly Hoeness,Liberski, Matheus up to M Gomez..still following soccer with Fabregas, Mercelo, Messi, Neymer, D.Luis anything you want to add.. please let me know.... my email is climatiseur07@gmail.com. Open for inquiries