04 Apr IT’S DATO WINDSOR PAUL JOHN

Recognition comes in many ways and nothing is far more meaningful and appreciated than to receive awards and medals conferred in conjunction with the birthday of a state ruler.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) General Secretary Dato’ Alex Soosay will receive the Darjah Sultan Ahmad Shah Pahang (DSAP) and his immediate assistant, Windsor Paul John, the Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang (DIMP), both of which carry the title ‘Datuk’. They will be among 172 recipients of various awards tomorrow in recognition of their contributions to society.

Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, will present the medals at an investiture ceremony at the Istana Abu Bakar in Pekan on behalf of HRH Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah.

For the record, Dato’ Alex Soosay has conferred the Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang (DIMP) on Oct 24, 2011. He has seen the entire spectrum of the beautiful game of football as player, coach and administrator. He was appointed as General-Secretary of AFC on July 15, 2009 after the resignation of Datuk Sri Paul Mony Samuel.

Windsor, who was Executive Director of AFC in 2012, and later appointed assistant secretary-general last year – a move seen by many in the Asian football governing body as recognizing Windsor’s ability in the administrative field as the man has been performing his jobs rather diligently, and with so much passion.

Of recent, football’s world governing body, FIFA, had so much of faith in Windsor’s ability too. He was appointed by FIFA to ensure that the Confederation Cup which was held from June 15-30 was managed and organised well in Brazil. Come this June, Windsor will once again head for Brazil as General Coordinator of the World Cup.

The former teacher started his career as an assistant coach in Selangor under the supervision of Dato’ M. Chandran, one of the most accomplished footballers Malaysia has produced, before taking on an administrative job in the Football Association of Malaysia.

I can only congratulate Dato’ Alex Soosay and Windsor on their latest accolades and am strongly convinced they will carry on in their jobs as ‘great administrators’.