SINGAPORE – After a five-year battle with cancer, former Singapore international defender Amin Nasir died in hospital on Sunday night (Jan 15), leaving behind his wife and two children.

The 48-year-old, who represented Singapore in the early 1990s, and also played for Sembawang Rangers and Woodlands Wellington in the S.League, was first diagnosed with colon cancer in 2012.

Amin, who is also the elder brother of ex-national captain Nazri Nasir, initially recovered after undergoing treatment, and even became the head coach of Hougang United in 2014, leading the S.League side to a credible seventh-place finish.

But the cancer returned in August that year as doctors discovered growths in his stomach and kidney during a medical check-up.

He was the head coach of the Football Association of Singapore’s Junior Centres Of Excellence (JCOEs), Club Academies and Schools Football Academy (SFA) before his passing.

According to Nazri, Amin suffered a lot of pain but never stopped battling the cancer till the end.

“He was a fighter, and he kept on trying until yesterday when he felt it was about time for him to go,” said Nazri.

“Now he doesn’t need to suffer any more.

“I have lost not only a brother but a friend. He was always there for me and gave me advice not just on football but about life.

“He was a source of encouragement and motivation.”

Hougang also paid tribute to Amin, whose impressive managerial showing with the club in 2014 saw him selected to lead the Singapore Selection side in that year’s Sultan of Selangor (SOS) Cup. It said in a statement: “Hougang United pays tribute to former head coach Amin Nasir who passed away after a long fight with cancer.

“Plans for a big finish to 2014 might have been derailed abruptly by his cancer recurrence, but he recovered strongly and played a big part in constructing the team in 2015 as Technical Advisor.

“Amin was instrumental in establishing proper standards at Hougang and had a distinct reputation amongst players for fairness. Hougang mourns his passing and remembers his tireless contribution to the club.”

Amin, who was first called up to represent Singapore in 1990, was part of the team that won a bronze medal at the 1993 SEA Games on home soil.

Former international teammate Steven Tan remembers Amin as a no-nonsense player on the pitch, and a friendly and soft-spoken man off it.

“He has a lion’s heart,” he said.

“As a player, he didn’t take anyone’s nonsense and you could see his passion for the game through the hard work he put in.

“Off the pitch, he was a totally different, and I always enjoyed talking with him and having him as a friend.”