Johor DT defender Junior Eldstal believes that their recent consistency must be attributed to the influence that head coach Mario Gomez has exerted over the squad, since taking charge in April.
The Southern Tigers endured a rather frustrating start to the season, which left fans questioning their ability to retain the league title. But Mario Gomez’s arrival has coincided with a mini revival of fortunes – something that culminated in them dethroning Pahang as league leaders last weekend.
But while the on-pitch performances have been relatively impressive, Junior believes that Mario Gomez’s work off the pitch, has tremendously improved them as a collective unit.
“I think Mario has put in a lot of discipline into some of the boys, and he’s also showed that he’s not afraid to change the team, anytime he wants,” the ex-Sarawak man told FourthOfficial.com
“He’s a very good manager, and demands huge respect from the players, which ultimately unites us and makes us stronger as a team.”
The Malaysian international was out of action for almost two months due to injury, though he finally made his return in their 1-0 win over ATM last weekend, and right now, he intends to purely focus on getting back to his best and helping the Southern Tigers maintain their position at the top of the table, with merely five games left in the league.
“I’ve been training for more than a week now, without pain so everything seems good. Now, it’s mainly about match fitness and getting back to my best.
“I’m not focusing on anything Pahang are doing at the moment. What’s important is that we stay focused, don’t slip up and keep winning our games, all the way till the end,” Junior added.
Johor DT will next host causeway rivals LionsXII at the Larkin Stadium this Wednesday, with kick off slated for 8.45PM
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