It’s hard to conceive that a few years back, Johor, irrespective of whether FC or FA, were largely deemed to be mere pushovers; notwithstanding the fact that they struggled to even attract decent crowd for home games.
Juxtapose that to the paradigm that exists in Johor today. You’ve got a side that is the reigning Super League champions, made up of arguably the most talented players in the country, and led by a coach that has probably achieved more than anyone in Malaysia over the last five years or so.
The Southern Tigers have a vast array of terrific talent at their disposal; that’s a given. They’ve beefed their squad up with the addition of Farizal Marlias, Junior Eldstal, S. Chanturu and even S. Kunanlan for that matter. These are players that have performed consistently in the local scene, and some of them have even represented the national squad.
In simple terms, you have a recipe for success right there.
So it wouldn’t really come across as a surprise when people tout them as massive favourites to retain their Super League title, with the new season edging ever closer. That being said, when some sects of these very fans think Johor DT would be able to steamroll their way to victory this season; you can’t help but wonder, is the Super League really turning into a one-horse race? I highly doubt it.
We recently spoke to Zesh Rehman on Pahang’s goals for the upcoming season and he aptly pointed out that the War Elephants won three trophies last year besides doing decently in the league as well. But the goal for them as far as 2015 is concerned, is to better their achievements. Ambitious, some might say. But you can’t really blame them for having confidence in the set-up that was absolutely on point last season.
And listen to this. They have retained almost all the core players from last season. Gopinathan, who was absolutely sensational for them on the flanks, will continue to ply his trade with the East Coast side, while all their foreign players (Matias Conti, Zesh Rehman, Dickson Nwakaeme and Damion Stewart) have been retained as well. Rumours, at one point, were linking Razman Roslan with a return to Selangor, but even he opted to stay put with Pahang. At the same time, D. Saarvindran’s arrival is certainly a timely boost as well as he offers a different dimension on the offensive.
So even in Pahang, Johor DT have a rival that will not make it easy for them. But it doesn’t merely end there.
Kelantan, after a topsy-turvy 2014, are also preparing to go gung-ho in the upcoming campaign; and honestly speaking, it could very much happen. George Boateng took over the team, halfway through the season in 2014, but this time around, he was given the time and resources to selectively shape his squad.
The foreign acquisitions certainly look top-notch. Emmanuel Kenmogne comes with a reputation of goalscoring prowess after his impressive exploits in Indonesia, and that predominantly extends towards Isaac Pupo as well. Jonathan McKain is a fantastic addition to the squad, allowing Boateng to strengthen his defensive membrane and address a concern that they’ve had ever since Obinna Nwaneri departed last year.
Also, don’t forget that Norfarhan has re-joined the Red Warriors after spending a season in Terengganu, but bear in mind that they also invested in retaining Brendan Gan, who was stellar for them last campaign.
These are teams who could genuinely challenge for the title, and will more than just a problem for Johor DT. And we’ve only touched two other teams in the league. If you to take a back-seat and analyze the rest, including Selangor, whose prowess cannot be premised upon Paulo Rangel’s departure, you have a myriad of teams that could drop in and cause massive troubles.
Even Perak FA for that matter. They have an experienced head coach in the form of Datuk M. Karathu, and a huge core of their team is made up of youngsters who probably don’t have anything to lose and thus wouldn’t fear anyone as well. Terengganu are already reaping the benefits of signing Rangel, while PDRM and Felda United are club sides that may not have a fan base to bank on, but they certainly have the financial stability to keep the talented players within their squad motivated and potentially cause an upset.
Like it or not, the existential fun that’s derived from Malaysian football is primarily manifested from the volatility of the Super League. It’s absolutely unpredictable and that’s why it’s amazing. Eight teams have won the league title since 2004. The 2009 Super League runners-up are currently dwindling in the second division. Also remember, Johor DT were largely expected to dominate last year, but were given a run for their money by Selangor until the final day of the season.
Football is about consistency, and we all know how that usually works within the realms of the beautiful game. Some may say especially so, within the Malaysian football arena.
While I’m compelled to heap praises on the paradigm shift that Johor DT has brought to the local football scene, I’m equally delighted that their transformation has resulted in a domino effect with other Malaysian team upping their tempo. Fair enough, they may still be a long way from where the Southern Tigers are at the moment, but when it comes to Malaysian football, predictability isn’t omnipresent. At least, not as of now.
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