Johor Darul Takzim out to prove money can buy success

The LionsXII will kick off their Malaysian Super League campaign tomorrow against Pahang. To mark the start of the new season, we will be profiling six teams to watch in this year’s MSL. TODAY veteran M-League and Malaysia Cup correspondent Dan Guen Chin (danguenchin [at] mediacorp.com.sg) gives you the low-down on big-spending Johor Darul Takzim I, Selangor, the LionsXII’s perennial arch-rivals, and Pahang.

JOHOR DARUL TAKZIM I

Coach: Cesar Jiminez (Spanish)

Past Honours: One Super League title (1991) and two Malaysia Cups (1985 and 1991)

How they fared last season: 3rd in the MSL; losing finalists in the FA Cup; Malaysia Cup quarter-finals

Players to watch:

Pablo Aimar: The 34-year-old former Argentinian international will be the biggest name to watch in this season’s MSL. The former Valencia midfielder’s last club was Portugal’s Benfica before he joined JDT I on a contract worth US$2.4 million (S$3.05 million) a season.

Luciano Figuero: Another former Argentina international who was signed from Greek club Panathinaikos. It is clear his combination with countryman Aimar, is bearing fruit as Figuero scored three goals in JDT I’s three pre-season friendlies.

Hariss Harun: The 23-year old is seen as the man to shore up the midfield with his defensive abilities and his steely determination. Coach Jiminez even singled out the Singapore international out as the man he wants in his midfield.

Analysis:

They don’t call Johor Darul Takzim I the big spenders for nothing, and this season will prove whether money can indeed buy success.

JDT I have splashed the cash to get former Valencia coach Jiminez, Aimar and Figuero (who will reportedly earn about half of Aimar is getting).

Malaysian internationals Safiq Rahim, Safee Sali, Norsharul Idlan Taha and latest signing Mohd Amri Yahyah from Selangor are also believed to be in the RM60,000 (S$23,230) to RM80,000 a month bracket.

Thanks to their spending, JDT I look a formidable side with a lot of depth. Indeed, former Kelantan coach Bojan Hodak has picked them to win the league.

SELANGOR

Coach: Mehmet Durakovic (Australian)

Past honours: Seven-time Super League winner (1980, 1984, 1990, 2000, 2009, 2010). Have won the Malaysia Cup 32 times.

How they fared last season: 2nd in the MSL; group-stage exit in Malaysia Cup

Players to watch:

Andik Vermansyah: The 23-year-old Indonesia midfielder, who is blessed with blistering pace and dribbling skills, is best remembered for the 35-metre free-kick that sank Singapore 1-0 in the group stages of the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup.

Paulo Rangel: The 27-year-old Brazilian striker scored nine goals for Perak last season. He played his football in the lower reaches of the Brazilian league before joining Muangthong United, Thailand’s top club, in 2012.

Junior De Souza: The Brazilian attacking midfielder, who once played for Sao Paulo FC in the Brazilian first division, signed from Thai club Phuket FC. Although he is just 24, his experience in the top tier of Brazilian football should prove useful to Selangor.

Analysis:

By their own high standards, Selangor failed miserably last season. They may have finished second in the MSL but crashed out of the group stages of the Malaysia Cup. Selangor Deputy President Datuk Mokhtar Ahmad has admitted that the club failed to make the right signings last year but things look good this time around.

After the abrupt resignation of coach Irfan Bakti in the early rounds of the Malaysia Cup, Selangor have turned to the 48-year-old Mehmet Durakovic, who once played for them in the mid-1980s.

The former Australian international last coached Melbourne Victory in the Australian A-League.

Apart from their three foreign signings, Selangor also have Malaysians internationals S Kunalan and A Thamil Arasu, both attacking players, to beef up the squad.

PAHANG

Coach: Ron Smith (Australian)

Past honours: Three-time Malaysia Cup champions (1983, 1992 and 2013).

How they fared last season: 5th in the league.

Players to watch:

Zesh Rahman: The 30-year-old central defender was born in England but chose to play for Pakistan at international level. He has had stints with English football clubs Fulham, Queens Park Rangers and Norwich and his previous club was Hong Kong’s Kitchee FC.

Damion Stewart: The 33-year-old defender is a Jamaica international with lots of playing experience in English football. He played more than 230 matches for the likes of Bradford, Queens Park Rangers, Bristol City and Notts County. Was a pillar in Pahang’s defence as the side won the Malaysia Cup last year.

Azamuddin Akil: The pacy 28-year-old striker clearly has an eye for goal. He has scored 31 goals in the last two seasons with Pahang. He was also named Man of the Match in last season’s Malaysia Cup final when Pahang beat Kelantan 1-0.

Analysis:

One of the giants of the Malaysian League, Pahang never shied away from splashing the cash in the 1980s and the 90s.

That was why they could land Singapore’s Fandi Ahmad, V Sundramoorthy, Terry Pathmanathan and R Suriamoorthy, Malaysian internationals Zainal Abidin Hassan and Dollah Salleh, former Nottingham Forest and Australia defender Alan Davidson and Thailand’s feared striker Piyapong Pue-On.

Pahang are more prudent these days. In fact, they won the Malaysia Cup last season without a big name in their squad, a feat masterminded by Dollah who has since left to join Police in the second-tier Malaysian Premier League.

Former Football Association of Malaysia Technical Director Ron Smith is now in charge and all eyes will be on him to see if the 64-year-old Australian can help Pahang win more silverware this season.