A World Record on the Horizon for Johor Darul Ta’zim

The Malaysian Super League side, backed by the royal family, is on the cusp of achieving an unprecedented 109 league games unbeaten, a feat that would surpass the 32-year-old benchmark set by Asec Mimosas.

Source: i.guim.co.uk

Former Watford manager Xisco Muñoz, who took charge of Johor Darul Ta’zim last summer, is aiming higher than just winning the league. He wants to raise the standards of Malaysian football and its standing on the global stage.

Source: i.guim.co.uk

Xisco has a reputation for taking on new challenges. Since moving into coaching, he has managed teams in Georgia, Cyprus, and Slovakia. His latest appointment at Johor Darul Ta’zim has seen him achieve remarkable success, with the team currently on an 108-game unbeaten streak that started in April 2021.

The Crown Prince’s Ambition

The club’s owner, His Royal Highness Major General Tunku Ismail ibni Sultan Ibrahim, is known for his relentless ambition and commitment to providing the best resources for the team. He has invested heavily in the club’s facilities, which are comparable to those in the Premier League.

Xisco credits the Crown Prince’s support for the team’s success. ‘Sometimes you are in some jobs, every time trying to cut some things because you have problems. Here, no. Always try to give the best to reach a high level,’ he says.

The team’s chief executive, Luis García, a former Champions League winner with Liverpool, and academy director, Javier Ribera, who arrived from Valencia, have also played a crucial role in the team’s success.

The Asian Champions League and Beyond

Johor Darul Ta’zim’s next challenge is the Asian Champions League, where they will face teams from Japan, South Korea, and other Asian countries. Xisco believes that playing in the Champions League will help raise the standards of Malaysian football and its standing on the global stage.

‘In Asia, you have a lot of growth potential. Every day it’s more difficult to find good players in Europe. It’s totally different here,’ Xisco says.

The team’s domestic dominance can also become a hindrance when they are forced to defend and players struggle to adapt to new tactical requirements. To counter this, Xisco organises competitive XI v XI training matches, utilising the team’s vast 40-player squad.

The ‘Asian Messi’

Xisco has high praise for Arif Aiman, a 24-year-old player known in these parts as the ‘Asian Messi’. He reminds Xisco of João Pedro, whom he coached at Watford.

‘In modern football, sometimes we don’t have this type of class,’ Xisco says. ‘He was one of my big surprises. Sometimes you have a young player, like João Pedro at Watford, in 10 minutes you say, wow, this player is different. Arif is the same.’

Xisco believes that Asian football has a lot of growth potential and that the continent’s teams can learn from European teams. However, he also thinks that European teams have problems with their economies and that it’s difficult for them to progress.