Latest news with #JohorDarulTa'zim
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Heritage players strengthen Harimau Malaya, says Arif Aiman
HARIMAU Malaya winger Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi dismissed any notion of rivalry between local-born and heritage players in the national squad, emphasizing unity as the team prepares for crucial friendlies in September. 'The presence of heritage players has been a big help to the team from time to time,' he said. 'Mentality is key, and every player shares the same goal under one flag.' Arif Aiman, speaking after being named ambassador for a leading sports brand, confirmed the team's full focus on the upcoming Tier 1 friendlies against Singapore and Palestine. Malaysia will face Singapore on Sept 4 and Palestine on Sept 8, matches that serve as warm-ups for the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers in October. When asked about Malaysia's withdrawal from the 2025 CAFA Nations Cup, the Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) star declined to comment, stating, 'To me, I just focus on what's ahead. Preparation is important.' - Bernama
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Arif Aiman ready for more responsibilities after Spanish stint
KUALA LUMPUR: Winger Arif Aiman Hanapi is ready to step up on all fronts this season, both for club and country, following a transformative pre-season stint in Spain. Appointed as Puma Football's latest ambassador today, the Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) star said the training camp in Europe had given him renewed belief. "The (M-League) season is about to start, and I've prepared intensely. I spent pre-season in Spain and gained a lot of experience and confidence from it," said the 22-year-old. "I learned a lot facing strong and competitive European teams. Preparation is always the key to my success, not just for every season, but for every moment ahead." Arif, who captained the JDT team in Spain, said the armband had only inspired him to grow further. "It was an honour, and I'm proud of the trust given to me. I didn't see it as pressure, but as an opportunity to showcase myself as a player and as a captain. I've learned a lot from it." On the presence of naturalised heritage players in the national team, Arif said: "The arrival of new players and heritage players helps me to become a better player. These are guys who've played in top leagues like Turkey and Portugal, and I'm learning from them." He also addressed the growing debate among fans over Harimau Malaya's recent withdrawal from the Central Asian Football Association Nations Cup in favour of friendlies against Singapore and Palestine on Sept 4 and 8 respectively. "As a player, I don't focus on the outside noise. I'm just concentrating on what's ahead of me now," he said.
The Star
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
JDT set for total dominance again after productive pre-season in Alicante
Refreshed: Johor Darul Ta'zim players and coaches pose after the final day of their pre-season tour in Spain. — JDT FC PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) are returning from Spain with valuable lessons and a clearer sense of direction after completing a productive pre-season stint in Alicante. The Southern Tigers recorded three wins, two draws and two defeats from seven friendly matches. On Tuesday, they defeated Saudi Arabian club Riyadh 1-0, which was their last match in the series. Their other wins were against Spanish clubs Real Murcia (4-1) and Costa City 1-0. They drew with La Liga club Levante (1-1) and English Championship side Cardiff City (2-2) and lost to Valencia (0-1) and Qatar club Al-Rayyan (0-1). The club's chief executive officer (CEO) Luis Garcia of Spain said the results had given them a balanced mix of confidence and reality checks ahead of the new season starting on Aug 8. 'We have identified areas to work on to continue our good run in Malaysian football,' he said. JDT will enter the season as the heavyweights, having won a triple quadruple – Charity Shield, Super League, FA Cup and Malaysia Cup from 2022 to the 2024-2025 season. 'The game against Al-Rayyan was a demanding match where we controlled and performed well for most of the game, though we missed the final touch,' said Garcia. 'The pre-season has allowed us to identify areas for improvement, to sharpen our game, and to prepare ourselves for the challenges of a long season ahead.' Despite the mixed results, Garcia emphasised that pre-season was more than just scorelines. 'Moments like these build more than fitness as they build connection, unity, and a stronger bond within the group. We work, we play, we align. One objective, one direction. Let's keep growing together.' Garcia, in his first full campaign at the helm of JDT, has unveiled a long-term vision. 'A new season begins, not just with a team, but with a vision. At JDT, every year is a new chapter to dream bigger, push harder, and lead with purpose. 'This is more than football. It's a project built on ambition, unity, and belief. ''The best is yet to come.' JDT, who will kick off against Selangor in the Charity Shield on Aug 8, have set a clear mission – to write their next dominant chapter in the game.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Red Giants ready to tackle JDT in Charity Shield season opener
KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor head Katsuhito Kinoshi wants his players to be ready for a tough test as they kick off the new M-League season with a Charity Shield clash against defending Super League champions Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) next month. Kinoshi is determined to lead Selangor to a stronger 2025-2026 campaign and remains confident that the Red Giants will rise to the occasion, with fans expecting much more from the team this season. The Japanese tactician also stressed the importance of performing well in regional competitions, including the Asean Club Championship and Asian Champions League 2. "We must be ready for this toughest match. Without enjoyment, there's no chance," said Kinoshi. "Even in the toughest match, we must enjoy it, and that means giving 100 per cent. Without hard work, we can't enjoy anything." Kinoshi was speaking after Selangor and Daikin Malaysia marked the third year of their strategic partnership at a ceremony held earlier today. Among those present was the Raja Muda of Selangor, Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who also serves as the club chairman. When asked about new foreign signings and the team captaincy, Kinoshi remained tight-lipped. "The club will make an official announcement at the appropriate time," he said. He did, however, highlight the return of Fazly Mazlan as a key addition, both as a role model for younger players and as someone eager to prove himself. "I cannot say if he (Fazly) will start or not, but at the very least, he must be part of the team like last year," said Kinoshi. "He must put in the effort to become an effective player for the squad." Meanwhile, Selangor will face the Asia Warriors, led by Japanese World Cup star Keisuke Honda, in a friendly this weekend.
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Can Harimau Malaya do what the Southern Tigers just did?
KUALA LUMPUR: Can the national football team do what Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) just did? Go to Spain, the land of European champions, and play quality friendly matches against good teams there. Sports critic Sadek Mustaffa said the national team should get the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, with his global connections, to help out in this area. "We need to think outside the box, and it's time to use Tunku Ismail's global connections to secure quality opponents. If we cannot get top nations, we should look at playing top football clubs. "We know that during international breaks most clubs will lose their players, but I think clubs in Japan and Saudi Arabia have top quality players who are no longer internationals," said Sadek. He felt that Harimau Malaya, who lack matches against top sides, have already made a bad move by withdrawing (due to logistical and player availability issues) from the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup from Aug 29-Sept 8. Sadek said the national team, who have risen to world No. 125, need to play quality matches against top clubs to maintain their momentum. He added that it would be a waste for the foreign-based national players — Facundo Garces, Imanol Machuca, Rodrigo Hidalgo — to spend hours travelling to join Harimau Malaya only to play low-quality matches. FAM announced on Wednesday that Malaysia will play friendly matches against Singapore and Palestine in September. "What's the point of playing matches that are not going to help our team improve? We have good players based abroad, and they would spend more than 24 hours travelling to play these low- quality matches. "The national team management already blundered by pulling out of the Nations Cup." Sadek said the Nations Cup withdrawal should be a lesson for FAM and the national team management.
