WHILE Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) turned the Super League into a "one-horse race" yet again, their rivals are resigned to fighting for the second best prize.
And this is likely to be a familiar story for next year and the next and so on until the rivals decide to do something about it.
It has come to this stage; no one seem capable of stopping the JDT juggernaut who have just wrapped up their seventh consecutive Super League title.
So subdued are the rivals that no team are in the spirit to show any streak of ambition by making known their mission, if any, to overtake JDT. Some clubs, more out of adulation, even said they are looking to the Southern Tigers as role model.
Maybe it's a good strategy; make it a matter of "if you can't beat them, be like them."
Try to be like JDT? Well, Malaysian Football Coaches Association (MFCA) president B. Satiananthan said that will take a lot of living up to.
He said for teams to be in a condition to challenge JDT, they must have a vision, quality players, competent people in charge and be free from politicking.
He added that the teams must have good work ethics, strong organisation and managed by professionals, and not by people with personal interests.
Satiananthan pointed out that there are many teams whose decisions are influenced by impatient fans who unreasonably cry for immediate results.
"Aside from having the best local and foreign players, it is also about how you run the team. Look at the European clubs. Some of them have a lot of money but not much success to show. Dumping money doesn't guarantee success.
"There must be a plan – what you are doing, the kind of game you want.
"Run the team without politicking from others, have a vision and a mission which shouldn't be changed halfway through. It takes time to build a team. Put all this together.
"JDT, when they started in 2013, they weren't immediately successful but TMJ (Tengku Mahkota of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim) just kept going, changed staff but is still with his core players such as Aidil Zafuan Radzak and Hariss Harun.
"They have a style of play that they developed over the years and if you ask anybody, JDT have a style of play that the coach must adapt to, not the other way around."
Satiananthan said M-League teams have two options: patiently build a squad systematically or go for "instant success" with large cash injections.
"The systematic route would mean the management giving the coach time to work and develop. But they need to get the right person for the job, and if they (management) say they give three years, then it should be three years and build on that.
"It just needs one single person who has the desire and is the leader to show the way. Of course there will always be people managing things but the leader is always in control and has around him good advisers.
"JDT are doing it right. If you can't follow them, then have your own style.
"The important thing is to know the direction or take the shortcut, spend the money, which doesn't guarantee results."
Since their rebranding in 2013, JDT have added 16 titles to their trophy room, including the Asian-level AFC Cup in 2015.