KUALA LUMPUR: New Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) head coach Esteban Solari wants his men to adopt a growth mindset as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Solari, who takes over the reins from compatriot Hector Bidoglio, is expected to take the treble winners to the next level.
The squad is currently in Dubai, where they are set to play a number of preseason friendlies against European sides.
They will play against Bulgarian side FC Levski Sofia, a club from the United Arab Emirates that has yet to be announced, as well as three Russian clubs — FC Rostov, FC Lokomotiv Moscow and Russian champions FC Zenit St Petersburg.
"Everyone knows that JDT is a club with high standards and we want to work on improving our performance, this is why we are here (Dubai)," said Solari, who was formerly the Argentina Under-23 coach.
"We want to play against teams with high standards and the teams we are playing (here) are doing well in the Russian League.
"It's a lesson (experience) for us and it will help us improve. I want the team to have a 'grow mentality', where the team needs to learn from every match.
"I also want them to work hard and have strong resilience because it's very important for football players."
JDT achieved the domestic treble last year by winning the Super League, FA Cup and the Malaysia Cup.
The 11-time Super League champions are looking to make a bigger impact in the AFC Champions League (ACL) this season.
Their best achievement in the continental competition was reaching the ACL last-16 for the first time last season.