KUALA LUMPUR: As the new season kicks off tomorrow, we can stop asking the no-brainer question of who can stop Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) from winning the Super League title.
For the script is still very much a one-horse race, with JDT set to power ahead, which they did last year, the year before and previous years.
Football Coaches Association of Malaysia president B. Satiananthan doesn't want to see this happening again.
"Please put up a fight" — that was his message today to the other Super League teams.
Maybe, JDT, winners of the Super League title in the last nine years, won't have it so easy this season.
Maybe, teams like Selangor can give the Johor juggernaut a run for their money.
"Let this be an entertaining league for the fans and not a one-horse race. We want this season to be an enjoyable one," said Satiananthan,
Last season, the "other teams" — who can hardly be termed as rivals — were left with nothing when JDT swept all titles at stake: Super League, Malaysia Cup, FA Cup and Charity Cup.
Tomorrow, at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, JDT are expected to outplay Terengganu, considered the second best team in last season's M-League as the league and FA Cup runners-up.
Though the Super League has been expanded from 12 to 16 teams this season, nothing has really changed. The title has that all too familiar name written over it. But the others want to put up a good fight and some teams have prepared well.
"JDT, Selangor, Kedah, Terengganu and KL City are well prepared with their preseason activities which include training in Dubai, Thailand and Turkey," said Satiananthan.
"I hope this will be an exciting season. Please put up a fight (the other teams. Let this be an entertaining league for the fans.
"We know the gap with JDT is big, but I'll be happy if there are teams who can debunk my predictions."
However, Satiananthan said he foresees a problematic season for those who signed "questionable" foreign players in a "quantity over quality" approach. He had done some checking on those foreigners, and the truth is they had played in leagues of lower quality than the M-League.
"Look at JDT and Selangor. They only signed players who will add strength to their teams, not underperformers.
"JDT can loan out players like Safawi Rasid... it means they really have squad depth.
"However, the depth in most of the teams is better this year. Last year if we look at the difference between Selangor and JDT, it was big and the latter was dominant.
"Signing players is one thing but another is to succeed. A club will need more than quality foreigners and locals... they need good reserves, recovery, medical facilities, all of which JDT have."
Satiananthan said it will be a tight race for the consolation prizes: second to fourth place.
As the local football industry depends mainly on gate collection, Satiananthan urged fans to continue supporting their teams and not turn away when things don't go well.
M-LEAGUE TEAMS
JDT
2022: Won Super League, Malaysia Cup, FA Cup and Charity Shield
NICKNAME: The Southern Tigers
COACH: Esteban Solari
STAR PLAYERS: Arif Aiman Hanafi, Bergson da Silva, Diogo, Fernando Forestieri
PREDICTION: To win Super League, FA Cup and Malaysia Cup
TERENGGANU
2022: FA Cup runners-up, Super League runners-up
NICKNAME: The Turtles
COACH: Tomislac Steinbruckner
STAR PLAYERS: Syafik Ismail, Adisak Kraisorn, Sony Norde, Liridon Krasniqi
PREDICTION: Top 3 in Super League and one trophy
SELANGOR
2022: Malaysia Cup runners-up, 5th in Super League
NICKNAME: The Red Giants
COACH: Tan Cheng Hoe
STAR PLAYERS: Brendan Gan, Faisal Halim, Ayron del Valle, Yohandry Orozco
PREDICTION: Top 3 in Super League and one trophy
KEDAH
2022: 8TH in Super League
NICKNAME: The Red Eagles
COACH: Nafuzi Zain
STAR PLAYERS: Willian Lira, Manuel Ott, Bojan Ciger, Manuel Hidalgo
PREDICTION: Top 4 in Super League
NEGRI SEMBILAN
2022: 4th in Super League, Malaysia Cup quarter-finals.
NICKNAME: The Deer
COACH: K. Devan
STAR PLAYERS: Herold Goulon, Shahrel Fikri Fauzi, Levy Madinda, Casagrande
PREDICTION: Bottom half of the Super League
SRI PAHANG
2022: 7th in Super League
NICKNAME: The Elephants
COACH: Fandi Ahmad
STAR PLAYERS: Kpah Sherman, Nor Azam Azih, Sergio Aguero, Izham Tarmizi
PREDICTION: Bottom half of the Super League
PERAK
2022: 9th in Premier League
NICKNAME: The Bos Gaurus
COACH: Lim Teong Kim
STAR PLAYERS: Wan Zack Haikal, Sunday Afolabi, Luciano Guaycochea
PREDICTION: Bottom half of the Super League
SABAH
2022: 3rd in Super League, FA Cup and Malaysia Cup quarter-finals
NICKNAME: The Rhinos
COACH: Datuk Ong Kim Swee
STAR PLAYERS: Saddil Ramdani, Ko Kwang Min, Darren Lok, Stuart Wilkin
PREDICTION: Top 6 in Super League
KL CITY
2022: AFC Cup runners-up, 6th in Super League
NICKNAME: The City Boys
COACH: Bojan Hodak
STAR PLAYERS: Paulo Josue, Romel Morales, Herlison Caion, Akram Mahinan, Kevin Mendoza
2023 TARGETS: Top 5 in Super League and 1 trophy
PENANG
2022: Last in Super League
NICKNAME: The Panthers
COACH: Manzoor Azwira
STAR PLAYERS: Adriano, Giovane Gomes, Soony Saad, An Sae Hee
2023 TARGETS: Bottom half of the Super League
KELANTAN
2022 ACHIEVEMENTS: Premier League runners-up
NICKNAME: The Red Warriors
COACH: Choi Moon Sik
STAR PLAYERS: Mario Arques, Nurshamil Abd Ghani, Carli De Murga
PREDICTION: Bottom half of the Super league
KUCHING CITY
2022 ACHIEVEMENTS: 3rd in Premier League
NICKNAME: The Cats
COACH: Irfan Bakti Abu Salim
STAR PLAYERS: Joseph Kalang Tie, Abu Kamara, Sorijiddin Kuziev
PREDICTION: Bottom half of the Super League
KELANTAN UNITED
2022 ACHIEVEMTNS: 5th in Premier League
NICKNAME: The Green Deer
COACH: Tomas Trucha
STAR PLAYERS: Latiff Suhaimi, Ernist Batyrkanov, Indra Putra Mahayuddin, Syazwan Zainon
PREDICTION: Bottom half of the Super League
POLICE
2022 ACHIEVEMENTS: 6th in Premier League
NICKNAME: The Cops
COACH: Azzmi Aziz
STAR PLAYERS: Azmi Muslim, Uche Agba, Bruno Suzuki
PREDICTION: Bottom half of the league