ISKANDAR PUTRI: Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) have etched their name in domestic football history, achieving a "double quadruple" for the second consecutive season and reaching a milestone of 100 goals in the Super League competition.
At the helm of this success is the influential club owner, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, often hailed as the "maestro" of Malaysian football, whose hands-on approach and meticulous planning have been instrumental in shaping the Southern Tigers squad.
"It's a pleasure to work under the 'Boss' (Tunku Ismail), who is so passionate about building a solid team," said Solari following JDT's 8-0 win over Penang in Saturday's Super League match at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri.
"As a coach, I am happy that I managed to elevate their quality even higher, and with hard work, we have won four trophies this season.
"I must thank the fans for their support who gave the players the motivation from the stands during matches.
Solari also commended his players for consistently displaying their best performance throughout the season.
"They always gave their 100 per cent, and never underestimated their opponents throughout the 26 matches," said Solari.
On JDT's ability to score 100 goals, a new record in the Super League, achieved through a late-minute penalty by Arif Aiman Hanapi, the coach admitted he had never experienced such a feat in the Argentine, European, or Chinese leagues.
He hailed the feat as an out-of-this-world conclusion to JDT's eventful season.
In total, JDT scored 162 goals across all competitions — Super League (100 goals), Malaysia Cup (37 goals), FA Cup (14 goals) and Asian Champions League (11 goals).
"That goal tally is just from the league. We scored more goals en route to retaining the FA Cup and Malaysia Cup.
"It's a remarkable achievement, and no club during my playing career has ever scored more than 100 goals in one season.
"I never expected this success in my first year with JDT. I came here with the intention of helping the club improve and be more competitive. We scored 100 goals and conceded only seven, which is a great achievement," Solari added.