Corbin-Ong savouring one opportunity, seizing the next
not a league Malaysia’s newest naturalised player La’Vere Corbin-Ong is used to having spent five years in Europe before joining Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) this season.
But after four games with JDT including his first AFC Cup appearance, London-born Corbin-Ong has quickly gotten to grips with Malaysian football.
The left-back’s long throws and quick bursts of runs down the flank have caught the imagination of not just JDT fans, but Malaysians in general.
It has led to calls for CorbinOng, raised in Canada by a Barbadian father and a Malaysian mother, to be included in national coach Tan Cheng Hoe’s squad for two international matches next month.
Corbin-Ong, however, wants to remain focused on his club form while letting this fall in place as they happen.
“Right now my main focus is on JDT and trying to get a foothold in the team. What comes next I’ll take it step by step,” said Corbin-Ong, 26, who joined JDT from Dutch second division side Go Ahead Eagles.
“This league is a different standard than what I am used to, it’s just a different sort of game.
“It’s tough to compare to other leagues because I’m new here and I’ve only played three (league) matches. I’m still getting used to the style of the game, my teammates and the opposition players.”
Should Corbin-Ong make his national team debut, he would be the sixth naturalised player to represent Malaysia after Matthew Davies, Darren Lok, Brendan Gan, Kiko Insa and Khair Jones.
For now, Corbin-Ong is enjoying football at JDT under the tutelage of coach Ulisses Morais after playing mostly in the second-tier in Germany and the Netherlands.
“JDT are an unbelievable club, I’ve never been at a club with just great facilities and a clear view of what they want to accomplish,” said Corbin-Ong.
“So far everything has absolutely been amazing in Johor, from the players to the coaching staff, the facilities and all the way to the boss (owner Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim).”
Right now my main focus is on JDT and trying to get a foothold in the team. What comes next I’ll take it step by step