JDT TIRED OF BEING LINKED TO CONTROVERSIES
Club’s technical director Edwards takes a swipe at rival fans
PETALING JAYA: Enough is enough.
Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) have had enough of being linked to several controversies surrounding Malaysian football of late.
First, JDT’s owner Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim was blamed for the national team’s drop in the FIFA world rankings.
Then, there is the issue regarding the rescheduling of next month’s Super League dates.
Fans from rival teams were unhappy that Super League matches were postponed to accommodate an international A friendly against Nepal on April 1 – they felt that the move favoured JDT.
As if these two issues weren’t bad enough, JDT were brought into the limelight again when 14 of their players, including nine that started in the 2- 2 draw against Mongolia, were shockingly released from their duties by national head coach Tan Cheng Hoe.
Cheng Hoe said he wanted to give opportunities to other players because “that’s what the fans wanted” – after being accused of favouritism for fielding too many JDT players.
JDT technical director Alistair Edwards took a swipe at the rival fans.
He believes that some of them have lost their ability to judge what is true and what is not as they are blinded by their hatred for JDT.
“In these past few days, there has been some fuss linking JDT to match rescheduling and even the national squad’s performance,” said Edwards in a statement posted on the club’s official Facebook page.
“As an outsider, I sometimes wonder why a rising club like JDT that have the best facilities, players and countless achievements – on and off the pitch – are hated by many in this country.
“The latest issue concerning several JDT players being called back are false. To our knowledge, no letters instructing them back have been issued.
“None of our players have been dropped by head coach Tan Cheng Hoe. As far as we know, there will be a rotation squad,” he added.
Edwards said JDT would take legal action against the culprits for making false statements.
“We’ve identified those individuals who made the false statements,” said Edwards.
“We’ve referred the matter to our club’s lawyer who will take action against these false accusers.”
As an outsider, I sometimes wonder why a rising club like JDT that have the best facilities, players and countless achievements – on and off the pitch – are hated by many in this country.
Alistair Edwards