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QUALITY preparation is what the Malaysia National Team needs now, especially having not had a training camp in over a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and that the clock is ticking closer to the crucial World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers.
News of Johor Darul Ta'zim FC (JDT) agreeing to share its state-of-the-art facilities with Harimau Malaya for the greater good of Malaysian football could not have come at a better time considering the constraints of international football due to the pandemic.
The JDT Training Centre is nothing short of World Class. It is the only facility in Malaysia or arguably Southeast Asia that meets the highest demands of modern football. Even the junior training centre at Padang Mawar is top notch and easily the second-best centre in the country.
"The Harimau Malaya squad certainly need every advantage possible during this relatively short preparation period and we can do all that at the well-equipped JDT Training Centre," said Malaysia coach Tan Cheng Hoe on Monday.
"Their training centre is a high-performance training centre and of course I hoping to make the most of the national squad through this central training camp because the preparations for the final three matches is very important. The JDT Training Centre is also having its own fitness and medical centre, in addition to enabling training on various types of field surfaces and it is located near the team's hotel."
While Harimau Malaya will not get the full JDT experience, solely because they do not have an HRH Crown Prince of Johor like figure with the human touch and hands-on approach, the national team will enjoy the use of just about everything else.
What Malaysia will benefit the most are quality pitches and sports science — both of which are simply unavailable anywhere in Malaysia.
The two types of grass available are the zeon zoysia and cow grass types in the various stadiums and training grounds the club has.
Having good training fields will not only ensure quality on-field training, but also minimise the risk of injuries due to uneven ground or poor drainage systems. JDT also have an indoor artificial pitch should the weather not permit outdoor training.
As for sports science, perhaps those with experience of utilising the National Sports Institute in Bukit Jalil can attest that the JDT training centre is better equipped.
Among the equipment JDT have are an assortment of treadmills – including an anti-gravity machine for injured players – Vertimax machines, oxygen & hydrogen therapy AirPods, infra-red saunas, massage guns, an ultrasound machine and more.
JDT added an echocardiogram machine, hyaluronic acid & platelet-rich plasma therapy and more workout machines following the opening of Southeast Asia's first football club owned Medical & Fitness Centre in January.
The equipment available enables Harimau Malaya to recover quicker from tough training session, thus allowing the team to get back to full throttle quicker, just like how it gives JDT the edge.
Former journalist Vijhay is Head of Content at Johor Darul Ta'zim FC following stints with Malay Mail, Sports247.my, FourFourTwo Malaysia and FOX Malaysia. You may have also heard him on BFM Football or watched him on Media Prima's football programmes. Vijhay can be reached at @vijhayvick on Twitter. – The Vibes, March 18, 2021.
