Resolute: Selangor coach Katsuhito Kinoshi is confident his team will give JDT a tough challenge. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA: Selangor coach Katsuhito Kinoshi has spent the past week pushing his players to their physical and mental limits.
And it’s not just to prepare for the Charity Shield clash and Super League opener against Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) today, but to break through the discomfort that separates good teams from great ones.
Ahead of the highly anticipated season curtain-raiser at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, the Japanese coach revealed that several of his players are carrying minor strains and knocks, the kind of injuries that test a squad’s resolve early in the campaign.
“Most of the players have small injuries,” Kinoshi admitted. “It could beat us or make us strong. I believe our players can overcome their uncomfortable situation. This is part of football. If you want to grow, you need to break that barrier.
“After the 0-0 draw against Asia Warriors, I did push the players a lot during training sessions, hence the light concerns with the players’ condition but we will come out stronger out of this.”
For Kinoshi, this is not just a test of tactical discipline but of mental strength.
Since arriving, he has instilled a strong philosophy rooted in intensity and unity, something that has taken shape over a six to seven week pre-season programme that included a camp in Thailand.
The biggest test comes immediately against JDT, the juggernaut of Malaysian football and triple quadruple champions (Charity Shield, FA Cup, Super League and Malaysia Cup).
“We have great respect for JDT. They have dominated Malaysian football and brought international experience to the pitch,” said Kinoshi. “But we believe in our work. We have confidence to provide a challenge.”
Kinoshi is not ignoring the mountain his side must climb. JDT have made the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium a fortress and according to Kinoshi, the Southern Tigers will enter the match with a new identity - a 3-1-4-2 system led by new Spanish coach Xisco Munoz, a revamped midfield, a Samba-flavoured attack in the form of Jairo Da Silva and Joao Figueiredo and a reinforced backline.
Kinoshi said he is setting a system to weather the pressure and launch quick transitions.
“This isn’t just about strikers scoring goals. We need a stronger transition and a solid defensive system. That’s been our focus.”
While critics may point to a sluggish start in a pre-season friendly against Asia Warriors two weeks ago, Kinoshi brushed it off, calling it a ‘’training match’’ used to rotate the full squad and experiment with tactical combinations.
“That match wasn’t one to judge us by. After that, we beat a professional club 5-0 with high performance. I saw the response I needed. We’ve worked through the small issues.”
Today, Kinoshi wants more than a competitive performance, he wants a statement – a message to Malaysian fans and international observers that the Super League can produce thrilling, high-quality football.
