KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — The national squad’s improved performance which saw them rising seven spots in the latest Fifa rankings is partly due to an important role played by leading local club Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), according to a team official.

National team assistant manager Datuk Kamarul Ariffin Mohd Shahar said while it could not be denied that the appointment of Kim Pan Gon as head coach was instrumental for the team’s resurgence, the inconspicuous contributions of JDT were also a factor.

Apart from the positive changes brought by Pan Gon, the quality exhibited by the current Harimau Malaya squad was also due to the fact that more than 50 per cent of the first 11 were JDT players, said Kamarul Ariffin.

"JDT have produced good players because of their facilities, (and) the emphasis given by TMJ (Tunku Mahkota of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim) at the club — aspects of professionalism, training field, training centre, and a world-class coaching line-up.

"Even the smallest details like nutrients are decided by TMJ. So, it is undeniable that this is due to the hard work and diligence of TMJ,” the former national Under-19 squad manager told Bernama here.

Malaysia jumped seven rungs from 145th to 138th in the Fifa rankings issued this month following their two victories over Turkmenistan and Hong Kong in Tier 1 international friendly matches in Johor last month.

Commenting on the national squad’s 12-day centralised training camp in Johor, Kamarul Ariffin said the experience of training at the Padang Seri Gelam JDT Training Centre in Johor Bahru and playing two matches at Stadium Sultan Ibrahim in Iskandar Puteri had set a high standard for the national team.

"Never before in my career as national team manager and assistant manager have I experienced such world-class facilities (as in Johor),” he said.

Kamarul Ariffin hoped that JDT’s role of supplying high-quality players and TMJ’s willingness to allow the national team to train and play in Johor would be continued for the benefit of the national team.

"Without TMJ the national squad would not have risen to 138th in rankings, as TMJ’s generosity in allowing them to train for 12 days in Johor has enabled the team to gain rankings point; TMJ has a ‘grand design’ for the national squad in the future,” he said. — Bernama