JDT documentary traces club’s rise from survival fight
JDT’s 76-minute documentary Untamed traces the club’s rise through voices from management and the pitch. It was screened at TGV Suria KLCC on October 28 and is streaming on JDT+.
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Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) is the subject of a 76-minute documentary charting its rise from a club fighting to stay in Malaysia’s top flight to one of the country’s dominant teams. Untamed was screened at TGV Suria KLCC in Kuala Lumpur on October 28 and is now streaming on JDT+, the club’s own platform.
The club-produced film revisits JDT’s milestones, achievements and controversies, drawing on voices from management and the pitch. It sets the club’s present position against its struggles a little over a decade ago, when it was known as Johor FC.
From Johor FC to JDT
The club was founded in 1972 as Perbadanan Kemajuan Ekonomi Negeri Johor (Johor State Economic Development Corporation) Football Club. It became Johor FC in 1996 before being rebranded as Johor Darul Ta’zim in 2013 under owner Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the Regent of Johor.
League titles followed from 2014, and JDT, nicknamed the Southern Tigers, have since become regulars in Asian competition.
At the screening, chief operating officer Alistair Edwards said people often ask him how JDT achieved so much so quickly. “The whole idea behind producing these documentaries is to help everyone learn more about JDT than they previously knew, particularly what happens behind the scenes and how things operate,” he told reporters.
Players and officials tell the story
Edwards appears in the film alongside finance director Datuk Seri Jaifuddin, special projects manager Kevin Ramalingam and former sporting director Martin Prest. Current players Arif Aiman, Bergson da Silva, Matt Davies and Corbin Ong also contribute.
The film also features former players Safiq Rahim and Safee Sali, as well as former head coach Bojan Hodak. Former youth and sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin and rapper Joe Flizzow appear too.
For Edwards, the explanation offered by the film rests on the people behind the club’s direction. “As you can see, it comes down to having a good team, led by one person who is behind the vision,” he said.
More JDT stories to come
Untamed is available on JDT+, which launched on October 22. The club’s Unbound, a series about its AFC Champions League Elite campaigns, is due in November.
Edwards said he hopes younger players will draw motivation from the documentary as they prepare for their careers. “This platform allows us to share those experiences and create something positive for the next generation, both in their careers as footballers and in their lives beyond professional football,” he said.
Source: Malay Mail. This article was compiled by the iBET.news newsroom from the source report and other public information.
