KUALA LUMPUR: Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the owner of Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), has compared managing a football team to taking care of 32 "rich babies" or "spoiled brats."
He shared these sentiments during an episode of the "Keluar Sekejap" podcast, hosted by former Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and politician Shahril Hamdan.
Tunku Ismail, popularly known as TMJ, responded to a question from Khairy about whether he would ever grow tired of football.
"Maybe the time will come, there's always an ending to a story or a destination to the journey. I can't be in football forever.
"I have the passion, drive, and interest in the sport, but there will be a day when I say it's enough."
He acknowledged the pressure associated with owning a football club due to the financial commitments it entails.
"Kedah, Sabah, Kelantan, and Sarawak are behind on salaries, so it's not easy to care for a football club.
"While there's plenty of money from merchandising and ticket sales, sometimes we have to dip into our own pockets," said Tunku Ismail.
"Sometimes it's frustrating because I like the idea that JDT unite the nation, showcase our origins and identity on an international level, but the responsibilities of looking after a football club can be stressful.
"It's almost like dealing with 32 rich, spoiled babies. I don't mind if my players are taken aback by this, it's the truth.
"They always want more, and at times, they are not satisfied with something. On the surface, everything may look good, but behind closed doors, not everything is as smooth as it seems."
JDT, often referred to as the Southern Tigers, are on the verge of winning a second consecutive treble this season, having retained their Super League and FA Cup titles.
When asked how he keeps his drive alive, Tunku Ismail emphasised the importance of maintaining that hunger, even for players like Safiq Rahim, Fernando Forestieri or Farizal Marlias, who have achieved significant success.
Tunku Ismail also touched on JDT's 3-1 defeat to South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai in their third Asian Champions League (ACL) group match on Oct 24.
He noted that their project only began in 2015, whereas some clubs, like Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds, started their journey in the 1990s.
Despite the loss, Tunku Ismail viewed it as a hiccup rather than a failure and expressed confidence in their readiness to compete against the best in the ACL.
Last season, JDT emerged as Group I winners in the ACL, finishing ahead of Japan's Kawasaki Frontale, Ulsan and China's Guangzhou.
However, they lost 5-0 to eventual champions Ulsan in the round of 16.
Tunku Ismail aspires to see JDT reach the ACL quarter-finals one day.