Kota Kinabalu: Sabah FC head coach Jean-Paul de Marigny says his squad will give Sabah ‘everything they’ve got’ as the Rhinos prepare to take on Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) in the historic FA Cup final, marking the team’s first appearance on the grand stage in nearly three decades.
Jean-Paul said confidence remains high in the camp despite the formidable challenge posed by JDT, noting that the final will be a true test of Sabah’s progress under his leadership.
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“Yeah, I mean, we’re always confident to win a football match, it’s going to be a big occasion, a good challenge for us, and we’ll embrace the atmosphere and the occasion,” he said after a training session at the Likas Stadium recently.
He said the team is eager to measure themselves against the Super League giants, adding that the opportunity itself reflects how far Sabah FC has progressed.
“We’re looking forward, matching ourselves against the best. That will show us the level of where we are. We’re all very excited - excited for everyone in Sabah. They’ve waited a long time for this, 30 years. So, we have created this piece of history for them,” he said.
Asked whether guiding Sabah to the final felt like a personal milestone, the Australian-born coach said he was immensely proud of the players and staff.
“Yeah, for sure. I’m so proud of the players and the staff. We’ve been able to achieve this in less than eight weeks, and the players have really bought into it and are working extremely hard,” he said.
Jean-Paul acknowledged the strength of their opponents but stressed that his side would arrive with a clear tactical plan.
He added that team morale is at its peak following their semi-final triumph, particularly after scoring what he described as a world-class goal.
“We’ve got a game plan that we’ll look at, and we’ll work on that over the next two days. Every team has strengths and weaknesses.
“It’s a proud moment, and it’s a great occasion to be part of. It doesn’t come too often, so you have to maximise your opportunity to be part of history. We’ll make you proud, and mark my words, we’ll be doing everything we can,” he said.
In Sunday’s final, Sabah FC will face reigning champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), who advanced with a 4-1 aggregate victory after defeating Kuching City FC 2-0 at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri, in the other second-leg semi-final.
