PETALING JAYA, Dec 5 — Former Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) coach Mario Gomez will be reporting for duty with one of Indonesian football’s biggest clubs next week after being appointed as the new manager of Persib Bandung.
But a saga he left behind is not over yet.
While Gomez sets his sights for a promising start to his portfolio in the Indonesia League next season, the 60-year-old revealed he was proceeding with legal action on JDT’s owner Tunku Ismail Ibrahim (TMJ), Johor Crown Prince.
“We will see each other in court soon. They do not want to pay my salaries. My lawyer and I are working on presenting my case to Fifa,” he said, when contacted in Buenos Aries. “I will give them very sensitive information.”
On August 27, Mailsport revealed that Gomez urged JDT to find a quick solution to settle his unpaid salary or he would be forced to take legal action against the parties concerned.
Gomez said since the club left him jobless since January, according to the terms, he still needs to be paid.
“Yes, TMJ sent his lawyer to discuss but I’m not agreed (agreeable) with the decisions,” added Gomez.
Gomez is best remembered in Malaysia for leading JDT to the 2015 AFC Cup, while he also won Malaysia Super League titles with the club in 2015 and 2016.
He was awarded as the best coach in Malaysia 2015 and also managed to win the Charity Shield in 2016.
In March 2017, he was initially appointed as Malaysia coach by TMJ, but as the Argentine reportedly haggled for a higher salary, he was subsequently rejected — Portugal’s Nelo Vingada took over instead.
Gomez denied he had asked for a more lucrative salary.
Last month, Persib Bandung confirmed signing Gomez on as coach, to end the search in finding a long-term replacement for Djajang Nurdjaman.
“I’m proud to coach Persib Bandung and can’t wait for next week. My mission is only one, to win. To coach an Indonesian club won’t cause me any language problems as I have my Argentine assistant who speaks Bahasa.
“So we can train hard and smart to win the Indonesian league, next season,” said Gomez.
