Veteran coach Mehmet Durakovic has set lofty goals for Star City, aiming to establish the newly rebranded club among the elite teams of the M-League. Naming Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), Selangor, KL City, and Kuching City as benchmarks, Durakovic believes Star City can quickly rise to join Malaysia’s football heavyweights.
“Our target is to achieve success and become one of the top teams alongside JDT, Kuching City, Selangor, and KL City because they are all outstanding clubs,” said the former Australian international, who arrived in Alor Star to begin his tenure.
Durakovic, who led Selangor to the 2015 Malaysia Cup title and Perak to Malaysia Cup glory in 2018, officially starts work this week, preparing the team for pre-season training on July 18. He described his return to Malaysian football as an honor and is excited by the challenge of transforming Star City, formerly known as Immigration FC.
“For me, this is a huge challenge because Star City is a new club. But this is exactly the kind of challenge I have been looking forward to after being away from the M-League for several years,” said Durakovic.
Acknowledging the fierce competition in the Super League, the 60-year-old emphasized the importance of teamwork and building a family atmosphere—both on and off the pitch. “If we have good players and work together like a family, I believe we can achieve the success we are aiming for,” he added.
Durakovic is focused on assembling a strong squad, urging every player to train with commitment and positivity. “I can assure everyone that every player who wears this club’s jersey will give their all. We want to build a family both on and off the pitch.”
With Durakovic at the helm, Star City are reaching for the stars—ready to challenge some of Malaysian football’s biggest names.
