Roberto Mario Gomez, the new coach of Malaysia Super League (MSL) champions of Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), will arrive on Friday in time for this weekend's home match against Felda United.
Gomez takes over from Bojan Hodak who has been "rested" after JDT fell to a 2-1 defeat at Perak on Apr. 24.
Johor Football Association (JFA) president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim said the former Real Mallorca boss would lift JDT to the next level.
"We need to make tactical changes to further improve our players' performances and we need someone with good experience to lead the team to greater heights," Tunku Ismail told The Star.
"We spoke over the phone and Hodak was not slighted by the decision. He understood the situation. What is important is that Johor needs a change."
58-year-old Gomez comes from South China AA in the Hong Kong League. The Argentine is a former assistant coach at La Liga side Valencia and Serie A club Inter Milan.
"Gomez is an experienced coach and he is also interested in the development of football in Johor,'' said Tunku Ismail.
Assistant coach Ismail Ibrahim will take charge for the AFC Cup match against East Bengal of India on Tuesday ahead of Gomez's arrival.
Apart from winning the 2014 MSL and the 2015 Charity Shield, Hodak took JDT to the final of the 2014 Malaysia Cup and Malaysia FA Cup.
"Hodak has contributed immensely to JDT and done a good job in helping us win the Super League title last year and the Charity Shield early this year," said Tunku Ismail.
"He is a good coach with a vast experience of Malaysian football and we are really indebted to him.''
JDT are in fourth position on the table, three points behind leaders PDRM, with four wins, three draws and two losses from their nine matches so far.