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Under fire, PSSI set to convene; Experts doubt outcomes
The Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) is set to convene in Bandung on Friday, but many doubt whether the two-day congress will yield lasting changes for the national soccer teams
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he Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) is set to convene in Bandung on Friday, but many doubt whether the two-day congress will yield lasting changes for the national soccer teams.
The forum is being held with a backdrop of a string of dismal performances in which the Indonesia’s soccer team failed to advance into the Asian Cup finals and its under-23s suffered a humiliating defeat at the recent Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Laos.
The country’s U-19 team under the coaching of Cesar Payovich of Uruguay fared no better, finishing third in the Group F qualifier of the Asian Cup, behind Japan and Australia.
With evaluations of these matches is on the agenda, PSSI has also tabled its expectations for three events the national team is set to take part in — the qualifying rounds for the 2012 Olympics and the 2014 World Cup as well as the 2010 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Championship.
“I don’t think there will be any substantial changes made during the congress,” soccer observer Tondo Widodo, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
Tondo, who was a PSSI official between 1995 and 2003, attributed the current slump to the well-
known shortcuts taken by his predecessors.
Tondo referred to the sending of the U-19 team to Uruguay for a two-year training camp.
“Progress can only be made when the PSSI provides sustainable early-age soccer competitions, just like the Super League.”
The Indonesian Super League is the country’s elite league, whose 2008/2009 season was won by Persipura Jayapura.
At the lower level is the Premier League, followed by First Division, Second Division, and Third Division leagues.
Tondo also said the weak talent-scouting in local soccer had caused problems.
He said PSSI could use the fast-growing futsal or indoor soccer as a way to find new soccer talents.
Former 1970s soccer player Sutan Harhara hoped for a breakthrough in policies governing the competition, coaching and recruitment system.
“Qualified coaches produce qualified players. That’s why there should be one command line of a coaching and recruitment system, which is responsible for the development of all national teams, including the U-16, U-19, U-23, and senior team,” Sutan said.
PSSI chairman Nurdin Halid seemed to view the issue differently. He recently said the organization was mulling over the option of naturalizing foreign players, which he said would help improve the national team’s performance toward the 2011 SEA Games.
“There are five players [targeted] from Australia and dozens from the Netherlands,” Nurdin said as quoted by Antara on Wednesday, adding that the plan would be realized if the government supported it.
Both Sutan and Tondo rejected the idea.
“We don’t need that. We can find our own talents among our population of 200 million,” Sutan said.
Tondo said the idea was a form of “desperation” and “probably a trick by Nurdin to prolong his term — which is supposed to expire in April 2011 — to the end of the year, when the 26th SEA Games will be held.
