PSSI fires Riedl, appoints new coach

The Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) announced on Wednesday that it fired national soccer team coach head Alfred Riedl and appointed Dutch national Wim Rijsbergen as the new head coach.

Newly-elected PSSI chairman Djohar Arifin Husin told a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday that the move was made because Riedl, who is from Austria, had signed his contract with former PSSI deputy chairman Nirwan D. Bakrie personally, not in the latter's capacity as PSSI executive.

“We've tried to find the contract [document] at the PSSI, but it isn't there. This is the reason for his replacement,” Djohar said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

He said he had ordered PSSI Executive Committee member Bob Hippy to inform Riedl of his dismissal.

Djohar reasoned that Rijsbergen was appointed because he was fit for the job, citing his experiences in coaching the Trinidad-Tobago national team during the 2006 World Cup and bringing the Dutch national team to the 1974 and 1978 World Cups, among other achievements.

Rijsbergen coached the Makassar soccer club, PSM Makassar, before the appointment.

PSM Makassar was among clubs participating in the Indonesian Premier League, which was previously disapproved by PSSI because it was considered in competition with the existing Indonesian Super League.

“Starting from tomorrow, he will coach the national team at Senayan,” Djohar said of Rijsbergen.