Aji trying off-field business for better life<\/p>\n
By Ivy Susanti<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): After 13 years of playing on the soccer field,
\nnational team captain Aji Santoso is trying a new pitch:
\nbusiness.<\/p>\n
Aji, who on April 6 reached the psychological benchmark age of
\n30, has learnt well that for many Indonesian athletes a sporting
\ncareer does not always promise a good -- not to mention glamorous
\n-- life after retirement.<\/p>\n
\"I want to spend the rest of my life as part of a prosperous
\nfamily. I also want to take up a coaching job. My strong
\nbackground in soccer and success in business will support my
\ncareer as a coach,\" the father of three said.<\/p>\n
To initiate the attainment of his dreams, Aji built CV Cipta
\nPratama Santosa soccer apparel company last year. The factory
\nlaunched its first product, soccer boots branded with \"Super Copa
\nby Aji Santoso\", last Friday.<\/p>\n
\"I hope that Indonesian players will use and be proud of a
\nnational sports apparel. I hope one day our players will no
\nlonger wear imported soccer boots,\" Aji said.<\/p>\n
He invested Rp 600 million in an initial investment which was
\nraised during his successful career, which began with the amateur
\nside Persema in his hometown of Malang, East Java, dubbed the
\ntown of apples.<\/p>\n
\"I took out the bank savings I had collected since I began my
\nfootballing career 13 years ago,\" the industrious player
\nrecalled.<\/p>\n
Raised in a humble family, Aji worked as an employee for a
\ncracker packaging manufacturer and a coolie in the Kepanjen
\nmarket in his hometown.<\/p>\n
During his hard life, the young Aji frequently took a train
\nwithout paying the fare so he could practice with his club in
\ndowntown Malang. One day the train engineer caught him, and he
\ngave over his sneakers. Following the incident, the coach of the
\nPersema junior club Rohanda later provided him with a Rp 500
\ndaily transportation allowance.<\/p>\n
Aji's hard work paid off in 1988, when he was promoted to the
\nPersema senior side. Eleven months later, Malang's semi-
\nprofessional club Arema hired him with a transfer deal of 50
\nsoccer balls.<\/p>\n
During his stay with Arema, Aji gradually gained his fame. His
\nnational and international outings included the National Games
\n(PON), Merdeka Games in Malaysia, four appearances at the
\nSoutheast Asian (SEA) Games, as well as the Asian Cup pre-
\nqualifying round and the Olympics pre-qualifying stage.<\/p>\n
Aji wears jersey number 3 and plays either as defender or
\nlibero.<\/p>\n
He set a new transfer deal record of Rp 50 million in 1996
\nwhen he moved from Arema to the East Java elite club Persebaya
\nahead of the third Indonesian soccer league. Aji helped his new
\nclub win the league.<\/p>\n
After an uneasy spell with Persebaya, which included a defeat
\nagainst PSIS Semarang in the championship final in 1999, Aji
\njoined PSM for last season's competition in a one-year contract
\nworth Rp 200 million. With his presence, the Makassar team took
\nthe championship trophy with a win over Pupuk Kaltim of Bontang,
\nEast Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
Aji is among the 18-strong team formed by coach Nandar
\nIskandar for the Asian Cup finals in Lebanon, which kicks off in
\nthree weeks. The national squad is now undergoing an overseas
\nstint in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
Business<\/p>\n
To strengthen his business, Aji has formed a marketing team
\nwhich will start promotions soon. Aji, however, failed to set a
\ndate for the nation-wide advertisement.<\/p>\n
\"For the first year, I'll only produce soccer boots, but other
\napparel like sneakers and T-shirts are in the pipeline,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The company set its sales target at 6,000 pairs of shoes for
\nthe first year. The soccer boots are available in sports outlets
\nin big stores in Jakarta, East Java, West Java, East Kalimantan
\nand Bali, starting on Oct. 1.<\/p>\n
Aji cooperates with a shoe manufacturer near Bangil district
\nin the Pasuruan regency, East Java.<\/p>\n
He claims that his shoes are made from genuine leather
\nimported from Chinese Taipei, with only 30 percent of local
\ncontent. A pair of the boots cost Rp 234,500 (US$26).<\/p>\n
\"I will consider exporting these boots. But it is a long-term
\ntarget. Some foreign footballers playing here have tried my boots
\nand have ordered several pairs and said they would wear them back
\nhome,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When it comes to local players, Aji mentioned his teammates in
\nMakassar-based PSM like Yosef Lewono, Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto and
\nBima Sakti as the first consumers of his products.<\/p>\n
\"I also wore the boots when playing in the Independence Cup in
\nAugust. For the last few months, I have been wearing no other
\nbrand but mine.\"<\/p>\n
\"I know I'm starting this business when national soccer is at
\nits lowest ebb, but I have developed an optimistic attitude. I'm
\nsure my boots will sell well.\"<\/p>\n
The Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) has given credit to
\nAji's efforts to improve his welfare.<\/p>\n
\"PSSI is proud that one of its players has a long-term vision
\nabout his future,\" the soccer body's spokesman Eddi Elison said
\nduring the launching of Aji's soccer boots.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aji-trying-off-field-business-for-better-life-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}