Persija embarks on 'mission impossible'<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesian champion Persija will embark on its Asian Champions
\nLeague tour of Japan with players and managers alike viewing the
\ntrip as more of an end of season holiday than a serious attempt
\nto overcome their formidable Japanese opponents.<\/p>\n
\"We may consider this trip as a year-end gift for the players
\nafter winning the league,\" Ahmaddin Ahmad, the team manager, told
\nThe Jakarta Post here before watching the team's last warmup
\nmatch on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Persija, which won the domestic league this year, will meet
\nKashima Antlers, the 2000 J-League champion, in a one-off match
\non Oct. 24 instead of the regular home and away encounters.<\/p>\n
The Japanese refused to travel to Indonesia, citing security
\nconcerns.<\/p>\n
To compensate, Kashima will cover the travel fares, as well as
\nboard and lodging, for the 40-strong Jakarta-based team.<\/p>\n
The unusually large number of team members might arouse
\nsuspicions that third parties were using the occasion to pick up
\nsome free travel.<\/p>\n
Ahmaddin disclosed that the team comprised 23 players, three
\ncoaches, and 14 officials, three of whom were representatives of
\nPSSI, the country's governing soccer body.<\/p>\n
The team was scheduled to depart on Sunday. It has since been
\nlearned that two players, Khair Rifo and Hendra Nisar, will not
\nbe travelling with the team because of illness.<\/p>\n
Ahmaddin apparently did not expect too much from the team's
\ntrip to Japan, though he said he hoped the team would put up a
\nstrong fight regardless of the result.<\/p>\n
\"Everyone says we hardly have a chance, but we will be looking
\nto make the most of our opportunities. A draw would be incredible
\nfor us. A win would be a godsend,\" Ahmaddin said.<\/p>\n
\"If we were sure about winning, it (the change in venue) would
\nbe a negative for us. But given the opponent we're facing, we
\nmust now consider it an advantage that we will be playing away
\nfrom home,\" he said, adding that Kashima was playing two levels
\nabove Persija.<\/p>\n
Ahmaddin did not seem disappointed with the decision that had
\nrobbed Persija of home ground advantage, being well aware that
\nplaying before its own supporters on home turf would not make any
\ndifference.<\/p>\n
\"PSM lost 7-0 at its own stadium,\" Ahmaddin said, recalling
\nthe 2000 champion's match against South Korea's Samsung Suwon
\nBlue Wings in the same competition early this year.<\/p>\n
\"Being realistic, just scoring would be quite an achievement
\nfor us,\" he said, while implying that the freezing weather would
\nmake matters even more difficult.<\/p>\n
Sofyan Hadi, the team's coach, didn't protest against the
\nvenue change either. \"It does not matter,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But unlike Ahmaddin, Sofyan tried to be more hopeful about the
\ncompetition, which seems to be a mere formality of the AFC (Asian
\nFootball Confederation) calendar.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not too bothered by the assumption that we are already in
\nfor a loss. I don't give it a thought,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Speaking about chances, we do have a chance. How realistic?
\nWhat's the percentage? That I can't say as yet,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Speaking further about tactical play, he said he would
\ninstruct his players to maintain their pace and hold their
\ndiscipline, both in covering territory and their opponents.<\/p>",
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