RI's soccer team 'should be in Asiad'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Acting All Indonesian Soccer Federation chairman
\nLt. Gen. Agum Gumelar said on Wednesday that the disgraced
\nnational team still deserved a shot at competing in December's
\nAsian Games in Bangkok.<\/p>\n
Speaking after an executive meeting he presided over after
\ntaking over from Azwar Anas on Tuesday, Agum said he would ask
\napproval from National Sports Council chairman, Wismoyo
\nArismunandar and State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung
\nLaksono.<\/p>\n
Agum, who is also governor of the National Resilience
\nInstitute, is to meet Wismoyo on Friday.<\/p>\n
"Frankly speaking we will not set a certain target for the
\nAsiad. We just want to know our place on the continent's soccer
\nmap. Whatever the outcome, it will be a valuable input to our
\nsoccer development," Agum said.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday the sports council's deputy chairman, Arie Sudewo,
\nreiterated that there would be no place reserved for the soccer
\nteam in the national squad for the Asiad following its shameful
\ndisplay in the Tiger Cup in Vietnam last week.<\/p>\n
Not only did Indonesia fail to win the trophy, it was fined
\nUS$40,000 by the ASEAN Football Federation for its role in a
\nbizarre match against Thailand. A deliberate own goal by Mursyid
\nEffendy handed Indonesia a desired defeat that avoided a
\nsemifinal clash with the host Vietnam.<\/p>\n
But both Indonesia and Thailand lost in the semifinals.<\/p>\n
The fiasco forced Azwar to resign, 15 months before his term
\nwas due to end. Team manager Andrie Amien and coach Rusdy
\nBahalwan have both tendered their resignations, but the
\nfederation has yet to decide their fates.<\/p>\n
Except for the humiliating display, Agum gave credit on
\nWednesday to the way Rusdy's side performed during the
\ntournament. It finished beat Thailand in the third-place playoff.<\/p>\n
"We just applied the wrong strategy and it turned out to put
\ntoo great a pressure on the players in the semifinal. But I have
\nto admit that the team was embarrassing," he said.<\/p>\n
Agum said he was considering a team reshuffle for the Asiad,
\nincluding appointing a new coach.<\/p>\n
He also plans major changes in the federation's board of
\nexecutives when he is formally inducted as chairman in November.<\/p>\n
"I want to appoint staff who dedicate their lives to soccer,
\nregardless of their social status and welfare," he said.<\/p>\n
When asked about the league's new season, Agum said he still
\nhad no idea if it would take place as planned next month.<\/p>\n
"I don't know how the preparations for the league have
\nprogressed, but I think the new season is unlikely to kick off in
\nOctober due to security reasons," he said.<\/p>\n
He was referring to the planned extraordinary convention of
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly in November. (yan)<\/p>",
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