Abdulmanan Ready to Compete for Starting Spot at Persija Without U23 Regulation

Jakarta - Young Persija Jakarta player, Arlyansyah Abdulmanan, has stated he is ready to compete for a place in the starting XI even though the Super League competition next season will no longer apply the U23 player regulation. “I still believe I can compete with the other Persija players,” Arlyansyah told journalists in Jakarta on Monday. He was responding to the new policy from league operator I.League, which has removed the U23 regulation for the upcoming season. Previously, the regulation required each club to register a minimum of five U23 players. In every match, clubs were also obliged to field at least one U23 player as a starter, who had to play a minimum of 45 minutes. Despite the rule being abolished, Abdulmanan is not deterred by the competition and does not want to rely on regulations to get playing time. The 20-year-old midfielder is enthusiastic about the upcoming season under new coach Shin Tae-yong. The South Korean coach, who previously managed the Indonesian national team, is known for frequently giving young players opportunities to develop. Abdulmanan sees this as a positive factor for himself. “So I will be more motivated in training to get into the starting line-up of the team coached by him (Shin Tae-yong),” he said.