Aji trying off-field business for better life
By Ivy Susanti
JAKARTA (JP): After 13 years of playing on the soccer field, national team captain Aji Santoso is trying a new pitch: business.
Aji, who on April 6 reached the psychological benchmark age of 30, has learnt well that for many Indonesian athletes a sporting career does not always promise a good -- not to mention glamorous -- life after retirement.
"I want to spend the rest of my life as part of a prosperous family. I also want to take up a coaching job. My strong background in soccer and success in business will support my career as a coach," the father of three said.
To initiate the attainment of his dreams, Aji built CV Cipta Pratama Santosa soccer apparel company last year. The factory launched its first product, soccer boots branded with "Super Copa by Aji Santoso", last Friday.
"I hope that Indonesian players will use and be proud of a national sports apparel. I hope one day our players will no longer wear imported soccer boots," Aji said.
He invested Rp 600 million in an initial investment which was raised during his successful career, which began with the amateur side Persema in his hometown of Malang, East Java, dubbed the town of apples.
"I took out the bank savings I had collected since I began my footballing career 13 years ago," the industrious player recalled.
Raised in a humble family, Aji worked as an employee for a cracker packaging manufacturer and a coolie in the Kepanjen market in his hometown.
During his hard life, the young Aji frequently took a train without paying the fare so he could practice with his club in downtown Malang. One day the train engineer caught him, and he gave over his sneakers. Following the incident, the coach of the Persema junior club Rohanda later provided him with a Rp 500 daily transportation allowance.
Aji's hard work paid off in 1988, when he was promoted to the Persema senior side. Eleven months later, Malang's semi- professional club Arema hired him with a transfer deal of 50 soccer balls.
During his stay with Arema, Aji gradually gained his fame. His national and international outings included the National Games (PON), Merdeka Games in Malaysia, four appearances at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, as well as the Asian Cup pre- qualifying round and the Olympics pre-qualifying stage.
Aji wears jersey number 3 and plays either as defender or libero.
He set a new transfer deal record of Rp 50 million in 1996 when he moved from Arema to the East Java elite club Persebaya ahead of the third Indonesian soccer league. Aji helped his new club win the league.
After an uneasy spell with Persebaya, which included a defeat against PSIS Semarang in the championship final in 1999, Aji joined PSM for last season's competition in a one-year contract worth Rp 200 million. With his presence, the Makassar team took the championship trophy with a win over Pupuk Kaltim of Bontang, East Kalimantan.
Aji is among the 18-strong team formed by coach Nandar Iskandar for the Asian Cup finals in Lebanon, which kicks off in three weeks. The national squad is now undergoing an overseas stint in the Netherlands.
Business
To strengthen his business, Aji has formed a marketing team which will start promotions soon. Aji, however, failed to set a date for the nation-wide advertisement.
"For the first year, I'll only produce soccer boots, but other apparel like sneakers and T-shirts are in the pipeline," he said.
The company set its sales target at 6,000 pairs of shoes for the first year. The soccer boots are available in sports outlets in big stores in Jakarta, East Java, West Java, East Kalimantan and Bali, starting on Oct. 1.
Aji cooperates with a shoe manufacturer near Bangil district in the Pasuruan regency, East Java.
He claims that his shoes are made from genuine leather imported from Chinese Taipei, with only 30 percent of local content. A pair of the boots cost Rp 234,500 (US$26).
"I will consider exporting these boots. But it is a long-term target. Some foreign footballers playing here have tried my boots and have ordered several pairs and said they would wear them back home," he said.
When it comes to local players, Aji mentioned his teammates in Makassar-based PSM like Yosef Lewono, Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto and Bima Sakti as the first consumers of his products.
"I also wore the boots when playing in the Independence Cup in August. For the last few months, I have been wearing no other brand but mine."
"I know I'm starting this business when national soccer is at its lowest ebb, but I have developed an optimistic attitude. I'm sure my boots will sell well."
The Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) has given credit to Aji's efforts to improve his welfare.
"PSSI is proud that one of its players has a long-term vision about his future," the soccer body's spokesman Eddi Elison said during the launching of Aji's soccer boots.