FAM invites Kurniawan, Bima Sakti to play against MU
JAKARTA (JP): PSM Makassar striker Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto and midfielder Bima Sakti will get a big boost this month as they are being asked by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to join the neighboring country's team against English champion Manchester United in the club's Asia Tour in Kuala Lumpur.
"FAM secretary general Dato Dell Akbar has personally asked me to invite Kurniawan and Bima Sakti to join Malaysia's national team A which will challenge United in a friendly on July 21 in Kuala Lumpur," Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) secretary- general Tri Goestoro told a media briefing on Thursday.
United is also scheduled to face the Singapore national team at the National Stadium in Singapore on July 24 and the Thai national team at Rajamangala stadium in Bangkok on July 28. None of the teams has named its players.
PSSI also asked the Bank Mandiri national league champion to represent the country at the Ho Chi Minh Cup at Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam from Aug. 10 to Aug. 18, replacing Indonesia's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games team.
The national team canceled its campaign in Vietnam due to the close schedule and fear of injuries ahead of the biennial event. The Games soccer qualification will start on Sept. 1 while the Games will be officially opened on Sept. 8.
Tri said PSM could borrow players from other main division teams before leaving for Vietnam.
"We had two options before naming the substitute for the Cup. First, we had thought of sending the national squad, the same line-up as for the 2002 World Cup qualification, but we're worried about lacking enough preparation.
"All players have to play in their clubs until the national league's second qualification has ended on Aug. 5. It takes more time to gather the players in a training camp.
"The second choice is to set up a new team but it will waste time, as we must find a new coach, new manager and other officials. We're wondering if they can form a solid team in a short training period." Tri explained.
PSSI official in charge of athletes' development Ismet D. Tahir said that PSM's patron Nurdin Halid had indicated a welcome to PSSI's offer.
"We have asked PSM to list players from outside the club to perform in Vietnam," he said, adding that PSM would also appoint the coach and the manager.
The national team will leave for a series of friendlies in Perth, West Australia, on Sunday. As a consequence, PSSI has to reschedule the national league.
The last qualifying round in the league's western division will end on Aug. 5 instead of July 22, while the last eastern division matches on Aug. 1 will be played on Aug. 2.
In an unrelated development, PSSI spokesman Eddi Elison announced that East Kalimantan-based Putra Samarinda (Pusam) substitute Irlendi was banned from playing in any soccer tournament for one year and fined Rp 1 million (US$88).
Irlendi was caught fighting with Alfanus Asa of Persma Manado, North Sulawesi, when both teams met on June 10 in Manado, Eddi quoted from a report by match commissioner Ismail Tola.
"Pusam has also protested to host Persma over unfair treatment but we refused their report because we found no supporting evidence," he said. (ivy)