Indonesia coaches to check strength of soccer rivals
Indonesia coaches to check strength of soccer rivals
JAKARTA (JP): National soccer coach Benny Dolo and his
assistant Mundari Karya left for a one-day trip to Kuala Lumpur
to observe Malaysia's and Thailand's teams perform in the
qualifying round of the Merdeka Cup tournament on Tuesday
evening.
Team manager Irawadi D. Hanafi told reporters on Tuesday that
host Malaysia and Thailand would likely field a similar lineup
for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur from Sept. 8
to Sept. 17.
"Benny and Mundari will observe the Malaysian and Thai
players' strength and weaknesses, " he said.
Malaysia has fielded both its national and under-23 teams for
the cup, which will end on Saturday. Six countries -- Slovakia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bahrain, Thailand, Uzbekistan and India -- is
competing in the tournament.
Indonesia, aiming to reach the finals in the Games, has put
defending champion Thailand and 1999 Games runner-up Vietnam as
its strongest contenders. Indonesia only managed a bronze in
Brunei Darussalam in 1999.
However, it must also be aware of the home team's ambition of
winning the gold.
Spokesman for the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Eddi
Elison said the manager and coaches would decide the core team
for the biennial event after the players returned from their
friendly matches in Perth, West Australia.
The team will leave for Australia on July 15. Benny will take
the 24 players for the friendlies, except those who have been
injured.
Indonesia is scheduled to face West Australia's under-19 team
on July 18, West Australia's national team on July 21 and West
Australia's under-23 team on July 23.
In an unrelated development, Eddi said PSSI had assigned
Persikota team's treasurer Eha Habibah Ardi as the SEA Games
women's team manager.
PSSI has also appointed former national player Bambang
Nurdiansyah as the team's coach replacing Muhardi.
"We want to revitalize our women's team management and
coaching methods. We think that Ibu Eha has had enough experience
with Persikota," Eddi said.
Eha joined Persikota nine years ago when the team was playing
in the second division. The team has now joined the main league.
Eha said she was just notified of her appointment.
"I think I'll be facing a tough challenge. I have just learned
of my appointment today (Tuesday). But I thank PSSI for the
assignment, it's an honor for me," she said, adding that she had
no idea of how competent the women's team was.
Eddi said Muhardi was replaced because of his poor training
methods. In the last two friendlies, the women's national team
lost 16-0 and 18-0 to the students of the AS-IOP soccer school,
who were mostly teenagers.
PSSI secretary-general Tri Goestoro said Indonesia had not set
ambitious targets for the women's team in the Games. "We are just
hoping that in future more women will want to play soccer." (ivy)
JAKARTA (JP): National soccer coach Benny Dolo and his
assistant Mundari Karya left for a one-day trip to Kuala Lumpur
to observe Malaysia's and Thailand's teams perform in the
qualifying round of the Merdeka Cup tournament on Tuesday
evening.
Team manager Irawadi D. Hanafi told reporters on Tuesday that
host Malaysia and Thailand would likely field a similar lineup
for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur from Sept. 8
to Sept. 17.
"Benny and Mundari will observe the Malaysian and Thai
players' strength and weaknesses, " he said.
Malaysia has fielded both its national and under-23 teams for
the cup, which will end on Saturday. Six countries -- Slovakia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bahrain, Thailand, Uzbekistan and India -- is
competing in the tournament.
Indonesia, aiming to reach the finals in the Games, has put
defending champion Thailand and 1999 Games runner-up Vietnam as
its strongest contenders. Indonesia only managed a bronze in
Brunei Darussalam in 1999.
However, it must also be aware of the home team's ambition of
winning the gold.
Spokesman for the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Eddi
Elison said the manager and coaches would decide the core team
for the biennial event after the players returned from their
friendly matches in Perth, West Australia.
The team will leave for Australia on July 15. Benny will take
the 24 players for the friendlies, except those who have been
injured.
Indonesia is scheduled to face West Australia's under-19 team
on July 18, West Australia's national team on July 21 and West
Australia's under-23 team on July 23.
In an unrelated development, Eddi said PSSI had assigned
Persikota team's treasurer Eha Habibah Ardi as the SEA Games
women's team manager.
PSSI has also appointed former national player Bambang
Nurdiansyah as the team's coach replacing Muhardi.
"We want to revitalize our women's team management and
coaching methods. We think that Ibu Eha has had enough experience
with Persikota," Eddi said.
Eha joined Persikota nine years ago when the team was playing
in the second division. The team has now joined the main league.
Eha said she was just notified of her appointment.
"I think I'll be facing a tough challenge. I have just learned
of my appointment today (Tuesday). But I thank PSSI for the
assignment, it's an honor for me," she said, adding that she had
no idea of how competent the women's team was.
Eddi said Muhardi was replaced because of his poor training
methods. In the last two friendlies, the women's national team
lost 16-0 and 18-0 to the students of the AS-IOP soccer school,
who were mostly teenagers.
PSSI secretary-general Tri Goestoro said Indonesia had not set
ambitious targets for the women's team in the Games. "We are just
hoping that in future more women will want to play soccer." (ivy)