It's now or never for RI soccer: AFC

It's now or never for RI soccer: AFC

JAKARTA: Visiting Asian Football Confederation (AFC) secretary-general Dato Peter Velappan said on Wednesday that national soccer was at a critical point in striving to recapture its past glory.

"Forty years ago, Indonesia soccer was victorious, but since then it has been in a slumber. Through this program, Indonesia has its final chance to either succeed or collapse," he said after a two-day evaluation meeting on the implementation of the Vision Asia development program for the country.

The program, to be tried out in Bandung and Yogyakarta starting next year, is based on introducing a series of reforms in the game, Antara news service reported. They include changes in administration and organizations, establishing new leagues in the areas to attract new sponsors as well as training programs for coaches and referees.

If successful, Velappan added, the program would be expanded to 10 major cities in 2007. -- JP