National soccer body told to shape up
National soccer body told to shape up
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto urged the All-Indonesia
Football Association to learn from established soccer countries
in its bid to raise the standard of soccer in Indonesia.
Speaking after receiving the Golden Ball award to commemorate
the association's 66th anniversary, Soeharto said that Indonesia
has no other choice but to emulate soccer powerhouses in order to
catch up to them.
"We have nearly 200 million people, is it that difficult to
pick 11 people with great soccer talent?" Soeharto asked in his
impromptu speech at the State Palace yesterday. "A country with
just 17 million people can do it. Why can't we?"
The award, named Adiraga Tulada, was presented by 86-year-old
EE Mangindaan, a founding father of the national soccer league,
in a ceremony attended by a number of cabinet ministers.
Chairman of the national soccer body, Azwar Anas, said that
Soeharto deserved the award because of his concern for soccer
development.
Soeharto, a soccer enthusiast when he was a boy, joined the
Army's soccer team and later, as a regimental commander, was vice
chairman of the Surakarta soccer club, Persis, from 1953 to 1956
in Central Java. Persis once won a record six straight intercity
championship titles between 1939 and 1948.
Soeharto's only surviving colleague in Persis, Ali Gani, was
also present at the ceremony.
Recollecting Indonesia's soccer heyday, Soeharto slapped the
knuckles of the country's oldest sport association.
"Our performance drew worldwide admiration in 1956. Now when
we enjoy a better economic lot we fail to form a strong national
team," Soeharto said.
Soeharto suggested that the association groom three national
teams of 18 players.
"It will take time and cost us a lot of money, but we have to
do it if we are to regain our supremacy," he said.
New director
Earlier on Thursday, the Dutch duo of Bert van Lingen and Arno
Pijpers signed a consulting deal with the Indonesian soccer body.
Van Lingen, the former assistant to Dutch national team
coaches Rinus Mitchel and Dick Advocaat, was named the technical
director of the Indonesian team. He will earn 400,000 guilders
(US$290,000) a year, twice Pijpers' salary.
The Dutch duo are to formulate a long-term program for
Indonesian coaches. One technical director will help the soccer
body form a junior team.
Van Lingen, who is also an assistant to Dutch coach Guus
Hiddink for the upcoming European Cup championships in England
this June, beat the other candidates Romano Matte of Italy and
Burkhard Pape of Germany.
Pijpers once coached PSV Eindhoven junior and Feyenoord
junior, two top Dutch clubs. (05/amd)