National soccer coach wary of SEAG players' mental shape
JAKARTA (JP): National soccer team coach Benny Dollo has admitted to being aware of his players' psychological shape and has called for more training to contain their tempers as well as to build up self-confidence.
"They must train much more on how to get used to the pressures and strive to overcome them. They must also nurture confidence," Benny said during the team's training session ahead of a friendly with PSM Plus at Bung Karno Stadium on Monday.
Makassar, South Sulawesi-based PSM Plus is fresh from its tour of Vietnam, where it won the Ho Chi Minh Cup on Sunday.
The friendly is one of the team's warm-up matches ahead of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur next month.
When it came to physical shape, Benny said that his players were in good condition given the fact that they had come from clubs that had competed in a tough league over the last few months.
"What matters now is how to apply game tactics to achieve better teamwork," he said, hoping the players would always seek to improve themselves.
On the team's worrying psychological shape, Benny recalled a series of trials. He said his squad performed quite well in three games in Australia but broke down at home when they lost 0-2 to local club Persija.
"In terms of physical skills, the players are individually on a par with other teams, which also lack tournament experience.
"Therefore, before departing they need challenging sparring partners such as Persija, PSM or Persita Tangerang, to help the players get used to pressure," he said as quoted by Antara.
PSSI spokesman Eddi Elison said that the national soccer squad for the SEA Games will be announced on Tuesday, hours before it plays league champion PSM.
The soccer body was currently grooming 21 players. That number would be whittled down to 20.
The KL Games will run from Sept. 8 to Sept. 16 with the soccer competition starting a few days earlier. The Indonesian team, which is scheduled to leave for Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 2, joins Group B with host Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Group A comprises Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and reigning champion Thailand.
In compliance with the world soccer body ruling, each participating country will have to field its under-23 team plus a maximum three senior players.
PSM's coach Syamsudin Umar said that he was ready to provide a video recording of the game between PSM and the Malaysian under- 23 team as input for the PSSI.
"I hope Benny Dollo will study the game to find out the strengths and weaknesses of the Malaysian team," Eddi quoted Umar as saying.
PSM beat the Malaysian team 3-1 in the semifinals before overcoming the Ho Chi Minh City Selection 1-0 in the final.
On Tuesday, the winning team will be received by PSSI chairman Agum Gumelar, who at the same time will see off Persija, which is departing for Bandar Seri Begawan to take part in the Brunei League.
After the PSM game, the national soccer team is likely to play another two warm-up matches against Persita on Sept. 23 and PSB on a date which is yet to be announced. (01)