PSIS should not give up, mayor says

PSIS should not give up, mayor says

SEMARANG (JP): Semarang Mayor Sukawi Sutarip and head
councilor Ismoyo Subroto expressed hope on Saturday that
financial difficulties would not force the city's top club PSIS
to quit the national Bank Mandiri soccer league.

Sukawi said he would try to set up a business enterprise to
fund PSIS.

"Don't disband the club just because of financial shortages.
Let's find a solution. We have to seek more funds to keep PSIS
alive. Moreover, the club was the 1999 league champion," Sukawi
said.

"We must immediately set up a business enterprise, the profit
from which could help finance the club," he added.

Ismoyo urged Semarang citizens to participate in financing the
club. "Central Java businesspeople are expected to give financial
support to the club so it will not withdraw from the league."

Meanwhile, Central Java head councilor Noor Achmad suggested
privatizing PSIS so it could be managed professionally and have a
commercial value. PSIS is now being managed by the Semarang
administration.

"The current manager could offer a bid to private enterprises
or large companies in Semarang or Central Java to maintain PSIS'
existence."

"I'm sure PSIS can be the champion at the local and
international level if it is managed by private enterprises who
have big capital," said Noor Achmad, who is also member of the
council's Commission A for sports and budgeting.

He alleged the club was improperly managed and had wasted
money. "I wonder why the club's officials always say that PSIS
suffers a financial loss. Unfortunately, they are not always
transparent in their accountability reports," he said.

PSIS is reportedly cash-strapped and is likely to withdraw
from competing in this year's league. The club had to delay
paying players' salaries, forcing club officials to borrow money
to pay for them.

As of March 2, PSIS was 13th out of the fourteen clubs
competing in the eastern conference. From 11 matches, the
defending champions have won two, drawn three and lost six.

Separately in Jakarta, secretary general of the Soccer
Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Tri Goestoro told The Jakarta
Post on Saturday that PSSI was not capable of intervening in the
club's problems.

"We don't want to repeat our past mistakes. We have already
given the authority to clubs to seek for sponsorships for
themselves. We understand their difficulties, but our
capabilities our limited," he said.

"If we continue to support them, they won't be independent."
he said, adding that he would keep an eye on the club.

He also hailed the idea of setting up a business enterprise to
help finance the club. "Besides the administration and the
businesspeople, they should also involve their fans. It's not an
individual responsibility but a collective one," he said.
(har/ivy)