PSSI announces changes to the playoff system

JAKARTA (JP): The All Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) announced yesterday changes to the post-league playoff format to give the national team more time to prepare for the 2nd Tiger Cup.

Federation spokesman Tondo Widodo said the changes would shave 10 days off the original competition schedule this season.

But the organization will maintain the same number of teams qualifying for the playoff. The four top teams in each of the three regional divisions will go through to the playoffs, scheduled to begin on June 14.

Unlike the original plan, the qualifiers will be split into four groups, in which they will play the other two teams both home and away.

The top team in each group will make it to the semifinals to be played at the Senayan Stadium on July 9. The semifinal match- up will be decided by a draw.

The final will be held at the same venue on July 11.

According to the original plan, the 12 qualifiers would have been divided into three groups, with the top team in each group playing triangular, round-robin matches for the championship trophy.

Tondo played down criticism yesterday that the federation lacked consistency by always making changes for short-term objectives.

"The new playoff system has been unanimously approved by all the 31 clubs competing in the league," Tondo said. "We are just trying to apply a fairer and more practical system."

He said he was not certain whether the new system would be maintained next season.

"There have been nontechnical matters forcing us to change the format of the playoff, including the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly," he said.

The five-yearly session lasted only 11 days early last month, but it forced a one-month break of the league until March 22.

National team coach Rusdy Bahalwan complained that he would be pressed for time to prepare for the Tiger Cup if the current plan remained unchanged.

The Tiger Cup finals, to be held in Indonesia, will kick off on Aug. 26. Eight Southeast Asian countries will compete in the tournament.

Also yesterday the federation announced a Rp 5 million (US$666) fine imposed on defending champion Persebaya of Surabaya for its failure to control its supporters when it hosted Persija of Jakarta at the 10 November Stadium on March 29.

The fine must be paid by the end of this month.

Persebaya was found guilty of letting too many supporters into the 37,000-seat stadium. The fanatic home fans broke down two fences and spilled onto the pitch, forcing 200 security personnel to be deployed to maintain the order.

"We cannot tolerate the host's failure to allow a huge number of the home crowd to invade the pitch," Tondo said. (emf)