PSSI delays 2002 national soccer league group division
PSSI delays 2002 national soccer league group division
Musthofid and Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indecisiveness on the part of Persijatim and Pelita has
delayed the announcement of the grouping of clubs that are to
take part in the 2002 season of the Indonesian soccer league.
PSSI, the country's soccer governing body, held a meeting here
on Monday but failed to announce the groupings as both Persijatim
and Pelita had yet to clarify their wish to change their home
grounds.
Persijatim, which is based in Jakarta, has been looking to
move to Surakarta in Central Java. However, the club has
registered its old grounds with PSSI, pending an endorsement from
the Central Java soccer administration.
"We will hold a meeting with representatives from Persijatim
and the Central Java soccer administration tomorrow," Tri
Goestoro, PSSI secretary general, told reporters after the
meeting.
Likewise, Pelita is likely to shift their home ground from
Surakarta to Cilegon, in Banten, where the club will merge with
local company Krakatau Steel.
But club officials have yet to clarify whether they will
proceed with their plan.
"With a view to heeding the wishes of participants, we are
resolved to let Persijatim and Pelita decide their bases," Tri
said.
"We will be able to decide this week. I personally told the
chief in charge of administrative affairs (Tondo Widodo) to deal
with the issue in two days," he said.
Persijatim's move to shift its home base is believed to be an
effort to part with its cross-town rival and defending champion
Persija, who share the same home ground, though Persijatim's
supporters are regularly outnumbered.
A similar attempt is also being pursued by Persema Malang in
East Java. The club had not sought a new base but wanted to be in
different group from its city rival Arema, which is more popular
among city residents.
But PSSI rejected the proposal, saying that it could set a bad
precedent.
"If I bow to the demand, others would probably request the
same treatment," said Tri, who is the interim spokesman in place
of Eddi Elison.
Monday's meeting also decided to give the clubs options to
look for their own sponsorship.
Meanwhile, league runner-up PSM Makassar said that it had
registered 23 players for the next season, which will kick off on
Jan. 13.
"We have officially registered 23 players with PSSI," club
secretary Azhari Sirajuddin told The Jakarta Post in Makassar,
South Sulawesi.
Among the squad's members are Ariel Guiterrez and Rodrigo
Araya from Chile and Cameroon's Yoseph Lewono.
PSM has also brought in goalkeeper Sahari Gultom from PSMS
Medan to replace Hendro Kartiko, who has signed with new outfit
PSPS Pakanbaru in a mass move that also saw the departure of
other key PSM players Kurniawan Julianto and Bima Sakti.
Other old guards who have left PSM include Sunar Sulaiman and
Isnan Ali, who both now play for South Kalimantan-based Barito
Putra Banjarmasin.
Musthofid and Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indecisiveness on the part of Persijatim and Pelita has
delayed the announcement of the grouping of clubs that are to
take part in the 2002 season of the Indonesian soccer league.
PSSI, the country's soccer governing body, held a meeting here
on Monday but failed to announce the groupings as both Persijatim
and Pelita had yet to clarify their wish to change their home
grounds.
Persijatim, which is based in Jakarta, has been looking to
move to Surakarta in Central Java. However, the club has
registered its old grounds with PSSI, pending an endorsement from
the Central Java soccer administration.
"We will hold a meeting with representatives from Persijatim
and the Central Java soccer administration tomorrow," Tri
Goestoro, PSSI secretary general, told reporters after the
meeting.
Likewise, Pelita is likely to shift their home ground from
Surakarta to Cilegon, in Banten, where the club will merge with
local company Krakatau Steel.
But club officials have yet to clarify whether they will
proceed with their plan.
"With a view to heeding the wishes of participants, we are
resolved to let Persijatim and Pelita decide their bases," Tri
said.
"We will be able to decide this week. I personally told the
chief in charge of administrative affairs (Tondo Widodo) to deal
with the issue in two days," he said.
Persijatim's move to shift its home base is believed to be an
effort to part with its cross-town rival and defending champion
Persija, who share the same home ground, though Persijatim's
supporters are regularly outnumbered.
A similar attempt is also being pursued by Persema Malang in
East Java. The club had not sought a new base but wanted to be in
different group from its city rival Arema, which is more popular
among city residents.
But PSSI rejected the proposal, saying that it could set a bad
precedent.
"If I bow to the demand, others would probably request the
same treatment," said Tri, who is the interim spokesman in place
of Eddi Elison.
Monday's meeting also decided to give the clubs options to
look for their own sponsorship.
Meanwhile, league runner-up PSM Makassar said that it had
registered 23 players for the next season, which will kick off on
Jan. 13.
"We have officially registered 23 players with PSSI," club
secretary Azhari Sirajuddin told The Jakarta Post in Makassar,
South Sulawesi.
Among the squad's members are Ariel Guiterrez and Rodrigo
Araya from Chile and Cameroon's Yoseph Lewono.
PSM has also brought in goalkeeper Sahari Gultom from PSMS
Medan to replace Hendro Kartiko, who has signed with new outfit
PSPS Pakanbaru in a mass move that also saw the departure of
other key PSM players Kurniawan Julianto and Bima Sakti.
Other old guards who have left PSM include Sunar Sulaiman and
Isnan Ali, who both now play for South Kalimantan-based Barito
Putra Banjarmasin.