PSSI fails to spot talent at Coke Cup tournament

JAKARTA (JP): A number of provincial teams competing in the National Coke Cup Under-15 soccer tournament in Surabaya, where the second round begins today, have expressed disappointment that the All-Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) has failed to use the event to scout out new talent.

"I'm sure our budding booters would have felt more challenged to do their best if PSSI had used this meet to look for gifted players," said manager of the West Java team, winner of the first round's Group D.

Even manager of the North Sumatra team, which was already ousted in the first round, expressed dissatisfaction, "I'm sure we have some potential players PSSI should not simply overlook."

"They (PSSI) say this event will be used to search for soccer talents. But where are Romano Matte, Andi M. Teguh or Danurwindo? If they are serious about scouting talents, why aren't they here?" said an officer of the Surabaya-based Persebaya team.

Romano Matte of Italy's soccer giant Sampdoria is PSSI's coach. Andi M. Teguh is coach for a national team being prepared for the upcoming Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Danurwindo is coach of PSSI Primavera I, the country's dream team which was just dissolved upon completing its two-year stints in Italy.

Some PSSI Primavera I members such as goalie Kurnia Sandy, Eko Pujianto, Supriono and Indriyanto were selected from the equivalent tournament in 1992 in Palembang, South Sumatra.

Max Boboy, head of PSSI's competition commission, acknowledged that this time PSSI did not send any team for talent-scouting purposes. "I don't know for sure why, but I have asked Persebaya's coach to hunt for talented booters."

The fact is that PSSI Primavera II, successor of the dissolved one, has already been formed. That may explain the lack of PSSI's talent-scouting activities, at least for the time being.

Nirwan Bakrie, the man behind the establishment of the Primavera teams, said Primavera II members were outstanding talents taken from the National Student Games. But he said that they were also selected from the Coke Cup tournament.

PSSI Primavera II is now playing against South Korea at the Asia Cup student soccer championship in Brunei Darussalam. It will be sent to Italy next month, Nirwan added.

Bob Hippy, who heads PSSI's talent scout commission, said that today PSSI will hold a meeting to decide whether PSSI Primavera I is a success or a failure. PSSI secretary-general Soeparjo Pontjowinoto, Nirwan Bakrie and Hippy himself will assess the team's performance. "If we agree that it is a failure, chances are that the project to send PSSI Primavera II to Italy will be annulled. But the final say lies in the hands of PSSI chairman," he said. (arf)