PSSI may change playoff system

JAKARTA (JP): The All Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) is pondering changes to the post-league playoff matches to allow extra time for the national team to regroup ahead of the 2nd Tiger Cup finals.

Spokesman for the federation Tondo Widodo said Monday it was proposed there be just six teams qualifying for the playoff, instead of 12 under the current plan.

"With only the top two teams of each division going through to the round-robin playoff, we can finish the league earlier and give the national squad ample time to train," Tondo was quoted by Antara as saying.

National coach Rusdy Bahalwan complained recently that he would be pressed for time if he had to start the training sessions for the Tiger Cup after the league ended in mid July. If the current plan remains unchanged he will have only six weeks to prepare the squad.

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

In a bid to end an almost decade-long spell without picking up an international title, Indonesia has set its sights on winning the Cup.

Tondo said the federation would seek approval from the 31 teams currently participating in the league to avoid protests if the new system was applied.

The federation's top executives will meet tomorrow to decide on alternative playoff systems to be suggested to the premier league teams, he said.

According to the original schedule approved in February, the top four teams in each of the three geographical divisions will qualify for the playoff. They will be split into three groups, with the top team of each group reaching the final three rounds. The three qualifying teams will then play round-robin matches for the championship trophy at Senayan Stadium. (amd)