Thu, 14 Sep 2000

PSSI says Nandar still head coach

JAKARTA (JP): The Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) ended the controversy over a possible replacement of the national team coach, announcing on Wednesday that Nandar Iskandar would continue coaching the team for the 2000 Asian Cup in Lebanon and the Tiger Cup in Thailand.

PSSI Secretary General Tri Goestoro told a media briefing that the association's official in charge of athletes development Nurdin Halid had been appointed chef de mission for the Asian Cup and Tiger Cup.

National team director Muhammad Zein was assigned as team manager, he said. He added that Nandar would still be assisted by Rudy Keltjes, Dananjaya and special goalkeeping assistant Arjuna Rinaldi.

He said the decision was taken at a meeting with PSSI chairman Agum Gumelar Tuesday evening.

Reports said some PSSI officials had indicated the association would appoint Dutchman Henk Wullems as a technical advisor. Wullems had also been expected to take over Nandar's job as head coach.

"There is no technical advisor," Tri said.

Tri explained that the plan to hire a technical advisor had been on Nurdin's agenda since January.

"Wullems is one of the candidates for this job. He has proved his quality by leading PSM Makassar to win the Bank Mandiri soccer league. But we have not signed any contract with Wullems. Based on our discussion, we plan to invite him to coach the national team for the pre-qualifying round of the 2002 World Cup," he said.

Zein, who also attended the media briefing, said Wullems has helped the national team to arrange friendly matches with clubs in the Netherlands prior to the team competing in the Asian Cup, which takes place from Oct. 12 to Oct. 29 in Lebanon.

"We will leave for the Netherlands sometime between Sept. 22 and Sept. 23. We will play in five friendlies. We have received confirmation from two clubs in the Netherlands, Vitesse Arnhem and Breda. Wullems will return to his country on Thursday and he will arrange three more matches. We are waiting for an answer from Roda JC Kerkrade," he said.

Zein said Wullems had asked for no payment in return for his services.

The team will fly directly to Beirut from Amsterdam on Sept. 8.

Zein said the team, which now consists of 26 players, would be reduced to 22 players before the friendlies.

Indonesia aims to improve its position in the Asian Cup. In its debut in the 1996 Cup final, Indonesia came bottom of Group A after the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and South Korea. This year, Indonesia is in Group B with South Korea, China and Kuwait.

As regards the Tiger Cup, Zein said his team's target was to reach the final.

"Frankly speaking, we are one or two notches below South Korea, China and Kuwait. We hope we can achieve a better result compared to the 1996 event. For the Tiger Cup, we want to be one of the finalists as in the previous two Cups, we never got that far," he said. (ivy)