PSSI says Nandar still head coach

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)