PSSI training schedule for SEA Games early May
JAKARTA (JP): The All-Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) will kick off training in early May for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam in August, an official said on Friday.
PSSI team manager and coach Bernard Schumm said he enlisted six senior players to join the SEA Games national squad after he observed their impressive performances during the fifth Indonesian Soccer League (Ligina) last month.
He said the players were Komang Mariawan of Persikota Tangerang; I Komang Putra, Agung Setyabudi and Ali Sunan of PSIS Semarang; Selamat Riyadi of PSMS Medan and Eri Irianto of Persebaya Surabaya.
They will join the other national players and the pre-Olympics soccer team consisting of under-23-year-old players, he said.
"I also will consider Semen Padang midfielder Khair Rifo for the SEA Games team. PSMS midfielder Afan Lubis also is good, but I have not decided whether he should be included on this team because we already have the duo Uston Nawawi and Bima Sakti in his position," he said.
Schumm said the national team would be trained by an assistant coach, but names were still under consideration.
He added the national team would play against the pre-Olympics team in a joint exercise at Sawangan, Bogor, on May 15 to May 17.
Indonesia was runner-up in the 19th SEA Games in 1997 after it lost 2-4 to defending champion Thailand in a penalty shootout.
On Thursday, Schumm announced 18 members of the pre-Olympics soccer team who will compete in the Quadrangular Tournament for Olympic teams at Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur from April 26 to April 30.
He was quoted by Antara as saying that the players were selected after evaluation of their performances during a two-day friendly match against the Cambodian national team on April 18 and April 20.
PSSI originally groomed 24 pre-Olympics soccer players. Andi Iswantoro (Pelita Bakrie), Purwanto (Persitara) Harianto (Arema) and Stenly Mamuaya (Persma) were eliminated from the lineup.
The status of two others, Dedy Umarela (Persija) and Nur'afiq (Persikasi), is pending Schumm's decision. The tournament will feature Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and host Malaysia.
In May, the team will fly to South Korea to take part in the Olympic prequalification tournament. Indonesia will challenge Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei and mighty South Korea.
Indonesia is winless against the South Koreans. (ivy)
Fixtures
April 26: Indonesia vs Vietnam, Malaysia vs Thailand
April 27: Rest day
April 28: Vietnam vs Thailand, Indonesia vs Malaysia
April 29: Rest day
April 30: Thailand vs Indonesia, Malaysia vs Vietnam