PSSI turns to Kolev for national coach

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After hopes of hiring local coach Mundari Karya look set to be collapsing, the national soccer governing body, PSSI, has now turned its attention to another foreigner to replace German Bernhard Schumm as the U-20 team coach.

Irawadi, a PSSI official, said that they were going after Ivan Kolev of Bulgaria to take over from Schumm, whose coaching contract was abruptly terminated by the PSSI at the weekend after the team's failure in the Southeast Asian Soccer Championship in Bangkok last month.

"We have written to Kolev and the decision will be made this week," Irawadi, who was himself the team manager during the Bangkok trip, told reporters here on Monday.

Kolev is not new to Indonesian soccer, having been with Jakarta-based Persija in 2000. He led the club to the semifinals.

"It is Persija that has recommended us to look into a possible partnership with Kolev because he is considered to have done a good job with the club," Irawadi said. Kolev led Persija to the semifinals in the 2002 season.

The PSSI looks set to abandon its efforts to recruit Mundari Karya, an assistant Persija coach, because the 2002 league champion has refused to release him.

"They say Mundari is needed for their campaign to defend the league title. And we can understand their reasoning. We may want Mundari, but we can do nothing if Persija wants to keep him," Irawadi said.

Meanwhile, the national coaching trio, who were contracted to see out the job of preparing a senior team only this week, announced 18 players for a friendly match against Hyundai Mipo Dockyard.

The trio are manager Andi Darussalam Tabusalla, head coach Suimin Dihardja and assistant Syamsudin Umar. They have been hired only on a one-match term basis and will have completed their assignment after the Hyundai game.

The game is scheduled for the Bung Karno Stadium here on Sunday. Hyundai was the 2001 runner-up in the Korean professional soccer league.

The list, which consists of two goalkeepers, seven defenders, five midfielders and four strikers, has been drawn from ten of the 22 clubs in the league with PSPS of Pekanbaru making up the largest contingent in the squad.

Indonesian players selected for the Hyundai match -- Goalkeepers: Hendro Kartiko (PSPS), Jendri Pitoy (Persikota); Defenders: Aples Tecuari (Pelita Krakatau Steel), Slamet Riyadi (PSPS), Eko Pujianto (PSPS), Joko Puspito (Persija), Ismet Sofyan (Persijatim), Anang Ma'ruf (Persija), Mat Halil (Persebaya); Midfielders: Bima Sakti (PSPS), Uston Nawawi (Persebaya), Edward Ivak Dalam (Persipura), Edu Juanda (PSPS) Eli Eboy (Semen Padang); Strikers: Bambang Pamungkas (Persija), Rocky Putiray (PSM), Kurniawan Dwi Julianto (PSPS), Ilham Jayakusuma (Persita).