PSSI will select the best from East, West

PSSI will select the best from East, West

JAKARTA (JP): A national soccer team with players from the
Indonesian league's West and East divisions will be prepared for
the incoming South East Asian (SEA) Games.

"We will form two teams. One will be a group of the best
booters from the West Division; the other filtered from the East
Division," Hendro Sumaryo, secretary of the National Soccer
Committee told reporters yesterday. Hendro met with top officials
from the National Sports Council (KONI).

Representing the All Indonesia Soccer Association (PSSI),
Hendro explained the progress of PSSI and their preparations for
the Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from Dec. 9 to 17.

The two teams will then be sent abroad for several tryouts, he
said, probably to take part in various soccer competitions in
Australia between May and July.

Based on their performances during the try-outs, PSSI will
then choose a nucleus team from the two groups. The names of
those included on the main team will be announced by the end of
July, Hendro said.

On Aug. 1, four months before the kick-off of the Games, the
main squad is scheduled to start its centralized training
programs, Hendro said.

Four months is enough for intensive grooming at home.
Moreover, Hendro predicted, they can get the most out of possible
scrimmages with the renowned Italian club, AC Milan, and the
English club, Aston Villa.

Michael Linder of Football International has offered Indonesia
visits by the two giant European clubs. Another party, Edi
Sofyan, has also offered PSSI visits from AC Milan and another
Italian club, Genoa.

"We welcome them if they want to come," said Hendro, "But if
we have to pay them US$150,000 for the visits, I think we'll have
to think it over."

If necessary, PSSI will include members of the younger
national team, known popularly as Primavera. The junior pre-
Olympic team has been groomed in Italy for Olympic's group C
qualifying round for almost two years now, he said.

Hendro added that PSSI's target for Primavera this year is to
pass pre-Olympic selection and for the main team to grab the gold
at the December SEA Games.

Hendro said PSSI has appointed Italian coach Romano Matte of
Sampdoria as technical advisor and Andi Teguh as coach for the
national team.

In the Singapore SEA Games in 1993, the Indonesian soccer team
fell 3-1 to Singapore, the bronze medalist. This was a sharp
contrast to the gold medal won by the national team at the 1991
SEA Games in the Philippines, where Indonesia beat Thailand 4-3.

Fifty Indonesian business tycoons have committed financing the
preparations as well as the sending of the Indonesian squad to
the Games according to KONI treasurer Setya Novanto. To
participate in the Games, KONI estimated the need for funds
totaling around Rp 15 billion. (arf)