PSSI, Withe to sign deal on Wednesday

PSSI, Withe to sign deal on Wednesday

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Peter Withe of Britain, who arrived here last Thursday, is
scheduled to sign a four-year coaching contract with the Soccer
Association of Indonesia (PSSI) on Wednesday.

Muhammad Zein, PSSI's official in charge of the national
teams, confirmed the plan last Thursday but said the details had
to be worked out before putting pen to paper.

Zein said that since arriving here, the former Thailand
national squad coach and his family had been house hunting.

Should a contract be signed, the former Aston Villa striker
will supervise almost all of the national teams in the different
age groups, leaving only the senior team in the hands of
Bulgarian Ivan Venkov Kolev.

However, Withe is expected to get focused on the Under-20
team.

Zein doubted that there would be a long-term relationship
between Kolev and Withe, as the Bulgarian once told the PSSI he
would quit if the association hired another foreign coach.

Kolev's contract expires in August and Zein said the PSSI
would offer him another contract only if the coach conjured up
several miracles and led the team to victory in the Asian Cup and
upcoming qualifying matches for the 2006 World Cup.

Zein did not say how much Withe would be paid, though he did
hint it would be in the same range as what the Briton made in
Thailand.

According to reports, Withe received about US$14,000 a month
in Thailand. His term there ended in November, a month after he
was suspended following the Thai team's failure to qualify for
the Athens Olympics.