RI's new coach Kolev to arrive on Sunday

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Bulgarian Ivan Kolev, who is reported to have been tied to a one- year contract with the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI), is scheduled to arrive in Jakarta on Sunday.

"We are going to formalize what we have agreed during our contact through mail," PSSI secretary-general Tri Goestoro told The Jakarta Post here on Thursday.

Kolev will coach the national team on a one-year basis, but Tri refused to disclose the agreed salary, citing "privacy".

"Sorry, I can't speak about salary. I guess this issue is part of his privacy we are supposed to keep. But if you insist, you'd better ask him personally," Tri said.

Kolev's confirmed arrival in Jakarta will end a few months of uncertainty, during which PSSI and the Bulgarian were locked into tough negotiations over a renumeration package.

"We offered him a package that we could afford financially. He had wanted a sum of money we initially could not afford to pay. After negotiations the agreed amount was reached," Tri said.

Kolev is not new to the Indonesian soccer community. He coached the Jakarta-based Persija in 1999. And his return to Jakarta means he must part company with his Bulgarian U-20 team.

"We consider his duty in Persija as being a fairly successful stint. Although Persija failed to become champions, he managed to build a team with strong character," Tri said of one of the reasons behind the choice of Kolev.

Kolev's immediate task is to prepare the national team for the upcoming Tiger Cup, a southeast Asian soccer tournament. The 2002 event will be cohosted by Indonesia and Singapore next August.

Tri said they would target a place in the final at the Tiger Cup, but he warned against a blind judgment that any slipup before the final be categorized as a failure in Kolev's leadership.

"It needs careful evaluation, taking into consideration the factor of luck, which, at times, confounds our expectations," he said.