RI's pre-Olympics soccer team to warm up in Malaysia

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will compete in the five-day Quadrangular Tournament for Olympic teams at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, as a warmup for the soccer prequalifying round for the 2000 Olympics.

All-Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) secretary for the national team, John Halmahera, said on Tuesday that PSSI would select 18 under-23-year players from several clubs to compete in the tournament, which will feature Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and host Malaysia.

The event will be held from April 26 to April 30.

"We have been grooming 24 players before we make selections for a two-day tryout against the Cambodian national team on April 18 and April 20 at Lebak Bulus stadium, South Jakarta," he said.

The team includes players from clubs Persikota Tangerang, Persita Tangerang, Persija Jakarta, Pelita Bakrie, Persebaya Surabaya, Semen Padang, PSMS Medan and Arema Malang.

Separately, PSSI secretary-general Nugraha Besoes said the federation planned to move the venue to Bandung if Jakarta Police refused to issue a permit.

Nugraha said Olympic prequalification would start in May. He added PSSI would not set a high target in the prequalification because of strong competition.

"We have estimated the pre-Olympics target. We are being realistic. We are facing strong teams. We may be able to overcome Sri Lanka and Chinese Taipei, but it will be hard to beat South Korea and Japan."

He said PSSI would develop the national team training program to improve the players' performance.

"The improvement is not only for the short term, but also to prepare our players to compete in the Asian Cup and the pre-World Cup championship next year."

Nugraha said the team also would compete in the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam in August.

"The pre-Olympic team coach, Bernhard Schumm, will include senior players to compete in the SEA Games. We were the runner-up in the 19th event here and we must, at least, retain our second position. Luckily, our players don't have to deal with age limits to compete in the Games."

Nugraha said that after the SEA Games, PSSI would send teams to the Asian Champions Cup and Asian Winners' Cup and pre Asian Cup championship. (ivy)