Singaporean Fandi to rejoin RI club

Singaporean Fandi to rejoin RI club

JAKARTA (JP): Singaporean soccer star Fandi Ahmad is set to
recollect his ebullient memories with the Indonesian soccer
league as he prepares to play for a Surabaya-based club, after
capping his national team in the Southeast Asian Games in
December.

Ahmad, who enjoyed his heyday with Niac Mitra in the early
1980s, will join Mitra Surabaya, along with his national teammate
Malek Awab. The agile striker, and Singaporean goalkeeper, David
Lee, formed the backbone of now defunct Niac.

"Both Singaporean players have confirmed, through their agent
on Tuesday, their agreement to move to Surabaya," Mitra's
spokesman Agil Ali said yesterday.

However, Agil declined to disclose how much the new signings
cost the club.

"Fandi has turned down an offer from a Japanese club. He opted
to return to Indonesia, instead," Agil was quoted by Antara as
saying.

Ahmad and Awab are desperately needed to spearhead Mitra's up-
front charge, which will be left vacant by Brazilian Gomez de
Oliviera. De Oliviera is set to leave for Portugal next season.

Mitra, one of three Surabaya clubs playing in the new
Indonesian soccer league, stands at the middle of the Eastern
Division table with 36 points from 24 matches, 12 points away
from leader Petrokimia Putra.

Ahmad and Lee were forced out of Indonesia following a
decision made by the All-Indonesia Football Association in 1983,
which banned foreign players from the league.

The association felt foreign footballers might cause a
widening social gap and play havoc with local talents in their
search for international achievement.

However, the association revised its own ruling last year and
widely reopened the door for import booters. (amd)