Soccer body to initiate gradual training method

JAKARTA (JP): The Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) will introduce a gradual training method to ensure sustainability in grooming young players for the national soccer team.

PSSI's official in charge of athletes' development, Nurdin Halid, told a media briefing Wednesday that the new method allowed the national team coach to cooperate with coaches from local clubs to select young players to join the seniors on the national team.

For this purpose, Nurdin said PSSI had appointed Nandar Iskandar as head coach for the national team. He said Nandar would be assisted by Dananjaya, Arjuna Rinaldi and Rudy Keltjes, who was also appointed as head coach for the under 19-year-old (U-19) soccer team.

Keltjes will be assisted by Harry Tjong and Wartakusuma, who also coach the under 16-year-old (U-16) soccer team.

"We will introduce the gradual training method and one of the assistant coaches will train the junior team. It will maintain sustainability of players. This is important because in the near future, we will be looking for under 23-year-old players for the 2001 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games team," he said.

Nurdin said Nandar would decide the national team's playing formation, recruitment criteria and talent-scouting method.

"These factors will be discussed by Nandar and other soccer coaches across the nation," he said, adding that the discussion would be held Thursday evening.

The talent-scouting procedure will be conducted by the newly appointed manager, Danurwindo. Danurwindo, who is also coaching Pelita Solo, will be responsible to the technical director Ronny Pattinasarani, who was recently appointed to replace Max Boboy.

Nurdin said he would apply strict measures in the talent- scouting.

"We have asked PSSI chairman to stage U-16 and U-19 tournaments. We have established the rule that players must not be born after 1984 for the U-16 team and after 1981 for the U-19 team. We will not tolerate any age deception."

Nurdin said he had proposed PSSI chairman Agum Gumelar to modify the salary system for national team coach and its players.

"I suggest that PSSI hires Nandar for one year terms. We want the coach to improve his preparation. We hope his future tenure is governed by this new system. He will receive contract fees and monthly salary."

"As for the national players, they will be paid according to their seniority, their dedication to the national team and their performance."

Nurdin said there would be a selection process to choose members of the national team for competition in the Asian Cup in Lebanon from Oct. 12 to Oct. 29 and the Tiger Cup in Thailand from Nov. 5 to Nov. 18.

"I have set a goal for our team to reach the second round of the Asian Cup and to be the champion in the Tiger Cup," he said. Nurdin also asked Agum to issue a decree banning national players from participation in the 15th National Games (PON) in Surabaya in June. (ivy)