Post by Macmoish on Jul 6, 2010 16:20:52 GMT
"...The PSSI was also forced last week to end negotiations to bring in Steve Brown of England’s Queens Park Rangers juniors team to coach Indonesia’s under-16 side, instead opting for a local coach."
Last updated at 11:03 PM. Tuesday 6 July 2010
July 06, 2010
Sandy Pramuji & Abe Silangit
$500,000 African Adventure For Indonesian Football Chiefs
Tomorrow’s paper will have to go to press a little too early to bring you the results of the late-night World Cup semi-final match between Germany and Spain, but Indonesian Football Association officials will not mind that: dozens of them have been flown out to South Africa to watch the game in person.
Some 60 officials on Monday flew to Johannesburg reportedly to watch the semifinal match between Germany and Spain.
The whole trip cost Rp 4.5 billion (about $500,000), state-run news agency Antara said, citing a source who requested anonymity because the person was not authorized to reveal such details.
The Germany-Spain match is scheduled for 1:30 a.m. tomorrow morning Jakarta time and will last 90 minutes, or at most two and a half hours with extra time and penalties, but the officials, most of whom came from provincial-level football associations, have been booked for four nights in South Africa.
The Jakarta Globe could not confirm whether the officials used the association’s, also known as PSSI, money for the trip.
PSSI chairman Nurdin Halid and secretary general Nugraha Besoes did not answer calls and text messages seeking comment on the report.
Wafid Muharam, secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs, said he was aware that a number of officials had traveled to South Africa but did not elaborate. “If they used their own personal money, that’s not a problem,” he said.
Nurdin, who is due to contest for a third term as PSSI chairman next year, has previously said that the association has been having financial problems.
It still hasn’t settled the allowance money it owes the players of from national futsal team, which travelled to compete at the Asian Football Confederation Futsal Championships in Uzbekistan, last May.
The PSSI was also forced last week to end negotiations to bring in Steve Brown of England’s Queens Park Rangers juniors team to coach Indonesia’s under-16 side, instead opting for a local coach.
Eddy Elison, a former PSSI official, said he the officials who traveled to South Africa could have used their money to improve the state of football in their regions. “If they have that huge amount of cash, why don’t they spend it for the benefit of developing the sport at the grassroots level?” he said.
The timing of the trip came just as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said local football required “good management” while he called on “the system to work.”
“Our nation has talent. We have the ability to be great. If we take no concrete steps, nothing good can ever happen,” Yudhoyono said on Monday.
“Football requires not only a very good coach, but also good management, training and facilities. The system must work.”
Yudhoyono said he wanted to see the country win the football gold medal when it hosts the 2011 Southeast Asian Games. “I hear our people have a deep love for football. So when can Indonesia compete at the Asian level?”
www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/500000-african-adventure-for-indonesian-football-chiefs/384524
Last updated at 11:03 PM. Tuesday 6 July 2010
July 06, 2010
Sandy Pramuji & Abe Silangit
$500,000 African Adventure For Indonesian Football Chiefs
Tomorrow’s paper will have to go to press a little too early to bring you the results of the late-night World Cup semi-final match between Germany and Spain, but Indonesian Football Association officials will not mind that: dozens of them have been flown out to South Africa to watch the game in person.
Some 60 officials on Monday flew to Johannesburg reportedly to watch the semifinal match between Germany and Spain.
The whole trip cost Rp 4.5 billion (about $500,000), state-run news agency Antara said, citing a source who requested anonymity because the person was not authorized to reveal such details.
The Germany-Spain match is scheduled for 1:30 a.m. tomorrow morning Jakarta time and will last 90 minutes, or at most two and a half hours with extra time and penalties, but the officials, most of whom came from provincial-level football associations, have been booked for four nights in South Africa.
The Jakarta Globe could not confirm whether the officials used the association’s, also known as PSSI, money for the trip.
PSSI chairman Nurdin Halid and secretary general Nugraha Besoes did not answer calls and text messages seeking comment on the report.
Wafid Muharam, secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs, said he was aware that a number of officials had traveled to South Africa but did not elaborate. “If they used their own personal money, that’s not a problem,” he said.
Nurdin, who is due to contest for a third term as PSSI chairman next year, has previously said that the association has been having financial problems.
It still hasn’t settled the allowance money it owes the players of from national futsal team, which travelled to compete at the Asian Football Confederation Futsal Championships in Uzbekistan, last May.
The PSSI was also forced last week to end negotiations to bring in Steve Brown of England’s Queens Park Rangers juniors team to coach Indonesia’s under-16 side, instead opting for a local coach.
Eddy Elison, a former PSSI official, said he the officials who traveled to South Africa could have used their money to improve the state of football in their regions. “If they have that huge amount of cash, why don’t they spend it for the benefit of developing the sport at the grassroots level?” he said.
The timing of the trip came just as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said local football required “good management” while he called on “the system to work.”
“Our nation has talent. We have the ability to be great. If we take no concrete steps, nothing good can ever happen,” Yudhoyono said on Monday.
“Football requires not only a very good coach, but also good management, training and facilities. The system must work.”
Yudhoyono said he wanted to see the country win the football gold medal when it hosts the 2011 Southeast Asian Games. “I hear our people have a deep love for football. So when can Indonesia compete at the Asian level?”
www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/500000-african-adventure-for-indonesian-football-chiefs/384524