Thursday, November 01, 2007
Drip feeding the news
Although the Liga Indonesia may be up and running again after the fasting season it’s a slow, drawn out affair with many distractions and too little football.
Much focus continues on the shenanigans, or lack thereof, at the Indonesian FA where the game’s governing body FIFA instructed new elections be held for the post of General Secretary given the incumbent is now doing bird. For the Indonesians though this is no big deal as it’s not exactly a unique situation. The great and the good often get a spell behind bars, often for politically motivated ‘crimes’ and are very well looked after they are by all accounts. Still, while the media and FIFA scream the authorities sit back in time honoured style and do zip, hoping today’s hoo haa becomes tomorrow sate ayam paper.
While these bods sit on their hands and wonder how to maintain their influence and patronage the national team are preparing for World Cup Qualifying fixtures not having played a game since the Asian Cup. The Under 16’s are competing in the Asian Cup Qualifiers, the Under 19’s likewise while the Under 23’s are preparing for the SEA Games in Thailand. With little substantive support from the apparatchiks in Senayen. On Tuesday the young Indonesians put on a credible performance eventually going down 2-1 to regional powerhouse Japan.
The Copa Indonesia is reaching its Quarter Final stage with 9 clubs battling it out. PSMS Medan, Sriwijaya, Persita, Persija, PJ Purwakarta, Persekabpas, PSM, Sidoarjo and Persipura are in the running with PSM yet to play home and away with Persija; an oft celayed tie that may see the light of day in the middle of November, subject to national team commitments, the weather and whether they can arrange cheap flights.
The costs of running a football club here have been in the news recently. I mentioned a while back it was unlikely Perseman were unlikely to travel to Palembang for the second leg of the Copa Indonesia tie with Sriwijaya and that is what happened. Now there are rumours PSMS Medan may not even finish the season with funds having dried up and the local government seemingly unwilling to open their wallets.
All very timely because next season, if all goes to plan, there will be a single division league of 18 clubs and the cost of PSMS getting to PSM Makassar or Persipura Jayapura are astronomical.
Persib fans were protesting the other day in Bandung. They marched through the city demanding a new stadium with improved facilities like toilets, canteens and prayer rooms. Persib are perhaps the savviest club in the league and their fans are behind many websites, blogs and magazines devoted to their heroes. As I reported the other day there are plans of a new stadium out there but things move painfully slowly in Indonesia.
Much focus continues on the shenanigans, or lack thereof, at the Indonesian FA where the game’s governing body FIFA instructed new elections be held for the post of General Secretary given the incumbent is now doing bird. For the Indonesians though this is no big deal as it’s not exactly a unique situation. The great and the good often get a spell behind bars, often for politically motivated ‘crimes’ and are very well looked after they are by all accounts. Still, while the media and FIFA scream the authorities sit back in time honoured style and do zip, hoping today’s hoo haa becomes tomorrow sate ayam paper.
While these bods sit on their hands and wonder how to maintain their influence and patronage the national team are preparing for World Cup Qualifying fixtures not having played a game since the Asian Cup. The Under 16’s are competing in the Asian Cup Qualifiers, the Under 19’s likewise while the Under 23’s are preparing for the SEA Games in Thailand. With little substantive support from the apparatchiks in Senayen. On Tuesday the young Indonesians put on a credible performance eventually going down 2-1 to regional powerhouse Japan.
The Copa Indonesia is reaching its Quarter Final stage with 9 clubs battling it out. PSMS Medan, Sriwijaya, Persita, Persija, PJ Purwakarta, Persekabpas, PSM, Sidoarjo and Persipura are in the running with PSM yet to play home and away with Persija; an oft celayed tie that may see the light of day in the middle of November, subject to national team commitments, the weather and whether they can arrange cheap flights.
The costs of running a football club here have been in the news recently. I mentioned a while back it was unlikely Perseman were unlikely to travel to Palembang for the second leg of the Copa Indonesia tie with Sriwijaya and that is what happened. Now there are rumours PSMS Medan may not even finish the season with funds having dried up and the local government seemingly unwilling to open their wallets.
All very timely because next season, if all goes to plan, there will be a single division league of 18 clubs and the cost of PSMS getting to PSM Makassar or Persipura Jayapura are astronomical.
Persib fans were protesting the other day in Bandung. They marched through the city demanding a new stadium with improved facilities like toilets, canteens and prayer rooms. Persib are perhaps the savviest club in the league and their fans are behind many websites, blogs and magazines devoted to their heroes. As I reported the other day there are plans of a new stadium out there but things move painfully slowly in Indonesia.
# posted by Me @ 3:14 PM 
