Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Persitara in the Dark?
Good old Persitara, they have been good for a few stories recently. Some of which I even posted on here.
But the end could soon be nigh for the side from North Jakarta unless they can find some money by yesterday.
Of course how a club with no finances and no stadium could even enter the brave new world of professional football here is another story and one that is well rumoured but little written about.
Persitara's hopes this season rested on handed out from local government even though they had been told this would no longer be forthcoming.
They had hoped to play their home games at the cavernous Bung Karno (capacity 88,000) even though their average attendance was about 7,000 last season.
Their first home game was on Monday night against city rivals Persija and it was played in front of no fans four hours from Jakarta. Even then kick off was delayed because no one could afford to pay for the lights.
The club now seem to have come to their senses and said that unless sponsorship isn't forthcoming over the next day or so they will withdraw from the competition.
Other issues are still outstanding. Former coach Richard Azreg never got paid for a few months, players weren't given contracts. If they had no contract then surely they were not registered with the local FA? Playing unregistered players is a serious business in many countries.
But not here perhaps.
It doesn't matter whether it is the Super League or the Premier League, football here continues to plod along and provide great amusement to many people on the outside and immense frustration to those on the inside.
This country will never realise its full potential all the while this sort of stuff is allowed to happen.
But the end could soon be nigh for the side from North Jakarta unless they can find some money by yesterday.
Of course how a club with no finances and no stadium could even enter the brave new world of professional football here is another story and one that is well rumoured but little written about.
Persitara's hopes this season rested on handed out from local government even though they had been told this would no longer be forthcoming.
They had hoped to play their home games at the cavernous Bung Karno (capacity 88,000) even though their average attendance was about 7,000 last season.
Their first home game was on Monday night against city rivals Persija and it was played in front of no fans four hours from Jakarta. Even then kick off was delayed because no one could afford to pay for the lights.
The club now seem to have come to their senses and said that unless sponsorship isn't forthcoming over the next day or so they will withdraw from the competition.
Other issues are still outstanding. Former coach Richard Azreg never got paid for a few months, players weren't given contracts. If they had no contract then surely they were not registered with the local FA? Playing unregistered players is a serious business in many countries.
But not here perhaps.
It doesn't matter whether it is the Super League or the Premier League, football here continues to plod along and provide great amusement to many people on the outside and immense frustration to those on the inside.
This country will never realise its full potential all the while this sort of stuff is allowed to happen.
# posted by Me @ 4:50 PM 
