Monday, September 14, 2009
Let Daniel entertain you
Indonesia's football media is geared towards Java. That's understandable in a way. It's where the vast majority of the population live, it's where the media is based. But what it means is that good news on other islands tends to be overlooked. Actually good news every where gets overlooked.
But in football terms we rarely get to see the Papuan sides, Persipura and Persiwa live when they play at home. PSM Makassar we may see once in a while. Persiba and Bontang never. Sriwijaya yes.
Most live games are filmed in Java and we just have to live with it.
But just 'cos we don't see them doesn't mean there's no good football out there. Take Daniel Roekito for example. After leading Persik to the title back in 2006 with a cavalier attacking football that left keeper Kurnia Sandy asking 'lads, a bit of cover once in a while mightbe nice' he took time off to take care of his wife.
His playing career never hit the heights but then neither did Arsene Wenger's or Rafael Benetiz'. And he many not even have an A Licence, oh my god, but you can be sure he is one of the most respected coaches in the game in Indonesia even if goalkeepers may not always agree.
Last year he took over as Technical Director at Persiba, one of them unfashionable teams. Up front he had Mushafry, Adrian Trinidad and Gaston Castano, all now moved on. In the middle there was Robbie Gaspar, at the back Mijo dadic and in goal Made Wirawan. What you have there is the core of a very good footballing team.
I saw them twice last season. Against Persija at the Bung Karno Stadium they asked a hell of a lot of questions of a side challenging for the title. They even took the lead, through Mushafry who last season also broke through into the national team with a number of David Speedie like performances. Not an easy guy to play against. Little wonder perhaps that Benny Dollo, his coach for Indonesia, should have signed him up for Persija.
Against Persitara it was like the Haarlem Globettrotters as both sides pushed caution to the wind and attacked liked crazy. Persiba won 2-0, that defensive spine of Wirawan, Dadic and Gaspar, so crucial and so un Roekito like.
This seson sees many new faces. Gaspar has gone as have Mushafry, Trinidad, Castano and a few others. But in have come Robertinho from Persija and Julio Lopez from PSM and gendut Doni from Pelita Jaya as well as some promising younger players promoted from the Under 21 side.
Persiba may not win much next season but watching them should be a barrel of laughs.
But in football terms we rarely get to see the Papuan sides, Persipura and Persiwa live when they play at home. PSM Makassar we may see once in a while. Persiba and Bontang never. Sriwijaya yes.
Most live games are filmed in Java and we just have to live with it.
But just 'cos we don't see them doesn't mean there's no good football out there. Take Daniel Roekito for example. After leading Persik to the title back in 2006 with a cavalier attacking football that left keeper Kurnia Sandy asking 'lads, a bit of cover once in a while mightbe nice' he took time off to take care of his wife.
His playing career never hit the heights but then neither did Arsene Wenger's or Rafael Benetiz'. And he many not even have an A Licence, oh my god, but you can be sure he is one of the most respected coaches in the game in Indonesia even if goalkeepers may not always agree.
Last year he took over as Technical Director at Persiba, one of them unfashionable teams. Up front he had Mushafry, Adrian Trinidad and Gaston Castano, all now moved on. In the middle there was Robbie Gaspar, at the back Mijo dadic and in goal Made Wirawan. What you have there is the core of a very good footballing team.
I saw them twice last season. Against Persija at the Bung Karno Stadium they asked a hell of a lot of questions of a side challenging for the title. They even took the lead, through Mushafry who last season also broke through into the national team with a number of David Speedie like performances. Not an easy guy to play against. Little wonder perhaps that Benny Dollo, his coach for Indonesia, should have signed him up for Persija.
Against Persitara it was like the Haarlem Globettrotters as both sides pushed caution to the wind and attacked liked crazy. Persiba won 2-0, that defensive spine of Wirawan, Dadic and Gaspar, so crucial and so un Roekito like.
This seson sees many new faces. Gaspar has gone as have Mushafry, Trinidad, Castano and a few others. But in have come Robertinho from Persija and Julio Lopez from PSM and gendut Doni from Pelita Jaya as well as some promising younger players promoted from the Under 21 side.
Persiba may not win much next season but watching them should be a barrel of laughs.
# posted by Me @ 5:28 PM 
