Sunday, July 25, 2010
Benny's days are numbered?
Following Persija's elimination from the Indonesia Cup, coach Benny Dollo will spend the days anxiously pondering his future while the club's management do a complete assessment of the season just gone.
Despite the investment in big name players as well as some old hands who have been with the club many years they were unable to find any consistency, especially in the second half of the season, to mount any kind of title challenge.
As ever with Persija the problems were as much off the field as on. Before the campaign even began some guy turned up offering untold millions to take control of the club but when it came to 'show us the cash' nothing happened.
By the time a coaching team was installed most players had already found clubs and Persija were left filling their ranks with bit part players from other teams.
Then of course there was an inability to stage home games. Venues were changed at the last minute, one game was cancelled minutes before kick off. The club are a lesson in crisis management and what not to do and you get the feeling nothing will change any time soon.
The story that Dollo's position would come under scrutiny, despite the supposed safety net of a two year contract, isn't new. What is interesting is that it has taken so long to break. I first heard rumours when I was last in Bangkok and then was asked about it in Singapore. Someone who has dealings with Persija management confirmed it all a few weeks back.
To be fair to Benny he didn't actually take control of the team until his contract with the national team had ended and so it could be argued he wasn't involved in all the decisions taken before then.
Questions though could be asked about the signings he made during the transfer window. Firman Utina aside both Serge Emaule and Papa Toure failed to impress anyone and didn't significantly bring anything new to the team who still played like they have done the last few seasons.
# posted by Me @ 7:30 AM 
