Thursday, August 30, 2012
Michiels Stuck In The Middle
Diego Michiels was one of the handful of players brought
over by the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) to add some zest to what had
become a predictable national team.
With an Indonesian father, Michiels was eligible and to
press his claims he gave up his career in the Netherlands, where he played for
Go Ahead Eagles, and was snapped up by Pelita Jaya.
The 22 year old left back made an immediate impression in
the 2011 SEA Games when Indonesia just lost out to Malaysia on penalties in the
final. But Michiels performances impressed many and, unlike Kim Jeffrey
Kurinawan and Irfan Bachdim before him who were both brought over from Europe
to play in the national team, Michiels had attitude which many related to.
Unfortunately he was soon unwittingly caught up in the
imbroglio that continues to harm Indonesian football. Pelita Jaya, the club he
had signed for, played in the unofficial Indonesia Super League and when the
PSSI announced no played in the ISL would be called up for the national team he
was in a quandary.
Playing for the national team was major motivation for him
in taking Indonesian citizenship.
After a couple of games he switched clubs, joining Persija
in the officially sanctioned Indonesia Premier League.
That made him eligible, again, for the national team and
with continued good performances for his new club he was called up by the full
national team for his debut in a World Cup Qualifier away to Bahrain. It was a
debut to forget as Indonesia lost 10-0!
With a busy September lined up for the national team, coach
Nil Maizar called up the 22 year old for the training camp ahead of the friendlies.
But games against the likes of Everton, Galatasaray and
Espanyol failed to materialize and in the meantime Michiels had signed for
Arema on loan with the aim of playing in their AFC Cup quarter final against Al
Ettifaq later in the month.
Michiels reportedly quit the training camp to join his new
Arema team mates as they prepare for their crucial games later in the month,
putting him directly in conflict with the national team who have friendlies
that clash with the Arema game.
Clearly Michiels has decided to put club before country and
Maizar has responded by dropping him from the team. Considering playing for Indonesia was a major motivator, what changed?
Where that leaves Michiels is as unclear as where Indonesian
football stands. For a young man just wanting to play football, he finds
himself caught in the middle of the maelstrom that surrounds the game and is
damaging the very assets it is supposed to protect and develop.
UPDATE - since I posted this Diego has been on Twitter giving his side of the story.
#1 You ask me to stay few times but I told you I have a contract and they need me and that I'm back next month if u still need me
#2 few other players go out for many days you don't know where they are, but about that I don't hear you talkin about
#3 I have a contract I must follow the contract 26th september my contract ends and I told you to come back then
UPDATE - since I posted this Diego has been on Twitter giving his side of the story.
#1 You ask me to stay few times but I told you I have a contract and they need me and that I'm back next month if u still need me
#2 few other players go out for many days you don't know where they are, but about that I don't hear you talkin about
#3 I have a contract I must follow the contract 26th september my contract ends and I told you to come back then
# posted by Me @ 6:07 PM 
