Monday, November 03, 2014
Indra Pays The Price
Indra Sjafri, coach of the Under 19 team that won the AFF Championship and qualified for the AFC Championship has been sacked. The reason? He didn't achieve the target of reaching the World Cup!
Football can be a heartless business and after all the work Indra has put in with the youngsters over the last year or so it does seem rather unfortunate. Especially when you consider it wasn't him that had the team travelling rond the country playing daft friendlies against teams that don't really exist.
No one seriously expected Indonesia to get out of their group in Myanmar; a group that consisted of Australia, UAE and Uzbekistan. To be brutal, Indonesia just ain't at that level and won't be for years to come. Playing West Java National Games Trialists is poor preparation.
No doubt there will be plenty of clubs interested in Indra's future. We know for example, Persija and Persipura are looking for new coaches for 2015. For me, Indra's best option would be to go overseas and learn alongside a seasoned pro in a different league to add to his education.
Indonesia doesn't need any more coaches that get recycled among the same clubs every few months. It needs people who can help develop players because sure as hell no other bugger in this place can.
Indra should do ok whatever happens. But Indonesian football remains hostage to short term thinking and politicking...that will not change any time soon.
Football can be a heartless business and after all the work Indra has put in with the youngsters over the last year or so it does seem rather unfortunate. Especially when you consider it wasn't him that had the team travelling rond the country playing daft friendlies against teams that don't really exist.
No one seriously expected Indonesia to get out of their group in Myanmar; a group that consisted of Australia, UAE and Uzbekistan. To be brutal, Indonesia just ain't at that level and won't be for years to come. Playing West Java National Games Trialists is poor preparation.
No doubt there will be plenty of clubs interested in Indra's future. We know for example, Persija and Persipura are looking for new coaches for 2015. For me, Indra's best option would be to go overseas and learn alongside a seasoned pro in a different league to add to his education.
Indonesia doesn't need any more coaches that get recycled among the same clubs every few months. It needs people who can help develop players because sure as hell no other bugger in this place can.
Indra should do ok whatever happens. But Indonesian football remains hostage to short term thinking and politicking...that will not change any time soon.
# posted by Me @ 12:49 PM 
