Tuesday, March 03, 2015
Benny Dollo Takes Over Indonesia, Again
After being linked with all sorts of Dutch names the PSSI has finally made a decision regarding a coach for the national team. And it is, drum roll, Benny Dollo. For the third time.
Dollo is expected to take charge of the team ahead of friendlies later next month with Myanmar, North Korea and Cameroon being touted as possible opponents in local media. So expect a game to be lined up against a bunch of Africans looking for a club and Persija Under 21s.
It's not as if Dollo is not busy what with preparing Sriwijaya for the new season which could well start in April.
As ever the move smacks of short termism. Indonesia's World Cup fate is not known yet and no doubt the PSSI are keeping their purse strings closed while they await knowledge of who they come up against.
There is also a PSSI election on the near horizon and far be it for me to suggest that may have any bearing on a decision regarding the national team coach but during the halcyon days of two leagues, when a new leadership took over they unceremoniously ditched Alfred Riedl despite him taking the merah putih to the ASEAN Cup Final months earlier.
Under Dollo Indonesian have looked world beaters at times, thumping Brunei 9-0 at the 2001 SEA Games. And who can forget the Independence Cup in Jakarta back in 2008 when Indonesia lifted its last piece of silverware after defeating Libya 3-1 in the final. Actually, it wasn't really a win; Indonesia were training 1-0 at half time and story has it one of the coaching staff lamped the Libyan coach in the tunnel at half time. Libya did not return for the second half and Indonesia celebrated a hollow win with embarrassing gutso.
Dollo is expected to take charge of the team ahead of friendlies later next month with Myanmar, North Korea and Cameroon being touted as possible opponents in local media. So expect a game to be lined up against a bunch of Africans looking for a club and Persija Under 21s.
It's not as if Dollo is not busy what with preparing Sriwijaya for the new season which could well start in April.
As ever the move smacks of short termism. Indonesia's World Cup fate is not known yet and no doubt the PSSI are keeping their purse strings closed while they await knowledge of who they come up against.
There is also a PSSI election on the near horizon and far be it for me to suggest that may have any bearing on a decision regarding the national team coach but during the halcyon days of two leagues, when a new leadership took over they unceremoniously ditched Alfred Riedl despite him taking the merah putih to the ASEAN Cup Final months earlier.
Under Dollo Indonesian have looked world beaters at times, thumping Brunei 9-0 at the 2001 SEA Games. And who can forget the Independence Cup in Jakarta back in 2008 when Indonesia lifted its last piece of silverware after defeating Libya 3-1 in the final. Actually, it wasn't really a win; Indonesia were training 1-0 at half time and story has it one of the coaching staff lamped the Libyan coach in the tunnel at half time. Libya did not return for the second half and Indonesia celebrated a hollow win with embarrassing gutso.
# posted by Me @ 2:26 PM 
