Tuesday, March 03, 2020
Bambang Responds To Sute's Dissent
One of the more intriguing moves during the close season was Persija's appointment of their former striker Bambang Pamungkas as club manager. Bepe of course bowed out at the end of last season bringing the curtain down on a 20 year career that saw him established as Indonesia's most lived player.
Now wearing a suit on matchday rather than the famous number 20 Bepe took his seat in the dug out on Sunday as Persija hosted Borneo in their opening Liga 1 game of the season and he wasted no time making his presence.
New coach Sergio Farias hooked Sandi Sute early in the first half replacing him with Evan Dimas. Sute wasn't impressed by the decision showing his frustration with a show of petulance in front of the bench.
Bepe responded by announcing Sute would miss the next two games as a punishment, a move that many Persija fans have applauded.
It's always a tricky situation when a player expresses such displeasure. No one wants to be subbed, especially so early but Bepe has taken Sute's action as a public show of disrespect to the new coach, something he is not willing to accept.
As a player Bambang tried to play the game the right way with fairness and respect and it is clear he wants to impose these values on the first team squad now he has the position to go with the respect he had as a player.
To be fair to the player Sute has apologised to the fans through his Instagram account.
# posted by Me @ 4:46 AM 
