GOOGLE SEARCH ENGINE
Custom Search

A Shock, but Axing Riedl Is Part of Cleaning PSSI's House

JAKARTA LIFE'S STYLE

When Djohar Arifin Husin was elected Indonesian Football Association chairman over the weekend, all football pundits and fans knew that he will bring about changes to the sport’s troubled ruling body.

He doesn’t have any ties with Nurdin Halid, the controversial former chairman of the association, also known as PSSI, and none of the new executive committee members, including vice-chairman Farid Rahman, held a significant position in the previous regime.

Djohar was part of the “pro-reform” side, the Group of 78 that had backed former Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Toisutta and Arifin Panigoro, one of the country’s richest men who is behind the breakaway Indonesian Premier League.

On the eve of Saturday’s election in Solo, Central Java, the group shifted their support to Djohar, with the obvious “blessing” of Toisutta and Arifin.

Because of a bitter rivalry within the PSSI between the old guard and the reformists, one can’t help but think that after its landslide victory in the Solo election, it was only a matter of time before the pro-reform group would ring in changes inside the association.

Rumors of the new leadership’s intention to “sweep the PSSI clean” of the old regime’s remnants have spread around, and the association’s rank and file have been crossing their fingers waiting to learn their fates.

When Djohar first visited the PSSI headquarters in Jakarta on Monday, he convinced the staff there was no need to fear.

“The staff are made up of professionals who’ve been making a living by working in the PSSI. It’s nonsense that I will fire them all, though I want to have a leaner organization to make it more cost-effective,” he told reporters.

But, whether one likes it or not, revolutions bring collateral damages. That happened on Wednesday with Alfred Riedl’s dismissal.

Out of the blue, Djohar announced that Riedl was no longer the national team coach, effective immediately.

But why Riedl? Why was it decided just a day before the national team was scheduled to begin training and just 10 days before the Merah Putih travels to Turkmenistan for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers?

In the midst of the country’s football turmoil, both inside and outside the pitch, the Austrian has given hope to millions of football fans. He exuded a stern exterior with a no-nonsense attitude but that helped to inculcate discipline in the team, a trait that has been missing among national playersfor so long. He was never afraid to cut players from the roster if they broke his rules, just like what happened with star striker Boaz Solossa and promising player Titus Bonai.

He was able to unite the country, both casual and avid fans, during the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup final in December. His squad lost to Malaysia but no one blamed him for that; players and fans even thanked him.

PSSI executive committee member Bob Hippy said Riedl was fired not because of his competency. There was suspicion that Riedl’s hiring bypassed the organization and was approved by only one official, former vice chairman Nirwan Bakrie.

Former PSSI secretary general Nugraha Besoes denied the suggestion, saying: “We always hired employees officially.” Riedl has been replaced by Dutchman Wilhelmus “Wim” Rijsbergen, the coach of IPL club PSM Makassar.

National team manager Iman Arif was also sacked and replaced by Ferry Kodrat, chief executive of Persibo Bojonegoro, another IPL club.

Djohar has taken a big gamble with these personnel changes, as those IPL boys seem to be taking over the PSSI.

Jakarta Globe
Share

RELATED TOPIC
0 komentar
Label: , , , ,

0 komentar:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments
 

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

RECENT COMMENT

Loading...