INDONESIAN FOOTBALL FOR THE WORLD

BACHDIM JOIN IPL

indonesianfootball — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 04:24:31 +0000

The conflict between Indonesia Super League (ISL) and Indonesia Premier League (IPL), has urged Indonesian rising star Irfan Bachdim to make a decision on the future of his career.

Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) has declared IPL as illegal competition, while Irfan Bachdim is playing for Persema, the new registered team on IPL. PSSI has announced that clubs, players, officials, and match commissioners who supported the IPL will get penalties and ban from the PSSI. Bachdim has decided that his future is with Persema Malang and he is not worried that he may lose his place in the national team. He considers his decision as the right one since Persema Malang is the only club offering him contract after he tried his luck in Indonesia since early 2010. He understands his club decision to join the IPL in order to maintain financial stability and he is also eager to experience a new atmosphere in Indonesian football as presented in IPL.(*)

Kim Jeffrey Kurniawan

indonesianfootball — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:30:57 +0000

Kim Jeffrey Kurniawan is another scouted young talented Indonesian footballers abroad. He was actually a German citizen, but has an Indonesian father. He is 20 years old and played for FC Heidelsheim last season. It was a low division German club.

As it is known Jeffrey Kim Kurniawan is a grandson of Kwee Hong Sing which is a former player Persija Jakarta and the Indonesian National Team in the era-the 1950s. At that time Indonesia is handled by the national team coach from Yugoslavia, Antun Pogacnik. Under the tutelage of Pogacnik, Indonesia won the bronze medal in 1958 Asian Games, almost surpass the Soviet Union Lev Yashin reinforced at the Olympics in 1956, beat China in World Cup qualification in 1958, and won Merdeka Cup in Malaysia in 1961 and 1962. Kim Jeffrey Kurniawan is projected to be part of Olympic Team once his Indonesian citizenship is completed. (*)

Syaffarizal Mursalin Agri

indonesianfootball — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:22:35 +0000

Another young talented Indonesian footballer is scouted abroad. He is Syaffarizal Mursalin Agri. He plays for Al-Khor junior in Qatar. He is 18 years old now. He started playing for Al-Khor Junior since he was 13 years old (2005) and scored 15 goals in his first season.

Qatar Football Association has planned to provide citizenship for this talented young player, but he refused it. Agri played football in Qatar ever since he was 4 years old, due to his father’s work in Qatar Gas Company. He is now under Aspire program in Qatar and trained by at least three coaches from European countries. The Indonesian Football Association has enlisted Agri as main player for Olympic Team during Qualifying Round in 2011. He will play with other talented youngsters like Bachdim, Kim Jeffrey Kurniawan, Kurnia Mega, and Okto Maniani. (*)

Marquee Player

indonesianfootball — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 08:01:04 +0000

Indonesia Premier League introduces marquee player system to promote the League. Marquee player is known as “guest player”, usually ageing star players, contracted by sponsor and play in the League for a short duration of time. The marquee player system has been implemented in US Major League Soccer and A-League Australia. There is no expectation that these star players will stay on beyond the initial terms of contract. However, it might be a good way to road-test an ageing superstar to see if they have managed to retain enough of their touch to be worth signing longer term.

In practice, marquee players can be divided in to two groups: high profile overseas players and big name local players returning home to give something back to the local game before retirement. Generally, the overseas marquee star players are attacking midfielders or strikers while the local marquees are selected across the full range of positions including some quality defenders. A-League Australia contracted Dwight Yorke, Scott Gemmil, Juninho, Romario, Mario Jardel, and other ageing star players as marquee players for the last three years.

Indonesia Premier League Consortium also implements similar way to promote the League. Some ageing star players like Roy Makaay or Asian players like Nakata, Endo, and Nakamura, are also planned to play as marquee players in IPL. So far, we are still waiting on which star players that will be marquee players for IPL in January 2011. *

Irfan Shines as Indonesia Wins

indonesianfootball — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 05:44:39 +0000

Finally, Indonesian football lovers have the chance to see Irfan Bachdim on AFF Suzuki Cup Group Qualification in Jakarta between 1 and 7 December 2010. The trust given by Coach Alfred Riedl for him to play as second striker for the main striker Christian Gonzales was really paid off. He scored two goals in three games and exploring the field from one side to another side of the pitch.

With his European game style, he opened space for “el locco” Gonzales, Maniani, Arief Suyono, and Firman Utina, to attack the enemy defense line. His experience as player for FC Utrecht brings new spirit for other players in the team. Coach Riedl called him after playing for half season in ISL with Persema Malang. The funny thing about Bachdim was, he played his first football game with Persikad Depok, before he went to Netherland. Persikad Depok is now playing in lower division. People are now anxious on his next contribution for Indonesia, especially when Indonesia is running out young striker like him and Boaz. The era of Bambang Pamungkas, Ellie Aiboy, and Budi Sudarsono are about to end in a year or two. So, Bachdim, keep up the good play..!! (*)