Indonesian Football Team or PSSI Humiliation?

Do our national football team have chance? Wait and see!

Friday, 8 October 2010, one of the biggest match in Indonesia was being held. It was a match between Indonesia vs Uruguay. Indonesia had a real challenge from Uruguay, which now seat on the 7th position in FIFA football rank, and the semi-finalist of FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa. Around 50,000 spectators came to support our National team at that time.

Indonesia expect for a glimmer of hope. Several days before the match was being held, newspaper intensively report our national team preparation, from our new prospectus coach, Alfred Riedl, to the invitation of foreign player who reported play in Netherlands League. It was a glimpse of hope, said one of commentator just a minute before the match started. Obviously, people all over Indonesia expect for a better team.

Our hope slightly answered when Boaz scored the first goal on the match for Indonesia, with a skillful individual ability. However, it only last for minute until Cavani scored with a powerful scoring header from Uruguay, and another goal from Suarez. Until the first half, our team was good enough to compete with Uruguay.

It come for the second half, when Indonesian team and spectators witnessed Uruguay world-class playing, and scored another 5 goals, some of them resulted from the mistaken of our defense line. We're being outplayed, said one of the commentator at the end time. Surely, every one will said the same, our national team was outplayed in technique, stamina, and teamwork. Not only against Uruguay, some previous matches against Australia, Vietnam, or Singapore also proved that we are lack of those skills.

At the end, we might have the same question, when our national football crisis will over?

Suarez's Goals

Who's to be blamed?
Just after the match finished, many soccer fans show their grievances, against the outplayed national team in Facebook and Twitter. Some of them blamed the defense player, some of them blamed Alfred Riedl, however, you must be agree with me, that most of them condemn PSSI. They were complained for lacks of managerial program from PSSI, from youth player development, until League's schedule program. "Even PSSI is not able to resolve their internal conflict, such as the election for a new PSSI chairman" one commentators wrote.

For sure, PSSI ought to be the most responsible one. Still clear in some of Indonesian fans when Indonesian national team in 1960's, when we were become one of greatest soccer team in Asia. Our youth development program had succeed to create regional-class player, such as Ronny Pattinasarani, Kurniawan, and BimaSakti. The last two even had chances to played in Italian league. Nowadays, we are lack of talented young player, while Thailand had Khiatisuk Senamuang which ever played in English league, or even Singapore that neutralized several International player.

Another PSSI homework is to manage domestic league competition. PSSI have to regulated about the use of foreign player in domestic teams, brutality among player and spectators is another issue that needed to be handled as it caused severe impacts toward the harmony of football player, and the prestige of domestic football in international point of view.

We are on a hardship. And will be last for ever, if PSSI let problems stay on the boat. PSSI are advancing for the next election of PSSI chairman. This is the time for PSSI to change. Changes never show its result instantly, but when it one succeed it will give an immense effect toward our football prospectus in the future.