NOBARTV NEWS – PSSI General Chair Erick Thohir really pays attention to fate Indonesian National team. In fact, he admitted that he would intervene if a club refused to release its players to the national team.
As is known, calling players to the national team is often a problem in Indonesian football. Yesterday, when the Indonesian U-20 National Team was going to carry out TC ahead of the 20 U-2023 Asian Cup, Persija was one of those who refused to let go of its players. Not only that, when TC was in Europe last year, Persija and also PSM Makassar refused to let go of their retainers.
Both teams have their reasons for holding back these players. Doll said as Persija coach, the Kemayoran Tigers who were called up to the national team were the mainstay players at the club. If they leave the club, then Persija will lack players in the midst of a very tight competition at that time.
In fact, the issue of calling up this player was so confusing that Indonesian National Team coach Shin Tae-yong and Thomas Doll had a heated debate in the media. The two of them exchanged sarcasm. Doll once called STY a clown trainer – and STY was annoyed and even reluctant to hold a virtual meeting when PSSI tried to mediate between the two.
However, with PSSI's new leadership under the direction of Erick Thohir, things like that have been and will be anticipated so that they do not happen again. One way that PSSI and PT LIB as operators of Leagues 1 and 2 have prepared is to schedule league matches as early as possible. So, the match schedule for the full season has been arranged and as far as possible does not conflict with the agenda or activities of the Indonesian National Team.
Thus, there is no other reason if the club later objects - even refuses to release its players when they receive a call from the national team.
It is known that throughout the 2023-2024 season, the Indonesian National Team in various age groups will have a super busy agenda. In the senior Indonesian national team, they will appear in the event World Cup Qualification 2026 and the 2023 Asian Cup. Meanwhile, the U-23 Indonesian National Team, Indra Sjafri's team will appear in the Qualification U-23 Asian Cup 2024, 2022 Asian Games (held in 2023), until AFF Cup U-23 2023.
So, it is only natural that Erick will take firm action and even intervene if a club refuses to release its players.
“I don't think there is a league that can exist without the success of the national team. "We will be seen by the world because of the national team, only after that the league," said Erick Thohir yesterday.
"This is the first time that PSSI together with the league and the National Team Body that have been established have agreed that all clubs are mandatory. "I remind club owners that it is mandatory to support the national team," added the man who also serves as Minister of BUMN.
Erick said, the League 1 schedule for the 2023-2024 season had been agreed upon long ago.
"Moreover, the schedule was agreed well in advance, not suddenly. "Before the league starts, we have provided the national team schedule," said Erick Thohir again.
“So there is no reason why clubs should not release players. If you don't want to let the player go, I will intervene directly. Where's the red and white?" he said in conclusion.
Must be able to support each other