High Hopes for the New PSSI Chief

The football community is now filled with hope after Erick Thohir was named chairman of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI). Let us ensure this hope is not short-lived.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

PSSI Chairman for the 2024-2027 period Erick Thohir (front right) received the PSSI flag from the PSSI General Chair for the 2019-2023 period Mochamad Iriawan during the handover after the PSSI Extraordinary Congress in Jakarta, Thursday (16/2/2023).

It has been decades since soccer was Indonesia’s strong suit, even at the regional level in Southeast Asia, despite the fact that this country has never been short of talented players. Our youth team has made a number of achievements, such as winning the AFF U-19 Youth Championship in 2013 as well as the AFF U-23 in 2019. Our senior team, however, has yet to become “fang-bearing lions” in Southeast Asia.

Looking back, Indonesia last won a SEA Games gold medal in soccer 32 years ago at the 1991 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Manila. The Garuda team has only won two SEA Games gold medals in soccer. The other medal was won in the 1987 SEA Games in Jakarta. These two medals were won during Kardono’s PSSI leadership.

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What is worse is that we have never won the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Cup. Of the 14 events held, Indonesia’s greatest achievement was coming in second place five times. Thailand has won seven times, Singapore four times, Vietnam twice and Malaysia once.

After Kardono’s era in 1991, we have been waiting so long for this proud achievement, but it never came. After Kardono, nine PSSI leaders have tried their best, from Azwar Anas, Agum Gumelar, Nurdin Halid, Djohar Arifin Husin, La Nyalla Mattalitti, Edy Rahmayadi, Joko Driyono and Iwan Budianto to Mochamad Iriawan.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

BUMN Minister Erick Thohir (right) gives a press statement after being elected as general chairman of PSSI for the 2023-2027 period in Jakarta, Thursday (16/2/2023).

And nine times, every time the PSSI leadership changed, the public renewed its hope in our soccer achievements. How come? Soccer is one of the most-popular sports in Indonesia, apart from badminton. So, it is ironic that compared to our worldwide achievements in badminton, our soccer achievements have been lackluster.

There is new hope now that Erick Thohir and Ratu Tisha were named PSSI’s chairman and deputy chairwoman respectively. Erick, who is also the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) minister, is known to be a drafter and hard worker, often proving himself through his performance.

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For one, Erick contributed to the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games and worked to reform SOEs with significant achievements, despite the ups and downs. Erick is also known as a sports enthusiast, especially for basketball and soccer.

Erick’s three priorities, namely supporters, training facilities and improving the quality of the national team, are equally important. We await the results of improvements made to these three aspects. What is also important is improving competition in the professional league as well as the sustainability of the youth leagues.

One of Erick’s efforts to improve the quality of referees has been approaching said referees himself. We hope that with sincere intentions, passion, hard work and courage, we will finally achieve this coveted goal, as Erick mentioned during the election process.

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.