JAKARTA (14 Oct 2011) – There are still some uncertainty over the start of the new season of the Indonesian League 2011/2012.
Club managers met with league administrator Liga Prima in Jakarta this week to discuss the schedule and regulations for the upcoming season, which is scheduled to start on Saturday.
However, another split emerged among the clubs in the top flight, one that threatens to plunge Indonesian football even deeper into chaos and see it expelled from Asian competition.
During the meeting, the clubs demanded the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) call in Joko Driyono, the chief executive of former league administrator Liga Indonesia (PTLI), to present a report on the last season. While giving his report, Joko reminded the clubs that PTLI had pledged to give the clubs a IDR 2 billion (USD226,000) annual subsidy and a 99% stake in the company.
“PT Liga Prima only offered IDR 1 billion and a 30% share for the clubs. You don’t have to be genius to see which one is better,” PSMS Medan official Benny Tomasoa said.
Pelita Jaya technical director Rahim Soekasah said the PSSI should continue the previous policy to avoid any problems.
“I told (PSSI competition committee chief) Sihar Sitorus that he shouldn’t make things complicated. PTLI is ready to organize the league and the company has IDR 280 billion from sponsors. With such an offer, most clubs opted for the PTLI while a few clubs said it was a revolution so we had to start from scratch,” he said.
Fourteen clubs want PTLI to run the league, while 10 others — mostly promoted teams and ones that merged with clubs from the defunct Indonesian Premier League — prefer Liga Prima.
The 14 clubs propose starting the new league on 1 Dec 2011, which would miss an Asian Football Confederation deadline to start the league by 15 October and lead to a ban from continental events until 2015.
They also claim to have support from five members of the PSSI executive committee.
Even Saturday’s season opener at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung is in doubt.
Semen Padang is among the group of 14 clubs, while Persib Bandung did not attend the meeting because they reportedly were not invited.
SOURCE: Jakarta Globe
