Djohar Arifin Husein (right) and Farid Rahman (left), chief and deputy-chief of PSSI. (ANTARA/Puspa Perwitasari)
Jakarta (ANTARA News) – After being elected chief of the All-Indonesia Soccer Association (PSSI) at its extraordinary congress in Solo, Central Java, on Saturday, Djohar Arifin Hussein is now facing great expectations in improving the quality of Indonesian soccer.
Part of the expectations is how Djohar can make a success of Indonesia in hosting the upcoming Sea Games, including to become soccer champion.
Prof Dr. Djohar Arifin Hussein (born in Tanjung Pura, North Sumatra on September 13, 2011), former deputy minister of youth and sport affairs, in a bid to respond to meeting the great hopes, promised to prioritize the preparations for the national team to the SEA Games in his first 100 days in office.
To him, soccer is not a new business because he used to be a soccer player himself in North Sumatra`s well known team of PSMS Medan from 1973 to 1976.
In the 1976 – 1987 period, Djohar was National and International Referee, holding the S-3 soccer (football) coach certificate.
Djohar then became PSSI match inspector in 1987. In 2003 he was International Football Match Inspector.
In 1994 he was chosen PSSI National Junior Team Manager for the Asian Championship in Bangkok.
In the same year, he was coach of the student national team to the ASEAN students sport week in Singapore.
Djohar became PSSI national team manager to Myanmar in 2003 and national junior team manager to the ASEAN championship in Vietnam in the same year.
He served as secretary general to the Indonesian national sports committee (KONI) for the 2003-2005 period, and Sea Games federation member in the same period.
Djohar also served as Vice President of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation in the 2005-2009 period.
Speaking on his priorities to make preparations for the national team to the SEA Games (to be held in November this year), Djohar said he would do it due to a lot of pressures from football fans in the country who wish the national team could make an achievement.
“That is the demand from the people who are hungry for achievements from the country`s national team,” he said on the sidelines of the PSSI extraordinary congress on Saturday (July 9, 2011).
In view of that, he said he would work hard to prepare the team for the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
“Only the best will be recruited so that they would make the best achievements,” he said.
According to Djohar, the programs he would prepare immediately include revamping the entire infrastructure of the Indonesian soccer organization, revamping the young age coaching process, quality improvement of human resources mainly referees and coaches and build a clean competition.
On the election of Prof Djohar Arifin Hussein as the PSSI new chief, the North Sulawesi provincial chairman of soccer association Syahrial Damopolii said on the sidelines of the extraordinary congress that Djohar is most appropriate to lead the PSSI for the next four years.
“He has enough experience and background to guarantee the future development of Indonesian football,” Damopolii said.
In the second round of voting in the extraordinary congress, Johar who is also known to be close to the majority voters or Group 78, won 61 votes, defeating Agusman Effendi who collected only 38 votes, and one delegate abstained.
In the first round of the voting, Johar Arifin Hussein won 53 votes, Agusman Effendi 39, Japto Soerjosoemarno 4, Adhan Dambea 2, Achsanul Qosasih 2, IGK Manila 0, Iman Arif 0, Syarif Bastaman 0, and Sarman 0.
The PSSI chairmanship election was followed by ten candidates after another six contestants withdrew from the poll.
In addition, Farid Rahman was also elected as the new vice general chairman.
On the occasion, Farid gained 51 votes against Erwin Aksa who collected 48 votes out of the total 99 votes in the PSSI extraordinary congress which was organized by the PSSI Normalization Committee (KN) led by Agum Gumelar.
On May 20, 2011, KN failed to elect a new PSSI executive board chairman through its congress due to rivalries that prompted FIFA (Federation of International Football Associations), the body controlling football globally, to seek a settlement.
Following the failure to set up a new national football association executive board, Indonesia tried hard to avoid sanctions from FIFA.
Contrary to last May 20, the PSSI extraordinary congress in the historical city of Solo took place peacefully.
PSSI was established in Solo on April 19, 1930, with its chairmen Soeratin Sosrosoegondo (1930-1940), Artono Martosoewignyo (1941-1949), Maladi (1950-1959), Abdul Wahab Djojohadikusumo (1960-1964) Maulwi Saelan (1964-1967), Kosasih Poerwanegara (1967-1974), Bardosono (1975-1977), Moehono (1977),
Ali Sadikin (1978-1981) Syarnoebi Said (1982-1983), Kardono (1983-1991), Azwar Anas (1991-1999), Agum Gumelar (1999-2003), Nurdin Halid (2003-2011), and Agum Gumelar (interim 2011).
In the meantime, a soccer observer in Medan, capital of North Sumatra province Syaiful Amri hoped that Djohar should first revamp the PSSI management because it will determine a success in running the PSSI organization. (T.B003/H-NG/S012)
Reporter: by BustanuddinEditor: Priyambodo RH Copyright © ANTARA 2011
