"Our rank must be the first in Southeast Asia and clubs must also start to reflect on themselves," Thohir noted at the Bali United Training Center, Gianyar, on Saturday (Nov 23).
To improve the ranking, he continued, PSSI is working with the FIFA through its Club Management program.
The program facilitates Indonesia to invite clubs from several countries for a visit, including visiting Bali United and Dewa United.
The invited football clubs, he said, include those from Portugal, the UK, the US, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE as well as countries in the ASEAN region such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.
The program also enables Indonesian clubs to learn from the football legends, including Fabio Cannavaro from Italy, Eric Abidal from France and Dennis Wise from the UK.
"That is how we can learns from each other. We thank God for the visits of Fabio Cannavaro, Eric Abidal and Dennis Wise—they are happy here," Thohir said.
He hoped that through the FIFA Club Management program, each club in Indonesia can better improve their management for competing in the Indonesian league.
Such improvement is needed, he emphasized, because Indonesia is in a tough competition with some neighboring countries including Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia.
"So if Indonesia is easily satisfied (with our current ranking), do not be surprised that in the next 10 years, we will be left behind again," Thohir warned.
Based on the ranking released by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Indonesia is ranked 28th out of 47 members and ranked sixth in the Southeast Asia region.
In the ASEAN region, Thailand is ranked first, followed by Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines.
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Translator: Dewa Ketut Sudiarta Wiguna, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Arie Novarina
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