"We will maintain the current national team players because they are the best players we have at present. We will keep fielding them for the remaining four matches of the pre-world cup," the PSSI chairman Djohar Arifin HusinJakarta (ANTARA News) - The All Indonesia Soccer Association (PSSI) will maintain the composition of the Indonesian senior team players despite the team`s losses in the previous two matches, the PSSI chairman said on Thursday.
In the first leg of the next Pre-World Cup 2014 round Group E, the national soccer team was defeated by Iran 0-3 (0-0) on September 2 in Tehran and to Bahrain 0-2 (0-1) on September 6, 2011 in Jakarta.
"We will maintain the current national team players because they are the best players we have at present. We will keep fielding them for the remaining four matches of the pre-world cup," the PSSI chairman Djohar Arifin Husin told the press.
Although the national soccer team failed to get even a point after being defeated by Iran 0-3 on September 2 in Teheran and lost to Bahrain 0-2 on September 6 in Jakarta, Djohar reminded that the senior team has led Indonesia into the third round of the Pre-World Cup 2014 as that ever achieved by the country`s team in 1986.
"The defeat from Iran and Bahrain had caused all parties disappointed, including the players themselves. They also told me about their disappointment. They are the best players we have had and have managed to improve Indonesia`s world ranking from 137 to 131. We must be realistic to see that all," Djohar pointed out.
Meanwhile, the PSSI chairman strongly denied a reshuffling issue that the senior team players will be replaced by the under 23 years old (U-23) team players.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
