AFF Cup 2018: Indonesia - the "eagle" with broken wings

superficial preparation

This is the fourth time in history that Indonesia has been eliminated from the group stage since the regional tournament in 1996. "The Indonesian National Team has been officially eliminated from the AFF Cup while there is still one match left to play. This is truly a disaster for Indonesian football," Bola newspaper opened.

Army General Edy Rahmayadi, President of the Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI), was held responsible for the team's failure. Photo: Internet

“Honestly, I cannot accept the way our team was eliminated from this year's tournament. Maybe Indonesian football is not as good as Cambodia or Timor Leste," wrote an Instagram account named "aemph06". In fact, they only beat Timor Leste, losing convincingly to Thailand and Singapore.

Obviously, PSSI's preparation for the AFF Cup 2018 is very superficial. An Indonesian fan commented: "Indonesia is the only country whose national championship is still taking place when the national team participates in the AFF Cup 2018, the PSSI President should resign with this way of working."

Perhaps only Indonesia has this way of doing things and of course it is inevitable that clubs will try to keep their players. It is not unfair when a fan named Raymaulvy bitterly said: "The Indonesian team is no longer of good quality, the Indonesian Football Federation is the worst federation in the world".

Two months before, the national team was without a head coach because coach Luis Milla had disappeared and could not be contacted due to salary disputes. Assistant Bima Sakti was assigned to take his place as the opening day approached.

Having set a goal of reaching the semi-finals of the AFF Cup 2018, Indonesia has now left the race early after losing to Singapore and Thailand and winning only one match against Timor Leste. It is difficult to blame coach Bima Sakti, because he does not have enough time and qualifications to perform miracles like coach Sven-Goran Eriksson of the Philippines team.

"Everything has its price. Coach Luis Milla is right to ask for more money because he is more talented than Bima Sakti. This can be clearly seen through the 3 friendly matches before the tournament. Obviously the quality of the players has not changed, but Mr. Sakti cannot do as well as Mr. Milla", a fan named Andika Kurnia commented on PSSI's Facebook.

“Tragedy, disappointment…”

It is quite funny that Mr. Edy Rahmayadi, President of the Indonesian Football Federation, when he took office, soon painted a vision: "The dream of Indonesia being present at the World Cup". Indonesian audiences ridiculed: "Will FIFA be able to bear the reality that a team that only beat the tiny team Timor Leste is present at the biggest football festival on the planet?"

Indonesia has been officially eliminated from the AFF Cup with one match left to play. Photo: Internet

Not many Indonesian fans hoped that the “Eagles” team, with their inconsistent preparation, could go far in the AFF Cup. But the current scenario of being eliminated is too humiliating and disappointing, because the position of Indonesian football after this tournament is placed in the group of Laos, Cambodia and Timor Leste, the teams at the bottom of the Southeast Asian region.

“Tragedy, disappointment, resignation” are probably the keywords that appear most on social networks and sports newspapers in Indonesia. Surely the Indonesian Football Federation will have to face a change in personnel and football practices in the near future.

But perhaps coach Bima Sakti and the Indonesian team need to aim for victory in the match against the Philippines on November 25 to appease public opinion and bid farewell to the AFF Cup 2018 with their heads held high.