Triono Wahyu Sudibyo - detikNews
Semarang - Dari Magelang kemudian ke Yogyakarta, obor SEA GAMES bergerak dan akhirnya tiba di Semarang, Jateng, Selasa (25/10/2011) sore. Rombongan diarak keliling kota dan disambut hiburan.

Di perbatasan Kota Semarang, rombongan yang terdiri dari pembawa obor, komunitas moge, perkumpulan jeep, dan denok-kenang (putra-putri) Semarang melakukan serah terima obor. Dalam rombongan juga tampak punakawan dan maskot SEA Games.

Mereka masuk kota, berkeliling melintasi berbagai jalan protokol seperti Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan, Jalan Sultan Agung, Jalan A. Yani, dan finish di SMA Negeri 3 Semarang. Sekda Provinsi Jateng Hadi Prabowo dan Wali Kota Semarang Soemarmo HS serta sejumlah pejabat Muspida Semarang. Wali Kota Semarang Soemarmo menyambut kedatangan rombongan tersebut.

"Mewakili masyarakat Semarang, saya berharap Indonesia dapat menjadi juara umum," kata Soemarmo.

Malam ini, rombongan Torch Relay SEA Games XXVI 2011 akan dihibur dengan gebyar budaya di halaman balaikota, Jalan Pemuda. Mereka juga disambut beragam atraksi seperti komunitas wushu, sepeda onthel, dan capoeira.

Selain untuk hiburan, panggung besar di balaikota juga digunakan untuk seremoni. Duta Obor SEA Games, Ruwiyati menyerahkan obor ke Wali Kota Semarang Soemarmo HS, untuk selanjutnya diserahkan kepada Edhie Baskoro didampingi Menpora Andi Mallarangeng. Dari Ibas, obor akan diserahkan kepada Gubernur Jateng Bibit Waluyo.

(try/ndr)
Selasa, 25 Oktober 2011
JAKARTA (Suara Karya): Tanda-tanda SEA Games XXVI bisa digelar sesuai jadwal 11 - 22 November nanti di Palembang dan Jakarta sudah mulai tampak. Penyelesaian tempat pertandingan di Palembang tinggal menunggu tahap akhir sedangkan di Jakarta persiapan sudah mencapai 95 persen.

Selain tetap konsentrasi untuk menuntaskan tahap akhir pembangunan arena pertandingan dan penunjang lainnya, kegiatan untuk mendukung pelaksanaan pesta olahraga antarbangsa Asia Tenggara itu juga sudah mulai digelar. Kirab obor SEA Games yang nanti akan menjadi penyulut Api SEA Games pada acara pembukaan di Stadion Jakabaring, Palembang sudah diambil di sumber api abadi Mrapen, Jawa Tengah, Minggu dan kini di arak keliling Indonesia sebelum disemayamkan di Palembang.

Pihak keamanan juga sudah menyatakan, siap mengamankan pelaksanaan gawe akbar dua tahunan yang akan diikuti 11 negara anggota ASEAN itu. Kemarin pihak Polda Metro Jaya melakukan rapat koordinasi pengamanan SEA Games di Jakarta. Hadir dalam rapat tersebut, pihak penyelenggara (Indonesia South East Asian Games Organizing Committee/Inasoc), Asisten Operasi Kasdam Jaya Letkol Inf Toyo, Kepala Damkar dan Penanggulangan Bencana DKI Jakarta Paimin Napitupulu, perwakilan Dinas Perhubungan DKI Syamsul Mirwan, dan perwakilan Satuan Polisi Pamong Praja DKI, dengan Biro Operasi Polda Metro sebagai tuan rumah.

Menteri Pemuda dan Olah Raga, Andi Mallarangeng memastikan, pelaksanaan SEA Games XXVI di Palembang dan Jakarta berlangsung sesuai jadwal. "Semua akan berjalan sesuai jadwal, jangan khawatir," kata Andi Mallarangeng saat melepas Api SEA Games menuju Yogjakarta, di Komplek Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Minggu (23/10) malam.

Menurut Andi Mallarangeng, pihaknya sedang menyempurnakan beberapa fasilitas yang belum selesai dibandung. "Persiapan sudah berjalan dengan baik. Fisiknya boleh dikatakan sudah selesai tinggal mungkin satu, dua finishing. Sekarang kami menyelesaikan peralatan-peralatan yang dibutuhkan," ujarnya.

Soal target perolehan medali, meski tidak menyebut jumlah pasti Menpora optimistis Indonesia menjadi yang terbaik. "Tentu saja ada hitunganya. Yang jelas kami optimistis jadi yang terbaik," kata Andi Mallarangeng.

Sedangkan Inasoc DKI Jakarta mengklaim persiapan venue SEA Games XXVI/2011 di wilayahnya telah mencapai 95 persen. Sampai saat ini, panitia setempat menunggu realisasi perlengkapan yang menjadi tanggung jawab Kementerian Negara Pemuda dan Olahraga (Kemenegpora).

Sekum Deputi I Inasoc DKI Jakarta Teddy Cahyono mengungkapkan, dua venue yang masih dalam tahap penyelesaian akhir adalah venue BMX di Ancol dan dayung di Situ Cipule, Karawang. Dua venue cabor (cabang olahraga) andalan Indonesia itu pun, menurut Teddy, hampir selesai.

Untuk menunjukkan kesiapan venue di wilayahnya, Teddy menyebut sejauh ini dari 23 cabor yang dipertandingkan di Jakarta, hampir seluruhnya telah menggelar test event. Hanya tersisa golf dan wushu yang belum melaksanakan uji venue. Test event golf rencananya digelar pada 24-25 Oktober ini, sedangkan wushu pada akhir bulan. (Gungde Ariwangsa)
Defenders Oliver Nicholas and Rhema Obed maybe unfamiliar names to many but they have rubbed shoulders with the likes of Emmanuel Frimpong and Conor Henderson, two highly rated young Arsenal players. In fact, anorak alert, the four of them feature side by side in the Arsenal Handbook 2008/2009.

They're together no more of course. Nicholas and Obed are joining a couple of dozen other prospects hoping to get picked by SLeague teams ahead of next season. They will be taking part in open trials where SLeague coaches will have the opportunity to run their eye of the lads.

Timor Leste The Guests

Indonesia Under 23 will play Timor Leste Under 23 at Bung Karno Stadium tomorrow afternoon. Tickets cost 20,000 IDR and 100,000 IDR.

Irfan Bachdim burst on the Indonesian football scene some 12 months back but unfortunately it wasn't only his football people were talking about. His supposed boyish good looks, done nothing for me, had teenage girls swooning in ways Budi Sudarsono and Jendri Pitoy could only dream about. Bachdim, and his model girlfriend, moved from the sports pages to the front pages as the celebrity world discovered him and, momentarily at least, made the national team cooler than a polar bear in Raybans.

Soon, it became clear that Bachdim's focus was no longer on kicking a ball and his team mates. He spent more and more time on personal sponsorship deals, appearances and a movie, missing training and cutting a more remote figure at his club, Persema.

His presence made the unfashionable Persema, the other Malang team, the glamour club of the short lived Liga Primer Indonesia, adding a few hundred to the gate here and there but all was not well.

Advice is easy to find in football as in life. The trick is to filter the bullshit and that only comes with experience. Fortunately football is littered with the wreckage of careers damaged by the inhalation of fame, riches and recognition at an early age. Bachdim needed protecting if he was to fulfill his ability much like Alex Ferguson did with Ryan Giggs.

But with a model girlfriend and an entourage who loved the limelight more than he did Bachdim was backing a loser from early on. No longer a shoo in, his football star has waned while he has seemingly concentrated on his extra curricular activities. Perhaps they do earn more, perhaps that is what he really wants, perhaps we will never know.

Bachdim is a likable lad, bemused by the nonsense that surrounds him but not strong enough to knock it on the head. Now, after falling out of favour with the national team and the Under 23s he has been banned from all football for Indonesia for three months for not turning up for training camps among other reasons.
Remember last season? When the Indonesia Super League began, three clubs jumped to the breakaway, short lived, unloved Liga Primer Indonesia who promised to change the game but couldn't even finish the season? And FIFA talked tough saying the FA had to solve the problem of the LPI because you couldn't have two premier football leagues running simultaneously with one league not under their control?

Well, since those heady, exciting days the focus has moved on from football which is a shame because the same crap is going on. But now the LPI people are in charge of the Football Association and the ISL teams are threatening a breakaway.

The LPI version kicked off a week or so back with one game but the rest of the season has been put on hold while everyone gets excited about an Under 23 competition. No one is sure if the league will resume...hell, no one even knows what teams are in the bloody thing.

Meanwhile the ISL version has released some fixtures for their season which will begin in December, with a three week break in December!

Just to add to the mess there are two Persija's, one in each league but only the LPI version have been told they cannot use that name...they should call themselves Jakarta FC like they did during LPI when they failed to attract any fans.

Nope, I don't make this stuff up. If I was to write about it daily I would go ga ga, the mental and verbal gymnastics are mind boggling.

I trust the suits at the AFC and FIFA are keeping up with the events here. Perhaps they're waiting for something to actually happen rather than loads of piss n wind.

Being reported that Peter Butler, who used to play for West Ham United, will soon be back at the helm of Kelantan. Malaysia Football says the former coach of SAFFC, Persiba, Kelantan and Yangon United will return to his old desk next month.

SEA Games: Athletes' Dorm In Palembang Ready By November

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- The Indonesian SEA Games Organising Committee (Inasoc) for Palembang is confident the athletes village dormitory will be ready early next month, for the regional meets.

The Jakarta Post quoted Inasoc director for Palembang, Muddai Madang, as saying that they had begun installing household equipment, including furniture and electronic devices, for the dorms which should be completed by end of this month.

"We have placed items in the dorms such as beds, desks and chairs," he said.

Muddai said Indonesian athletes were scheduled to be in Palembang early next month, to ensure they had time to adapt to the venues.

The athletes village which is located in the Jakabaring Sports Complex will accommodate about 2,300 athletes and officials.

About 5,000 athletes and officials are expected to take part in the Games. Half the number will be competing in Jakarta.

In Jakarta, the organising committee has prepared 3,997 rooms at 54 hotels for 3,766 athletes, 1,877 officials and 1,135 referees who will stay in the city during the Games.

-- BERNAMA

Persib's Aussie Interests


This report suggests Persib Bandung are interested in a couple of Australian midfielders. Robbie Gaspar has spent several years in Indonesia playing for clubs like Persita, Persiba and Persema but has been without a club since leaving Persema during last season's short lived LPI.

The other Aussie reportedly interesting Persib is Goran Subara. The defensive midfielder (pictured top left playing for Gombak United) can also do a job in the centre of defence and had a short spell with PSM, also in the LPI, last season. He first came to prominence with Gombak United in the SLeague and after his unhappy PSM adventure he returned to Singapore with SAFFC.
Keith Kayamba Gumbs has been at the heart of Sriwijaya's successes over recent years and his consistent performances have seen him recalled to the St Kitts & Nevis national team for their World Cup Qualifiers.

They play Canada home and away so as well as adding to his airmiles Kayamba will get to play some football...something he is highly unlikely to do here for a while!

Obor SEA Games Dilengkapi Konstruksi Bunga Teratai
Tribunnews.comjakan.

"Obor gas ini rencananya akan dinyalakan Presiden SBY," jelasnya singkat.


Laporan Wartawan Sriwijaya Post, Syahrul Hidayat

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, PALEMBANG - Sejumlah tenaga ahli dari China mempersiapkan pemasangan tiang obor SEA Games 2011 di Stadion Gelora Sriwijaya Jakabaring Palembang, Jumat (21/10/2011).

Menurut seorang pekerja yang ikut membantu pemasangan obor, pemasangan tiang obor tersebut sudah tiga hari dikerdi atasnya dipasang bunga teratai, menjadi 20 meter," urainya.

Editor: Anwar Sadat Guna | Sumber: Sriwijaya Post
Akses Tribunnews.com lewat perangkat mobile anda melalui alamat m.tribunnews.com
Taufik Wijaya - detikNews
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Palembang - Rencananya, 3 hari menjelang pembukaan SEA Games XXVI, ruas jalan dari Bandara Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Palembang, sampai Jakabaring Sport City, akan dibuat steril dari mobil parkir. Hal ini untuk memudahkan lalu lalang kendaraan terkait SEA Games.

Demikian hasil dari rapat panitia yang dipimpin Kadishub dan Kominfo Sumatera Selatan, Sarimuda, Jumat (21/10/2011). Rapat digelar bersama Kadishub Palembang Masripin dan dari Polresta Palembang.

"Pada saat opening dan closing, akses jalan poros utama mulai ditutup pukul 14.00 WIB hingga pukul 21.00 WIB," kata Sarimuda.

Selain pengaturan arus kendaraan dan sistem parkir, Dishub juga menyiapkan tiga kendaraan derek yang ditempatkan di Jakabaring, Terminal Alang-Alang Lebar dan Karyajaya. Kendaraan derek digunaan bagi kendaraan yang mogok atau nekat parkir di sepanjang akses menuju Jakabaring Sport City.

(tw/fay)

" Sent from Smartfren Blackberry, Hebat Cepat Hemat "
Selain area pertandingan, petugas juga mengamankan 32 tempat akomodasi para peserta.

Sandy Adam Mahaputra, Siti Ruqoyah
VIVAnews - Sebanyak 10.886 personel gabungan polisi, TNI dan Satpol PP akan mengamankan jalannya SEA Games yang berlangsung di Jakarta. Pengamanan tersebut dimulai dari tanggal 8 hingga 27 November 2011.

Kepala Biro Operasional Polda Metro Jaya, Komsaris Besar Pol Sujarno, menjelaskan jumlah personel gabungan tersebut dengan rincian 1000 personel TNI, 3000 satpol pp dan sisanya jumlah personel polisi.

"Semua personel mengamankan 18 tempat pertandingan dari 20 cabang olahraga yang akan berlangsung di Jakarta. Semua tempat dan akomodasi akan disterilisasi," ujar Sujarno, Jumat 21 Oktober 2011.

Sujarno menjelaskan, tempat-tempat pertandingan diantaranya Gelora Bung Karno, Senayan, Veldroome Rawamangun, Gor Ciracas, Ancol, Lapangan Sepak Bola Lebak Bulus dan tempat pertandingan berkuda di Arthayasa Stable, Cinere, Depok, Jawa Barat.

Sementara itu, untuk 32 tempat akomodasi para peserta, lanjut Sujarno juga akan diamankan, tempat akomodasi juga tersebar di beberapa kawasan bahkan ada yang sampai di tempatkan di Pulau Putri yang berada di Kepulauan Seribu.

"Selain itu juga, sistem pengawalan peserta hingga ketempat pertandingan termasuk dalam pengamanan," kata dia.

Seperti diketahui, Untuk mengurangi kemacetan di Jakarat saat acara SEA Games berlangsung, Pemerintah Provinsi DKI Jakarta memutuskan untuk meliburkan siswa sekolah di ibukota selama lima hari.

Menurut Kepala Dinas Perhubungan, Udar Pristono, pengalaman masa-masa libur sekolah, kepadatan kendaraan di jalanan cukup berkurang hingga 30 persen.

Sementara itu, Wakil Kepala Dinas Pekerjaan Umum, Novizal, mengatakan selama jalannya ajang SEA Games, pengerjaan proyek saluran air di kawasan Thamrin dan Sudirman akan diselesaikan pada pertengahan Desember.

Tapi target ini dipastikan mundur, karena saat pelaksanaan SEA Games 11-22 November 2011, pengerjaan saluran air ini akan ditunda dan dilajutkan kembali setelah Sea Games selesai.

"Kalau sesuai kontrak selesainya pertengahan Desember. Tapi selama SEA Games kegiatan dihentikan dulu, setelah itu baru dilanjut lagi," katanya, Jumat 21 Oktober 2011.
• VIVAnews
Oleh: Harian BeritaPagi Palembang


INILAH.COM, Palembang - Pengurus tiga cabang olahraga (cabor) akan melarang perusahaan IT asal Malaysia, WSL, konsorsium dari PT Maxxima,menangani pengerjaan IT SEA Games, jika perusahaan tersebut gagal membuktikan kemampuannya, hari ini Jumat (21/10).

"Kita akan buktikan. Bila mereka tidak mampu, kami akan menolak PT WSL dan providernya di Indonesia, PT Maxxima, masuk ke areavenue," tegas Sekjen Pengurus Besar Persatuan Renang Seluruh Indonesia (PRSI) Tonny Sastramiharja, saat konferensi pers di Sekretariat KONI Sumsel, Kamis (20/10).

Turut hadir dalam jumpa pers itu, Ketua Umum Pengurus Provinsi Persatuan Renang Seluruh Indonesia (PRSI) Ahmad Rizal, Sekretaris PASI Sumsel Zulfaini M Ropi, Ketua Harian Perbakin Sumsel Dolok Saribu, dan perwakilan dari Pelti Sumsel Amruzi Minha.

Seperti diketahui, sebelas pengurus cabor resmi mengajukan protes kepada Kemenpora dan Ina-SOC pusat pada Selasa (18/10), karena telah menunjuk pemenang pengadaan barang dan jasa untuk IT penunjang SEA Games Palembang.

Protes ini dilakukan karena perusahaan yang ditunjuk sebagai pemenang pengadaan barang dan jasa untuk IT, WSL, dinilai tidak akan mampu melakukan pengerjaanGames Management System(GMS) danGames Result System(GRS), sesuai yang diinginkan penyelenggara, yakni acara pertandingan dan perlombaan tidak dapat ditayangkan secararealtimedanonline.

Hal ini lantaran WSL bukan rekanan dari Swiss Timing Omega, perusahaan pemroduksi alat pencatat skor.

Dikatakan, dalam pertemuan dengan Kemenpora di Jakarta, pihak Kemenpora tetap pada keputusan mempertahankan pemenang tender. WSL dinilai memiliki kemampuan mengintegrasikan sistem IT milik Swiss Timing Omega.

Setelah melalui diskusi dan perdebatan yang cukup alot, akhirnya disepakati, WSL akan dipertemukan dengan sebelas Pengprov di Palembang untuk menguji kemampuan perusahan IT dari negeri jiran tersebut. "Sekarang perwakilan dari Omega Swiss Timing telah tiba di Sumsel. Besok (hari ini -red) PT Maxxima dan WSL juga akan menyusul," katanya.

Menurut Rizal, mereka telah melakukan penyelidikan terkait kredibilitas WSL. Ternyata, perusahaan tersebut memang pernah menukangi IT SEA Games Laos 2009 lalu. Namun, sistemnya masih semi manual, yang mana hasil pertandingan dicatat dulu oleh panitia pertandingan, baru kemudian di-uploadke internet.

“Sedangkan dengan sistem GRS, dalam waktu 0,5 detik hasil pertandingan dapat terintegrasi langsung ke internet dan masing-masing stasiun televisi dari berbagai negara," paparnya.

Pemprov Sumsel sendiri telah membeli tiga alat standar olimpiade untuk venue atletik, menembak, dan akuatik. Tentu saja sangat memalukan kalau alatnya berstandar olimpiade tapi sistem IT malah manual.

Bila WSL terbukti tidak mampu melakukan pengerjaan GMS dan GRS, maka tiga pengurus cabang olahraga atletik, menembak, dan akuatik akan mendatangkan perusahaan IT dari Cina, atau perusahan lain yang punya afiliasi dengan Swiss Timing Omega. "Kemenpora mesti mencoret WSL bila perusahaan tidak mampu dan mengganti dengan yang lebih layak," katanya.

Sementara itu, CEO CEO Omega/Swiss Timing Mr Christophe Berthaud, mengatakan, pihaknya juga meragukan kalau WSL mampu mengintegrasikan dengan produk yang mereka miliki. "WSL tidak termasuk dalam daftar afiliasi Swiss Timing, mereka belum pernah melakukan itu. Tidak untuk WSL," katanya.

Sayangnya tes kemampuan itu kemungkinan tidak akan berlangsung. Pasalnya, alat Swiss Timing Omega yang dipesan Ina-SOC Sumsel masih berada di Bea Cukai Jakarta. Kemungkinan dalam dua hari kedepan baru bisa tiba di Sumsel.

"Tapi itu tidak jadi masalah. Setidaknya, kita akan mempertemukan pihak Swiss Timing dan WSL. Walaupun tanpa praktek lapangan, mereka bisa berdiskusi tentang cara pengoperasian alat tersebut," pungkas Rizal.
Metrotvnews.com, Palembang: Sebanyak 11 cabang olah raga SEA Games di Palembang terancam tanpa pencatat waktu dan papan skor elektronik. Pasalnya pihak operator informasi (WSL) yang ditunjuk kementerian pemuda dan olahraga, tidak bisa berintegrasi dengan sistim pencatat waktu yang ditunjuk panitia SEA Games.

Belum berhasilnya integrasi antara WSL dengan perangkat sistim pencatat waktu dan skor elektronik, membuat sejumlah petinggi dari pengurus besar olah raga mengancam akan menolak operator tersebut. Operator yang ditunjuk Kemenpora tersebut, tidak bisa berintegrasi dengan sisitim pencatat waktu dan skor yang ditunjuk INASOC, Swiss Timing Omega.

Perangkat Swiss Timing Omega tidak bisa berintegrasi dengan pihak operator WSL, karena operator tersebut belum pernah terdaftar sebagai perusahaan yang pernah berafiliasi dengan Swiss Timing Omega, perangkat yang sudah biasa digunakan pada Olimpiade dan Asian Games.

Adapun ke-11 cabang olahraga yang ditangani operator WSL adalah aquatik, atletik, menembak, renang, senam, voli, tinju, fin swimming, balap sepeda veledrom, dan dayung. Bila WSL tetap akan menjadi operator, maka ke-11 cabang itu bakal menggunakan hitungan secara manual, yang notabene akan membuat hasil terlambat keluar.(DNI)

With just about five games remaining in the SLeague it appears Home United are in pole position with a five point cushion over second played Tampines Rovers who have played a game less.

Last year's champions Etoile are out of the race, 10 points behind the leaders but then they did lose five points after getting involved in a brawl with Hougang United earlier in the season.

The title decider could well be on 23 November when Home travel to Tampines Stadium.

1 - Home United 28 21 2 5 70-70-27 65
2 - Tampines 27 19 3 5 54-22 60
3 - Albirex Niigata 28 19 2 7 75-25 59

Apologies for not having covered the best league in South East Asia in more depth recently...been somewhat desk tied...
Criminally I have not been keeping up with the Malaysia Cup over recent days. We're at the semi final stage now with the second legs being played tomorrow. As things stand:

Selangor v Terengganu 0-2
T Team v Negeri Sembilan 2-4

Is an all Terengganu final on the cards? NS's home advantage following their 4-2 win over the ever so daftly named (takes a deep breath) Terengganu PBDKT T Team makes it unlikely but this is Malaysian football after all so we'll see.

Negeri Sembilan have appeared in the last two finals, beating Kelantan in 2009 before losing to the same team in 2010, only their second ever success in the prestigious trophy. Selangor have of course won it on a record 32 occasions but the last time was 2005, an Arsenal like drought for them. Terengganu won their first and only Malaysia Cup in 2001 while T Team just have a daft name. Wonder what sort of support they get?
While Indonesia Under 23s defeated Mitra Kukar 5-1 in their latest friendly, holders Malaysia were in Ha Noi, Vietnam competing in the VFF Cup alongside Vietnam, Myanmar and Uzbekistan's Under 23 squads.

Malaysia started the campaign poorly, losing 3-1 against the Uzbeks. Next up was Myanmar and they won 2-1 with a late winner from Baddrol Bakthiar. They play the hosts on Sunday
I've missed out on Beckham mania. He started his football career when I had already left England so I was spared the hysteria and bullshit that accompanies people who are thought of as celebrities.

Now though it seems that I'm about to get my fair share with reports suggesting LA Galaxy will play a friendly in Jakarta at the end of November. Whether it happens or not it remains to be seen, and against who it remains to be seen.

Will it be worth going? A mid week evening game in the heart of Jakarta, pissing down with rain in the rainy season, standing in a sodden Bung Karno surrounded by day trippers and screaming pubescents taking pictures of anything on the pitch that has white skin, excitedly sending messages to their friends telling them breathlessly Becks waved at them, asking the guy next to them what colour shirt Beckham is wearing, a 1001 handphones with pissy cameras being used to capture the moment and You Tube being flooded with numpties and the moment they got close to the aging super star.

Think I'll give it a miss...
With the SEA Games, an Under 23 event, taking precedence over everything, including World Cup Qualifiers, the PSSI are busy scampering round trying to fine a venue to host the WCQ between Indonesia and Iran.

The game is scheduled on 15 November, check the AFC website, but that date falls slap bang in the middle of the SEA Games with Indonesia's Under 23s playing Thailand on the same day.

The WCQ dates were fixed months ago, the SEA Games dates earlier this week. It is heartening to know that there are people involved in running football in this part of the world who are totally incapable of scheduling a football match without having it clash with something of greater importance.

So now the PSSI are trying to find an alternate stadium so one country can host both the national and the Under 23 team on the same day. Clever stuff eh?

Two possibles being put forward are Jalak Harupat which is in the one street kampung of Soreang an hour south of Bandung, or Manahan Stadium in Solo which has the benefit of being in the city centre.

Then there is the small question of whether either ground is suitable. The AFC recently checked Indonesian stadiums and found only three met their standards; whatever they may be. One was Bung Karno, in Jakarta being used for the SEA Games, the Jakabaring in Palembang, being used for the SEA Games and the Mandala Stadium in Jayapura, about seven hours flying east of Jakarta.

But the PSSI are suggesting two grounds that don't fit AFC criteria...
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