The Rules Of The U-21 Players Become A Challenge For The Indonesian League 2 Contestant

Persik Kediri Coach Stefan Keleltjes/Cosmas/VOI

JAKARTA The implementation of the U-21 player regulation in the Indonesian League 2 Pegadaian competition for the 2024/2025 season will be a tough challenge for the clubs competing.

Liga 2 officially took place on Saturday, September 7, 2024 yesterday. The event, which marked the competition, officially started, took place before the kick-off between Persibo Bojonegoro and Gresik United at the Lt. Gen. H. Sudirman Stadium, Bojonegoro, East Java.

In addition to changing the competition format, League 2 this season also presents rules related to U-21 players. The regulation requires each club to register five Under-21 players and must ensure they get minutes to play in every game.

This regulation aims to give players flight hours and opportunities for them to develop in professional competitions. However, getting young players who can suit your needs is not easy for the club.

Gresik United coach Stefan Keleltjes said that all clubs would find it difficult to find players at that age with reliable levels. However, he acknowledged that this rule made them automatically more challenged.

"Every team will have difficulties. We are looking for U-21 players whose level is equal because that age the average departure is from the EPA (Elit Pro Academy). So, mentally, in flight hours, the experience playing at the highest level is definitely not as good as the others," he said.

A total of 26 teams have fought in Liga 2 Indonesia this season. The contestants were divided into three groups, two of which consisted of nine teams each and one other group with eight teams.

Persibo and Gresik fill the group with the fewest members. The other six teams in the group are Deltras FC, Persela Lamongan, Persewar Waropen, Persipal Palu, Persipura Jayapura, and RANS Nusantara.

Thus, Gresik and Persibo Bojonegoro each had to go through this stage by undergoing a total of 14 home-trip matches. Not to mention if they qualify for the last eight to fight for promotion tickets to League 1 or play in the round of 18 to defend the title of League 2.

Persibo coach Bojonegoro Regi A. Yonathan said that young players registered by the club must be reliable so that the coaching team does not bother if at any time their key players are injured.

"Of course, the journey is still long. We have to have a depth of the 2004-born squad so that we can rotate going forward. So far they have been able to compete with senior players," he said.

Regi's squad started Liga 2 this season with a smile. They took home three points after stopping Gresik with a narrow score of 2-1 in front of thousands of supporters of Laskar Angling Dharma.

Two goals for Persibo's home team were scored by Osas Saha and Jalangbakhsh Zabihi Taher, while the visitors' goal was scored by Azamat Abdullaev. These three goals were scored before the match was running for half an hour.

From this phase, the two groups with the most members will each pass the three best teams to the last eight. They were accompanied by two other best teams from the group containing Gresik and Persibo.

The eight teams that reach the last eight will later be divided into two groups, each of which contains four teams. Furthermore, leaders from the two groups will continue to the final round.

Both teams will win the status of League 2 champions and will automatically both get promotion tickets to the Indonesian League 1 next season. The second position of the two groups will play a playoffs duel to win one remaining promotion ticket.

Meanwhile, the teams that are fighting in the round of 18 will be divided into three groups, each of which contains six teams. Three teams carried away from each group will be relegated to League 3. So, a total of nine teams will play caste to League 3 next season.

Thus, the remaining 14 clubs will maintain the title of their League 2 team. The clubs will fight with clubs from Liga 1 2024/2025 who will play caste to League 2.