The Positive Side For The National Team Behind The Postponement Of The AFF Cup Schedule To December 5, 2021

Ketum PSSI Mochamad Iriawan (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - PSSI Chairman Mochamad Iriawan said the latest edition of the 2020 edition of the AFF Cup, which is December 5, 2021 - January 1, 2022, is positive for the Indonesian national team.

Of course there is something positive about the postponement of the schedule, namely that the Indonesian national team can make longer preparations, "said Iriawan, quoted by Antara from the official website of PSSI in Jakarta, Tuesday, December 8.

He, the Indonesian national team will prepare well for the tournament.

Iriawan hopes that whoever will protect the Garuda squad will always try to give their best in order to meet the target of winning the AFF Cup.

"We hope for the players who are called up by the Indonesian national team and play in the AFF Cup to fight hard and give maximum results. PSSI wants the Indonesian national team to win the AFF Cup 2020 which will be held at the end of 2021," he said.

The schedule is related, the man who is familiarly called Iwan Bule, that PSSI fully supports the decision of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF).

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the AFF confirmed that the 2020 AFF Cup took place in November-December 2020.

However, after COVID-19 spread around the world, AFF postponed it to April 2021 before changing the schedule again on December 5, 2021 - January 1, 2022.

AFF President Khiev Sameth stated that AFF always prioritizes the health and safety of everyone when determining the schedule of a tournament.

The end of 2021 carried out the ideal of the AFF Cup at least because of the first two things, the tight schedule for both international and domestic football tournaments in 2021 which was the result of the postponement of 2020.

Second, by rolling on 5 December 2021-1 January 2022, the AFF Cup is expected to rotate in a full format home and away.

"From 5 December 2021 to 1 January 2022 will provide the best opportunity for the tournament to be held in full format with home and away matches in the knockout system. The stadium will be filled with fans to watch their team. The ideal timing is that because, despite the encouraging results in vaccine development and vaccination implementation programs around the world including Southeast Asia, it still takes time, "said Khiev Sameth.