Club Polemic Doesn't Want To Release Players To The U-23 Indonesian National Team, PSSI Chairman: There Must Be A Way

The chairman of PSSI talked about the U-23 Indonesian national team polemic and League 1 (VOI/Ulfa Gusti) clubs.

JAKARTA - PSSI General Chairperson (Ketum), Erick Thohir, gave a response regarding the crowds of clubs in Liga 1 2023/2024 who were reluctant to release their players to the U-23 Indonesian national team. He is confident and optimistic that there will be a middle ground that will not harm both parties.

"I'm sure there is a way. If everyone wants to be willing, everything will be fine. Everyone wants to prioritize, is it red-and-white or group?" said the chairman of PSSI in the Central Jakarta area, Tuesday, February 20, 2024.

Previously, it was known that Indonesia U-23 would again call a number of players. This is related to the agenda of the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup which will be carried out from April 15 to May 3, 2025.

The 2024 U-23 Asian Cup is held at the same time as the 2023/2024 Liga 1 crucial weeks. This factor is the main cause of a number of clubs being reluctant to release their players. Moreover, it is known that the U-23 Indonesian national team did not appear on the official FIFA agenda.

"We will definitely talk later. Of course, when there is a club that supports the Indonesian national team, yes, we will discuss the flexibility of the league rules later. It is impossible for big leagues without the Indonesian national team," said Erick Thohir.

The chairman of PSSI clearly does not deny that League 1 must also continue to run competitively. Therefore, he hopes that in the future both the problems of the Indonesian national team and League 1 can be resolved properly.

"Without a clean league, it is impossible to produce good players. So, the problems of the Indonesian national team and the league will have a way out," he said.

Despite the polemic of competing players between the club and the U-23 Indonesian national team, Garuda Muda is in Group A of the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup with the hosts Qatar, Jordan, and Australia.