Keeping The Golden Generation, The Chairman Of PSSI Wants The National Team To Have The Stock Of Football Players For All Age Groups

JAKARTA - Chairman of the All-Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Erick Thohir hopes that the national team will have a sufficient and adequate stock of players at all ages. This is in order to maintain the momentum of the golden generation.

"Earlier, I also had time to calculate with the waketum, Coach Indra and Exco, at least five times the U-17 number is eleven, at least 55 players while in U-20 there must be four times eleven, so a maximum of 44, as well as in the senior group who must have 33 players," said Erick Thohir quoting Antara, Saturday, September 9.

This was conveyed by Erick after the FIFA Matchday match at the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium (GBT) Surabaya, Friday (8/9) night.

However, the man who also serves as Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) admitted that this was not easy. Therefore, he continued, currently must maximize coaching for U-22 and U-23.

"Currently, the momentum of distribution of Indonesian U-22 and U-23 players who are also the golden generation must be maximized, lest we regret it," he said.

According to him, many in other countries have missed their youth development and in the end have not received maximum results.

"If so, we will wait again for 10 years, therefore the momentum is currently good, don't waste it," he said.

In addition, he is also grateful for the victory achieved by the senior Garuda Team against Turkmenistan because it can change the ranking position in FIFA.

"This is a good result because Turkmenistan is higher, meaning that Indonesia's position can rise to rank 147 or 148. We will see later because this also depends on other countries competing as well," he said.

Erick Thohir assessed that September 2023 was a tough month for Indonesian football because there were several age groups that had to compete or conduct training camps.

"There is a U-17 national team that must enter the training center and the U-23 national team also plays in the Asian Cup," he said.

Therefore, the former president and owner of the Inter Milan club stressed to immediately increase the stock of national team players for coaching.