The Issue Of PSSI Coming Out Of AFF Is Just A Bluff, This Is What Mochamad Iriawan Said

PSSI General Chair, Mochamad Iriawan or who is usually called Iwan Bule. (Antara/Michael Siahaan)

JAKARTA - PSSI General Chair Mochamad Iriawan ensured that the national football body would not leave the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) membership after previously considering changing regional organizations.

"PSSI remains in AFF because Indonesia is part of ASEAN and Southeast Asia," said Iriawan at the Maguwoharjo Stadium, Sleman, Saturday (6/8).

Previously, PSSI had raised the possibility of moving regional football organizations from the AFF to the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF).

This is because PSSI was disappointed with the match Group A of the 2022 AFF U-19 Cup Thailand versus Vietnam, in July, which allegedly did not go well.

PSSI at that time considered Thailand and Vietnam not trying to win the match after the score was 1-1. The draw made Indonesia fail to reach the semifinals because it lost head to head to Thailand and Vietnam.

PSSI then sent a protest note to AFF. The AFF then discussed the PSSI protest, conducted an investigation and concluded that there was nothing wrong with the Thailand versus Vietnam match.

"We accept the AFF's decision with grace," said Iriawan as quoted by Antara.

However, the retired police officer with the last rank of Commissioner General remains determined to "revenge" the attitude of Thailand and Vietnam.

The trick is to improve the quality of the Indonesian national team in all age groups so that they can beat the two countries when they meet in the next tournament.

"We have to improve the quality of the game in order to get a win from them," said Iriawan.

Indonesia plays an important role because it was one of the countries that founded the AFF along with five others namely Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand on January 31, 1984.