Ill-Fated Indonesian Soccer

Why do human species conquer the world despite the existence of other stronger, quicker and bigger animals? It’s because only human can organize themselves effectively so as to protect themselves from any threats and through the very cooperation to achieve highest culture on earth. That specific trait has made human species prevails. The natural law is the better organization lead to more power.

We call it synergy which is to work in sync amplifying exponentially power of each part. It’s about developing cooperation. All human’s high achievements come from cooperation. The incredible moonshot stemmed from cooperation of American best minds rather than a work of one genius. Multinational corporations can only grow on ground of authority delegation and trust.

However, Indonesia seems to take the reverse way of human natural propensity. Indonesians prefer to weaken organizations rather than strengthen them. To exemplify, Indonesia’s political parties tend to be torn by strife, particularly after the party’s congress. Parties are usually established based on short term interest. People still join the party when they are given a good position in the party. If not, they will establish splinter groups.

It brings us to the recent chaotic Indonesia Soccer Association (PSSI) Congress in Pekanbaru last week. We see neither wisdom nor good will of incumbent PSSI officers. They have regarded PSSI as Indonesia’s political party. Taking up chairmanship of organization becomes everything despite compromising the future of Indonesian soccer.

The rule of organization should be so simple: to work together so as to achieve specific target in sustainable way. The rule for the chairman is also simple: if you can deliver the result, you can go on, if you can’t, please step down gracefully and pass the helm to other.

Nurdin Halid has assumed office since 2003 and has not given us any single trophy yet. In my opinion he has worked hard to make progress including the much-praised naturalization program, but to no avail. Worse, he fails to wean LSI off state budget whereas its competitor, Arifin Panigoro’s LPI, succeeds.

Organizational bickering devastates Indonesian football. Irfan Bachdim who has changed nationality can’t play for national team due to his club joins the banned-league. Now soccer fans talk about ousting Nurdin instead of how much progress Alam has done in Penarol. Much time and energy have been spent unseemly.

Frankly speaking, we are fed up with this relentless commotion of Indonesia’s organization including Soccer Organization which supposed to be ruled by sportiveness. We want to see the organizations that work well and bear fruit led by statesmanship rather than brinkmanship.

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