Many on Dutch team have island roots.
Goal.com, By Andrea Canales and Bima Said, Jul 6, 2010 10:52:00 PM
FIFA World Cup 2010 - Uruguay vs Netherlands, Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (Getty Images)
Though his name might not give it away, one glance at Giovanni Van Bronckhorst informs viewers that he doesn't fit the stereotype of a tall, blonde Dutchman. Though born in Rotterdam, Van Bronckhorst's heritage is actually from the island nation of Indonesia.
Many of the most successful teams in the World Cup are in fact very international, and the Dutch are no exception. Van Bronckhorst will not only be the oldest player in this year's final, but his sizzling long distance strike for the Netherlands in the semi-final versus Uruguay will be remembered as one of the best goals in the tournament.
Watching players with roots in Indonesia be successful at the highest level of the game is a little bittersweet for soccer fans in the country.
Goal.com Indonesia's editor, Bima Said, offered more detail on the perspective of the country.
"Yes, Giovanni van Bronckhorst has many fans in Indonesia, particularly in the Eastern region (since he is Indonesian-Moluccan). I wouldn't say he is considered a hero, but I know many Indonesians will hope that at least some players with Indonesian descent lift the World Cup trophy. There are three other players in the current squad believed to have Indonesian blood: John Heitinga, Robin Van Persie and Demy De Zeeuw. Needless to say, there are many other players in Europe with Indonesian blood. The latest is Radja Nainggolan, who is now playing for the Belgian national team.
I believe that locals would love to see these players do more for the sport, but the problem is within our FA, who take little initiative to even care. There are many Indonesian players with potential, but nobody in the FA is doing anything about it. We have a so-called Super League with troubles on and off the pitch. Management issues, match fixing, officials taking bribes, a corrupt FA chief who has been in jail twice but manages to remain in power, absence of a strong youth system, and no initiative to build the national team which includes the involvement of talents from abroad. The list goes on and you will have a very long story.
It's not that Indonesian players don't care about building the strength of our football, but the main problem lies top-down rather than bottom-up. We don't have a stable system which forces players to look elsewhere eventually. Radja Nainggolan who is now with Cagliari in Italy wanted to play for Indonesia, GOAL.com Indonesia reported it, the FA didn't move, so he plays for Belgium.
"Right now we are on the verge of getting Sergio van Dijk in the Indonesian national team (he is Dutch-Indonesian but has always expressed his desire to play for the Red & Whites) after the FA finally showed interest, also due to poor results of our national team and many fans protesting. Sergio is also one of the top scorers in the A-League during the past two seasons."
Despite Nurdin Halid, in this file photo, saying that the PSSI has been having financial problems, Indonesian ministers are flying off to enjoy an African adventure at the football World Cup. (SP Photo)
Related Article:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.