Dutch Here To Play, Not Enjoy the Scenery, Riedl Says

Jakarta Globe, Wimbo Satwiko | October 04, 2010

Jakarta. One thing is certain for national team coach Alfred Riedl. If the Dutch players arrive in Jakarta as planned, they won’t be spending a lot of time sightseeing.

Jeffrey de Visscher

Dutch nationals Jhon van Beukering, Rafael Guillermo Maitimu and Jeffrey de Visscher are expected to arrive today to join the Indonesian national team.

With the inclusion of the three players, Merah Putih will feature non-Indonesians for the first time in its history.

Their inclusion is part of a state program to naturalize foreigner players of Indonesian descent and boost the national team’s chances in international competition.

That scheme will immediately be given a stern test when Indonesia takes on Uruguay in a friendly on Friday.

Riedl said the Dutch players wouldn’t be sitting by idly.

“They’re coming here, so they have to play,” Riedl said on Monday. “They’re not coming here to enjoy the city scene, are they?”

“Of course, I’ll give others a chance to play as we have to think of the whole team for the [Asean Football Federation] Cup,” he added.

To prepare his squad for the Uruguay match, Riedl reopened training camp on Monday at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

It was Riedl’s first public appearance since concluding a scouting trip to the Netherlands last month.

On the visit, Riedl picked out forward van Beukering and midfielder de Visscher, who play in the Dutch second-tier, and midfielder Maitimu, who is signed with a Chinese second-tier team.

Jhon van Beukering

Riedl told his players the game against Uruguay was serious and he wanted them to treat it as “a learning experience.”

“We’ll try to make a good match out of this, and we hope we can learn from them,” Riedl said.

Uruguay is expected to field Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan on Friday, scorer of five goals in the World Cup in June and winner of the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.

Goalkeeper Markus Haris Maulana said he wouldn’t be too disappointed if the visitors kept him busy.

“I’m not too concerned that Uruguay will score a lot as it’s only a friendly,” he said. “The most important thing is we learn from this match to make us better for the AFF Cup.”

Riedl has called up several players who weren’t on the first training camp last month.

The coach has added more firepower by bringing in Persipura Jayapura striker Boaz Solossa and balance in the midfield with Persela Lamongan’s Slamet Riyadi, Arema’s Irfan Raditya and Sriwijaya FC’s Oktovianus Maniani and Fauzal Mubarak.

Defender Yesaya Desnam of Persiwa Wamena was recalled after Ricardo Salampessy was ruled out with a foot injury.

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