Dutch Powerhouse PSV to Spend Part of Winter Break in Jakarta

Jakarta Globe, Ami Afriatni, December 19, 2011

Kevin Strootman of PSV in action during the training at the sports complex
 Herdgang in Eindhoven, The Netherlands on Wednesday. Dutch giant PSV
 Eindhoven will visit Jakarta next month, organizers said on Monday.
(EPA/Marcel van Hoorn)    

         

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While the domestic football in Indonesia remains beset with problems, its attractiveness as a destination does not appear to have diminished.

Dutch giant PSV Eindhoven will visit Jakarta next month, organizers said on Monday. The 21-time Eredivisie champion will play twice at Gelora Bung Karno, facing an Indonesia Selection on Jan. 9 and a Jakarta Selection on Jan. 12 in the Jakarta Challenge.

The Eredivisie began its month-long winter break on Monday, and event promoter Saujana Media claimed PSV would bring its best players.

“We also negotiated with Ajax to play here, but they had already signed a deal with another party,” Saujana Media event director S.T. Arasu said.

PSV is second in the Dutch league, a point behind leader AZ Alkmaar after 17 games.

Arasu said the Jakarta Challenge would be an annual event. He said organizers would invite other top European clubs to take part.

“We have a long-term plan with this event. That’s why we named it the Jakarta Challenge, not the ‘PSV Indonesia Tour,’ ” he said. “We plan to lure top clubs to play in the tournament every January starting with PSV. We’ve been in talks with Bayern Munich for 2013 Jakarta Challenge.”

The national team will make up the Indonesia Selection, while the Jakarta Selection will include players from the capital’s clubs plus former Manchester United star Andy Cole and Malaysian striker Safee Sali. Arasu said negotiations with Cole were in the final stages. “We are sure his presence will add plenty of bite to the Jakarta Selection forward line,” he said.

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