Indonesia gears up to kick off FIFA U-17 World Cup amid efforts to reform troubled local football culture

However, observers said more emphasis needs to be given to the development of the sport at the grassroots level.

“We are too focused on the national team without realising you cannot build a house starting with the roof, you have to start with the fundamentals,” said Mr Bernhard Schumm, former coach of the Indonesian national team.

“Long-term thinking, which is what is regularly happening in every European football’s top countries regularly, is not happening here. What we want in 10 years, and we have to start today.”

BOOSTING THE LOCAL SCENE

Clubs like Persija Jakarta, which plays in Liga 1 – Indonesia’s top tier professional football league – are leading the way in young talent development with football schools.

“(We have) a football school. The lowest (entry) level is at an early age from primary school, then junior and senior high school and beyond,” said the club’s president director Ambono Janurianto.

“After that, we have the academy. The aim of all these is for the players to make it to the main team, to become senior players. This can lead to the growth and transformation of football far better in Indonesia.”