A.S. Roma Player Nainggolan Wishes to Promote Indonesian Soccer

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - It seems the inner calling of Radja Nainggolan, a Belgian professional footballer who plays for Italian club A.S. Roma, has led him to visit the Indonesian Embassy in Italy to express his intention to help promote Indonesian soccer.

Radja Nainggolan (28), whose father is Indonesian (Nainggolan) and mother from Belgium, is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for A.S. Roma and the Belgian national team.

He has been a prominent Serie A club player of A.S. Roma since 2014. Nainggolan started his international career by playing in Piacenza, Italy, before joining Cagliari club in 2010.

While visiting the Indonesian Embassy in Rome a few days ago, Nainggolan told the Indonesian diplomats that he wanted to help Indonesian soccer team, especially through fostering and development of young talents.

Amid his tight schedule of taking part in exercises and matches in Italian league, Nainggolan took time to talk with the embassys officials about the possibility of developing young football talents, according to Charles F. Hutapea, the information affairs counselor of the Indonesian Embassy in Rome.

"Indonesian children and teenagers could actually become international-level footballers. However, this is hampered by the lack of opportunities for self-development of young Indonesian talents," Hutapea quoted Nainggolan as saying.

One of the Indonesian national players familiar to him as an example of player who has a special talent is Andik Vermansyah.

During his conversation with the embassys officials, he felt himself as of Indonesian. Although he cannot speak the Indonesian language fluently, he still communicates intensively with his biological father and his family living in Indonesia.

The midfielder, who was born and raised in Belgium by the Belgian-Indonesian couple and has visited Indonesia several times, revealed that one day he would probably live in Bali or Jakarta.

He loves the beauty of Bali, as well as the dynamism of Jakarta, and the warm smile of Indonesians whom he often meets while in the country where his father hails from.

His Indonesian identity has also motivated Nainggolan to help promote Indonesian soccer.

On the occasion, officials of the embassy said that the Indonesian government gives special attention to the Indonesian diaspora around the world to be able to contribute to Indonesia in accordance with their capacity and expertise.

During his visit to the embassy, he also took pictures with Indonesian citizens, who were present in the embassys premises, Hutapea further stated.

Indonesian children and teenagers who were visiting the Indonesian Embassy were surprised to meet the world-class football player.

The high income and fame gained by Nainggolan did not make him lose his friendliness and modesty.

Nainggolans wish to promote Indonesian football is certainly good news when the All Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) is striving to improve the quality of the countrys soccer.

Indeed, soccer is a popular sport in Indonesia, and 2013 was an amazing year when the national soccer team, or Timnas U-19 (under 19 years old), defeated the South Korean team 3-2 on Saturday (Oct 12).

Although the Timnas U-19 once achieved good performance in 2013, in general, the quality of the countrys soccer has not been able to surpass Thailand.

The Timnas U-19 defeated the "powerful" South Korean club at the qualification final group G of AFC at Jakarta's Bung Karno main stadium.

The Timnas U-19 victory over the South Korean team attracted considerable attention. The match was played in heavy rains, and the Timnas continued to apply pressure on the South Korean players. Evan Dimas, the Timnas captain, scored three goals at the 30th, 49th, and 85th minute.

The 50-year-old U-19 national soccer team coach Indra Sjafri succeeded in transforming the national football team and brought glory to the nation at the international stage, particularly when Timnas defeated the South Korean strong team.

Currently, PSSI is striving to improve the quality of its national-level coaches by training 22 coaches through an instructor training course at the National Youth Training Centre (NYTC).

The NYTC is held from April 24 to May 5, 2017, in the West Java city of Depok, which shares border with Jakarta, capital city of Indonesia.

The first-ever instructor training course led by Vincent Subramaniam from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is aimed at overcoming the underdevelopment of Indonesian football performances.

"This course is aimed at overcoming the underdevelopment of Indonesian football. In this course, 22 best coaches in Indonesia are trained to become instructors, who can yield new trainers in Indonesia," Deputy General Chairman, concurrently acting Secretary General of PSSI, Joko Driyono said on Monday.

The participants of this instructor training course are Indra Sjafri, coach of the U-19 (under 19 years old) national soccer team; Fakhri Husaini, coach of the U-16 (under 16 years old); Wolfgang Pikal, former assistant to coach of the senior national team; Widodo Cahyono Putro, former coach of Sriwijaya FC, Mustaqim, Mundari Karya, Sutan Harhara, Satia Bagdja Ijatna, Kibnu Harto Slamet, Danan Jaya, M Nasir, Safei Pylly, Hanafing, Ibnu Grahan, Maman Suryaman, Robby Maruanaya, Yudi Suryata, Deny Syamsudin, Syafrianto, Jessie Mustamu, Eddy Simon Badawi, and Bambang Nurdiansyah.

The PSSI further expressed hope that the 22 instructors will later design and implement national coaching programs or curricula with a uniform philosophy and vision throughout Indonesia.

ANTARA