TEMPO.CO, Bandung - PSM Makassar Head Coach, Robert Rene Alberts, admitted that his foster child was not too serious on the debut match in the President Cup Group A against PSMS Medan. As a result, PSM lost 2-1 from PSMS in a match at Gelora Bandung Lautan Api Stadium, Bandung City, on Tuesday, January 16.
"We were not serious against Medan and we were avoiding the players so they did not get injured in the match," said Robert after the match.
According to him, it was a pre-season match so he did not want his team injured. "I hope there were no injuries from the incidents of both teams."
Juku Eja, the nickname of PSM, is considered will gain victory against PSMS which incidentally is a team that has just promoted to League 1 this season. Moreover, a series of star players such as William Jan Pluim, Marc Anthony Klok, and Zulham Zamrun inhabit the Makassar pride's squad.
Robert considered that the PSM participation in the President Cup is not targeted to win the title, but the warm-up for his foster child to be more ready to face the League 1 in 2018.
"We use the matches in the President Cup as our training preparation for the League. You can see we used all of our player's substitution compared to other teams who did not use it," he said.
Juku Eja did follow the two pre-season tournaments this time. In addition, to participate in the President Cup, Zulham and his friends will follow the Super Cup Asia tournament where PSM be the hosted of the tournament.
Robert was certainly going to divide his squad into two teams because on 21 January 2017, his foster child will simultaneously play 2 matches on the same day. "We will make 2 teams, one team will come to Bandung, and the rest will stay in Makassar. Some of the U-19 players will come here for their development," he said.
"For Makassar International Cup, we have planned since long time ago and it is indeed a means for us for pre-season tournaments while the President Cup is not in our previous plans," said the Dutch coach after his team against PSMS Medan.
AMINUDDIN
