World Football

Indonesian league to crack down on shambolic clubs

04:22 BST, Fri 3 Jul 2009
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By Ossian Shine

SINGAPORE, July 3 (Reuters) - Indonesia's soccer chiefs are to clamp down on clubs after a shambolic season during which teams played without home grounds and rules regarding coaching qualifications were flouted.

All Super League clubs for the 2009-2010 season will need to have a proper home ground, professional management, an under-21 squad and a fully licensed head coach, the Indonesian League Body (BLI) said.

"There will be no wandering clubs for next season ... we will not compromise," BLI director Joko Driyono said.

"We'll start verifying clubs in August, and we hope it will be done by the end of the month," he told the Jakarta Globe.

Joko said that if a club failed to meet Super League requirements, a second tier club might take its place.

The Indonesian league will also institute the Asian Football Confederation's "3 plus 2" rule for foreign players in the Super League.

Three of each club's five foreigner spots will be open to players of any nationality. If a club wishes to fill either of the other two spots, those players must come from an AFC member nation.

Player agent Eddy Syahputra said he was not enthusiastic about the new rules.

"It's quite hard to find Asian players (who want to play in Indonesia) as the leagues in other countries, like Vietnam and Thailand, are better organised," Eddy said.

"I prefer the old regulations as it's much easier for me to find players, but regulations are regulations."

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