Four Indonesian Youngsters to Practice in Leicester Academy

A couple days ago GNFI posted about four Indonesian footballers whos going to practice in Leicester Academy. here is the full report, check it out!

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity awaits four young Indonesian footballers in England. The Indonesian Football Academy is sending its first batch of players to the Leicester City Football Academy next month as part of a program aimed at giving young Indonesians a chance to learn more about the game from a top-level school.

The four boys, who are scheduled to leave for England on Feb. 12, are Moch Fahmi al-Ayyubi of Pasuruan, East Java; Maldini Pali of Makassar, South Sulawesi; Yogi Rahadian of Palembang, South Sumatra; and Rico Adriyanto of Yogyakarta. All four play at the under-16 level.

IFA president director Iman Arif said the idea behind the cooperation between his academy and Leicester City FC was to expose talented young Indonesians to the European brand of football. It will benefit local talent in the long run. It will help them adapt to a different, obviously higher level of football, said Iman, a minority stakeholder at second-tier side Leicester City.

Kevin Kent, the IFAs head coach, said each of the four boys boasted a unique skill set.

Fahmi, who normally plays forward, is considered undersized for his position at 165 centimeters, but Kent said Fahmis speed made up for his lack of height. Hes like Wayne Rooney; hes very fast and agile. We hope he can show his talent during the tryouts, he said.

Kent said Ricos best quality was his leadership. Hes a great defender. He can organize the defense and he has a good attitude, he said.

Yogi stands out because of his passing skills, while fellow midfielder Maldini has been described by Kent as having the ability to set up a quick attack.

Two challenges awaiting the boys in England are the cold weather and the language.

However, Fahmi said he was confident he could adjust. Its really not a concern for me as Ive already come this far to fulfill my dream! , he sai d. Ill just focus on playing and hopefully Ill do my best.

Kent said the four players would spend four months at the Leicester academy. Of course, we want them all to be signed by the club. Realistically, we hope even one of them makes it, he said.

Iman said he had urged Leicester academy officials to give the Indonesian players a chance to play on a regular basis. I approached some of the club officials and I told them well never know the boys true potential if they dont play, he said. Iman, who is also a high-ranking official at the National Team Body (BTN), said another focus of his academy was organizing more youth competitions to discover new players. We plan to set up a Jabodetabek League for the under-18 group, he said. We will also create a league for the under-12 and under-14 sides under the IFA student selection process.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

365Indonesia Day 26 Snorkeling and Diving Spot at Kambing Island, Tanjung Bira, South Sulawesi

61st Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards

Pinoy photographers to hold Mount Pinatubo exhibit in US