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 IFA’s 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 Fahmi’s speed made up for his lack of height.
“He’s like Wayne Rooney; he’s very fast and agile. We hope he can show his talent during the tryouts,†he said.
Kent said Rico’s best quality was his leadership.
“He’s 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.â€
Two challenges awaiting the boys in England are the cold weather and the language.
However, Fahmi said he was confident he could adjust.
“It’s really not a concern for me as I’ve already come this far to fulfill my dream,†he said. “I’ll just focus on playing and hopefully I’ll do my best.â€
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 we’ll never know the boys’ true potential if they don’t play,†he said.
