January 15 – World Cup rivals Australia and Indonesia have signed an agreement to commit to closer football ties, a series of exchange programmes and more internationals between the two countries, it has been announced.
The landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Football Federation Australia and the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) has been signed as the two countries are both bidding to host the 2022 World Cup.
Under the five-year agreement FFA will assist the PSSI in the development of coaches, players, referees, grassroots football and women’s football and host training visits for Indonesian players, coaches and officials.
A key part of the agreement will see the PSSI assist the FFA to fully integrate into South East Asian football and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Football Federation and provide competition for Australian teams at a range of age levels and formats.
This agreement comes on top of a substantial financial contribution that the FFA has made to Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) initiative Vision Asia program which promotes the development of football in Asia.
FFA and PSSI also agreed to encourage their respective national Governments to consider football as a vehicle to increase cooperation at political, social, economic and environmental levels.
The MoU has been signed by Frank Lowy, the chairman of FFA, and Nurdin Halid, President of the PSSI.
Lowy said: ”This is a landmark agreement with one of our closest neighbours that will see the game in both countries benefit enormously by the sharing of technical knowledge and experience.
“We also believe that football and our federations can be important vehicles to assist in the development of relations between our two countries and their governments.
“I would like to thank Mr Halid for all the work he and his board has done to bring this agreement together and I am particularly grateful for his assistance in helping Australia integrate into South East Asian Football.”
Halid said the agreement would be a major boost for the game in both countries and relations at all levels.
He said: ”We enjoy a close relationship with Australia and we are proud to be involved in this agreement which will bring us even closer together.
“I would like to thank Mr Lowy and his team and it is our strong relationship and mutual respect that has enabled this agreement to occur.
“It will allow us both to share in the growth of the game in our home countries and in the Asian region.”
Ben Buckley, the chief executive of FFA, who attended the PSSI annual congress and launched the initiative with Halid claimed the MoU was another important step for Australian football and its future in Asia, the fastest growing region in the world.
Buckley said: ”We became a member of the Asian Football Confederation in 2006 and we have developed some good friendships in the region in that time.
“To work closely with our neighbour Indonesia is a logical and desirable outcome and one that will benefit the wonderful game of football in both our countries.
“Our future is in Asia and historic agreements like the one signed today will help supercharge the growth of our game.”
Australia are due to host Indonesia in a crucial AFC Asian Cup 2011 qualification match on March 3 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.