Wimbo Satwiko

National team coach Benny Dollo training team members. (File photo: Rosa Panggabean, Antara)

National Football Coach Fielding Job Offers

If given the green light, Benny Dollo wants to walk in Guus Hiddink’s shoes.

With his contract to coach the Indonesian national team set to expire at the end of the year, Benny has started to attract the attention of Indonesian Super League clubs, including Persija Jakarta.

Jakarta secretary Muhayat, charged with the task of choosing Persija’s management team, told local media on Sunday he had talked with Benny about a possible move to succeed Danurwindo, who now coaches newly promoted Persebaya Surabaya.

Benny confirmed his discussions with Muhayat.

“Persija approached me to be their head coach in the Super League,” he said on Monday. “It’s just a preliminary talk. We haven’t talked about any contract, and I haven’t signed anything.”

He said two other ISL clubs had approached him, but he refused to name the clubs.

Even if he were to return to the club level, Benny said he would not abandon his duties as national team coach.

“Just like Guus Hiddink when he took over Chelsea but still maintained his job in the Russian national team,” Benny said.

Hiddink briefly took over English Premier League side Chelsea in February, replacing Luiz Felipe Scolari, until the league season ended, but he left the club shortly afterward.

Benny, 58, is under contract with the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) until December. His future likely depends on the outcome of two 2011 Asian Cup qualifying matches, at Kuwait on Nov. 14 and home to Kuwait on Nov. 18.

After the PSSI cancelled its extended training camp for the senior team, Benny saw the chance to serve as head coach for both Indonesia and Persija.

“When the training camp starts on Sept. 25, I will work with the national team, and when the Super League starts, I’ll be on the club’s bench,” he said. “But if Persija intends to make use of my services, the club has to ask the PSSI and BTN [National Team Body] first.”

PSSI secretary general Nugraha Besoes dismissed Benny’s chances of serving as Persija and national team head coach simultaneously.

He said the national head coach is not allowed to hold a national and club job at same time.

“His contract will expire in December, and we will review his performance then,” Nugraha said. “I don’t think he’s allowed to hold two jobs at the same time. There’s a clause in [Benny’s] contract that states the national team head coach is prohibited from having a job as a club coach.”

Benny, who led Arema Malang to the 2004 First Division title and Copa Indonesia championships in 2005 and 2006, succeeded Ivan Kolev at the Indonesia helm in February 2008.

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