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Plan to Hire Foreign Refs Being Ironed Out Ahead of  ISL 2nd Leg
Wimbo Satwiko | January 27, 2011

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Foreign referees who will be hired to call Indonesian Super League games will be asked to do a lot more when they start working in the country.

League administrator Liga Indonesia on Thursday said the international match officials would also be involved in helping to assess local referees in a “skills and knowledge transfer program.”

The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) is looking to begin using foreign referees in the second leg of the Indonesian Super League, which will start in early March, putting pressure on the federation to iron out the specific details of its plan.

“The referees will be asked to work with us in assessing the local officials’ proficiency in a kind of skills and knowledge transfer program,” Liga Indonesia chief executive Joko Driyono said.

Joko also revealed that foreign referees would not be officiating in all the Super League games.

“Based on our initial calculation, they will be working in at least 25 percent of the matches this season,” he said.

“We still want to use the local referees to serve as assistant match officials.”

He said Liga Indonesia would choose matches based on the level of fan support, recent history between the two competing clubs, television coverage and the clubs’ ranking in the league table.

“There are many things to consider but the way we see it, only the important matches will be called by the guest referee,” Joko said.

He added that Liga Indonesia and the PSSI have yet to determine the compensation package for the referees.

PSSI secretary general Nugraha Besoes said Australia, Malaysia and Singapore have already agreed “to each send 10 referees for the Super League.”

Persija Jakarta coach Rahmad Darmawan said it was about time the league considered hiring foreign referees.

“The plan should have been carried out last season,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s about the quality of local officiating. It’s just that they are under great pressure from the fans and sometimes they can’t handle that.

“This development will hopefully encourage referees to improve on their jobs.”

Rahmad also stressed the need for the PSSI to strengthen its development program for local match officials.

“We have good match officials, but we need more. The downside of hiring foreign referees is we think they’re better than us, but I think we should accord more respect to our own officials.”