Marco Negeri discusses the transfer of Syahrian Abimanyu who has just become the first Indonesian player to be recruited by Johor Darul Takzim.
Pre-season football Malaysia is a second that fans have been waiting for as the club will be making important announcements. In addition, there are developments in the team situation, especially in the process of recruiting new players. As is common every season, the move to recruit new Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) players always attracts attention.
It started at the end of 2012 when JDT took a surprise football Malaysia by doing rebranding at the same time bringing the former Spanish LaLiga scorers for the 2007/08 season with Mallorca, Daniel Guiza. Then, followed by the arrival of Pablo Aimar who is considered one of Argentina’s best players in mid-2013. regional football “.
By the 2021 season, JDT is again not disappointing. It starts with various teaser A number of names of new players who will come to join, Duli Yang Amat Mulia Tengku Mahkota Johor, Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, as the club owner, made an unexpected announcement on Tuesday (22/12). He stated that a young Indonesian player would travel to Johor Bahru in the 2021 season. The announcement immediately triggered a mysterious puzzle among Indonesian fans who were curious about who the player was. The next day, with the backdrop of Indonesia’s most sacred stadium, Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, and with scarf JDT stretched out his hands, the player from Madura United Syahrian Abimanyu was legally announced by JDT as the Indonesian player in question.
Abimanyu, 21 years old, is a young Indonesian player who is widely known to have great talent and potential. This young man began to receive the spotlight as a teenager thanks to his experience studying in Spain with Levante in 2016 before returning to the Indonesian league. In addition, he has participated in action with the national team at various age ranks. These good and consistent offerings have paid off; Not only signing a contract with a giant club like JDT, but also being called by the Indonesian national team coach, Shin Tae-yong, to take part in the U-22 team’s training camp to face the 2021 SEA Games.
Most Indonesian football fans “bless” this young player who has been lucky enough to be selected to defend a giant Southeast Asian status club that has achieved various successes at home and abroad. For them, Abimanyu deserves to bring Indonesia’s name to a higher level of Asian football with JDT.
However, Abhimanyu’s joining JDT has actually broken a number of club traditions since rebranding 2012.
Although the Malaysian league is no stranger to the arrival of Indonesian national team stars, such as Bambang Pamungkas and Andik Vermansah, Abi has become the first Indonesian player to join JDT since 2012. It is increasingly interesting that he arrives at the age of 21 and is a Garuda Muda national team player. This is what distinguishes his arrival from Bambang and Andik to Selangor, who when joining are experienced players with star status as well as Indonesian senior national team players.
Apart from that, another thing that is different is the transfer policy of JDT’s foreign players. Except for Hariss Harun, a Singaporean midfielder who joined at the age of 23 at the end of 2013, JDT has often brought in foreign players who are mature and experienced to the main squad. Without considering aspects development or long-term prospects as a more specific criterion. In other words, JDT only wants foreign players who already have their own name, record and reputation to gain instant advantage.
This turned out to be different in the Abhimanyu case. This transfer turned out to be intended to be a long-term investment for JDT, as explained by Tunku Ismail himself when the official announcement of the transfer was made. The news received about the contract that JDT offered to Abhimanyu was of a long-term nature, namely three to five years, reinforcing this signal.
Tunku Ismail has also said that every player at JDT goes through a different development phase because there are times when they need more time to adjust to DNA. football JDT. This phase has been passed by Safawi Rasid, Afiq Fazail, or even Hariss Harun before successfully establishing himself as a core player. The same process will definitely go through Abhimanyu. More importantly, if this “Abimanyu Project” succeeds, JDT will be considered as a center for the production of new talents not only from Malaysia, but also regional countries such as Indonesia.
However, will this process be accepted by Indonesian fans? In the excitement that has emerged in Indonesia as a result of the news of Abhimanyu’s move, there are those who think that the player’s talent will develop better if he continues to play in Indonesia. The more so because he is already considered an important player for Madura United. In fact, the more skeptical groups viewed the move as merely a marketing ploy or marketing ploy which JDT plays to reach a wider market in Indonesia.
The explanation of Abhimanyu’s father, Rasiman, was able to get rid of the anxiety of Indonesian fans. He explained that Abhimanyu’s joining JDT was the first step in preparing the successor of Hariss Harun, who has now entered the age of 30. At 21 years old, Abhimanyu has the advantage of having enough time and space to understand and get used to the position until Hariss leaves, if that is what the club’s coaching staff plans.
Rasiman’s explanation regarding Abhimanyu’s position and ASEAN slot in the JDT squad reinforces Tunku Ismail’s statement when he was interviewed exclusively in the Bola @ Mamak program at Astro Arena recently. JDT has prepared the team not only for the 2021 season, but also 2022 – and even 2023! If Tunku Ismail’s plans run smoothly, the players will have occupied the position in the JDT team for the next two years! The problem now is whether Abhimanyu can compete for a position in the middle of the JDT core team by 2022 or 2023.
There is another tradition that was broken by the arrival of Abhimanyu, namely the recruitment of ASEAN players by JDT no longer from Seberang Tambak Johor, namely Singapore, but far across the Malacca Strait.
Since 2014, JDT has a habit of bringing in Singaporean players to fill the quota for Asian foreign players allowed by the league. Bailateralki Khaizan and Shahril Ishak were senior Singaporean national team players who were recruited to strengthen JDT II. feeder the main squad, which was strengthened by the young players and competed in the Malaysian Premier League (MPL). JDT’s relationship with Singapore is even more special because Baihakki, Shahril, and Hariss have been team captains during their respective periods.
These players from Seberang Tambak brought a new understanding to Johor football. Having been a derby rival for a long time, JDT is trying to forge a new football relationship with Singapore when the club’s supporters suddenly show up and experience a sudden increase. They crossed Tambak Johor on the night of the match to witness the JDT match at Larkin Stadium and now, Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.
The fan talk in Singapore will revolve around the achievements of the team as well as certain players. Merchandise JDT like a jersey with the name and number of the player is also easily found in major sports shops in Singapore; and has a high demand. Like a dream, JDT’s “enemies” from across the sea were with them now, at least when JDT faced an opponent other than Singapore!
Well, imagine the same thing applies in Indonesia following Abhimanyu’s move to JDT. Only, this time, the player comes from a country with a much larger fan base than Singapore and has many times the marketing potential. On the same day Abhimanyu was announced as a JDT player, Indonesian fans immediately showed interest in getting a JDT jersey. In fact, there are also those who hope that the JDT jersey is also available in sizes for those who are big – big size!
Fetching followers aspect (followers) on social media alone, JDT has the opportunity to reap the numbers followers which is double the current amount. Persija Jakarta has 2.7 million followers on Instagram, while Persib Bandung has 4.4 million. That is much higher compared to JDT, 1 million followers. Imagine the situation if there was support from almost all corners of Indonesia to the JDT social media pages after Abhimanyu’s move! Of course, the challenge for JDT in the future is to ensure the continuity of support from Indonesia so that it is sustainable and long-term. Especially as the situation approached, there were no Abhimanyu or other Indonesian players in the team.
Another problem, when can we see Abhimanyu in action for JDT in a red and blue sacred costume? This was due to the announcement made by Tunku Ismail that Abimanyu would not play in JDT II, but was loaned out to a club outside Malaysia; without mentioning the name of the club or league the player is aiming for next season.
This decision provoked a number of reactions. Not a few were surprised. There are also many questions why this decision was made if the original plan was to increase the number of Indonesian fans to the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium? How about the aspects of Abhimanyu’s development when monitored by Benjamin Mora, Rafa Gil, and other JDT coaching staff more closely?
There is also the view that acting regularly in a league is more competitive than the second caste competition football Malaysia is a better development process for Abhimanyu. At the very least, it will guarantee Abhimanyu to remain at a high level of competitive football throughout the 2021 season.
However, there is also a question, when will the Boys of Straits, the JDT loyal supporter ultras, be able to give chant for their new Indonesian player at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium? The answer is of course repeating Tunku Ismail’s statement at Bola @ Mamak, namely waiting until 2022, when the main squad has been determined. Or maybe 2023, where the main squad is still in the pipeline.
Until we look forward to Abimanyu’s kick in the Malaysian Super League (MSL), there is a big idea that is more important than just his action and contribution on the field. Abimanyu was also able to play a role in restoring the “regional football” ecosystem of Malaysia and Indonesia affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Players like Abimanyu are the new generation of Garuda who will be an important pillar in realizing the idea of ”regional football” between Malaysia and Indonesia.
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