If you had said a week ago that Indonesian football was going to make headlines around the world then the general reaction would probably have been one of trepidation. Fans around the archipelago have become used to seeing negative news stories being reported: FIFA bans, breakaway leagues, rebel national teams, federation chiefs in prison and foreign players dying after going unpaid and not being able to afford medical treatment. The list is a long one.
So last week’s news – that Michael Essien had signed with Persib Bandung – came almost out of nowhere and was most welcome. Now former Nigerian international and English Premier League standout Peter Odemwingie is believed to be close to joining Madura United.
Maybe the two signings aren’t connected, but surely the knowledge that Essien is already there can only reassure other potential imports.
Essien’s move raised eyebrows everywhere and – this time – not in a bad way.
This is a man who has won Premier League and Champions League titles and played for some of the biggest clubs in the world in Chelsea, Real Madrid and Milan, not to mention Lyon and Panathinaikos.
At 34, Essien is not the player he was when at his peak, a driving, intelligent midfielder who could have slotted in to any team in the world. If he was still at that level then obviously he wouldn’t have been without a club for the last six months and would not be preparing for a season in Indonesia.
Yet he is surely the biggest import signing to ever arrive on those shores.
There is not a huge amount of competition, with Mario Kempes owning that accolade in the past. Not many Asian leagues have been home to a player who has scored two goals in a World Cup final. But the Argentina striker and hero of 1978 was almost 40 when he had a short spell with Pelita Jaya in the early 1990s.
Roger Milla was well into his forties when he arrived at the same club. The Cameroonian may not have won the World Cup, but he stamped, or perhaps it’s better to say he shimmied, his way into the history books with some crucial goals and sexy dances.
Essien is much closer to his peak (though with Milla, it is debatable as to exactly when his peak occurred) and it just seems like yesterday he was playing in the biggest stadiums in the best leagues in the world.
Now though the Ghanaian is going to experience the unique atmosphere of football in Bandung and Indonesia. In some ways, it is a better signing for the league in general than the club. Bandung have decent options in midfield but then Essien is going to play.
You don't go to the trouble and expense of landing such a player (who turned down Melbourne Victory not long ago) and leave him on the sidelines. "The process to bring in players to this part of the world is quite difficult,” said Teddy Tjahyono, part of the Persib Bandung management.
“It took months to negotiate." All hope it will be worth it, surely even fans of other clubs.
"The reason to bring Michael Essien is in order to increase the value of competition in Indonesia,” added the official. "It will open the door to other players who can strengthen the teams in Indonesia.”
This is a new season for Indonesian football and a fresh start.
There was no league at all in 2015 due to the FIFA ban that lasted for a year before being lifted in May 2016. By that time, there was an unofficial league in place to give players, clubs, coaches, officials, fans and sponsors something to do before the top end of the Indonesian game started to dry up. FIFA lifting the ban and the national team being allowed to participate in the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup were obviously positive moves. With all that had gone on before, however, there were few expectations.
But then the Merah Putih put on a succession of surprising and exciting displays to get out of a tough group. They then, somehow, got past a talented and highly-fancied Vietnam team in the semi-final. The night in Hanoi will live long in the memory.
Then there was a final against a Thai team that was just a little too strong, yet Indonesia still inflicted a first defeat of the tournament on the Elephants, who came back from that first-leg setback to win in Bangkok.
Yet there were two winners that night. Indonesia had not just reached the final, against all the odds, but had done so playing an exciting brand of football and forging a new identity.
This means there was already some optimism ahead of the new season and a chance for fans to see some of the players that had made a name for themselves for the national team just a few months ago. And now there is an exciting signing ahead of the new campaign that has made headlines around the world, with the potential of more to come.
Indonesia is becoming a ‘normal’ football country again – although with its passion, colour and love for the game it could never really be described as normal – and this is to be celebrated.
The arrival of Essien may or may not propel Persib Bandung to the title, but much more important is that he provides hope and optimism to the whole of Indonesian football ahead of a new season.
His signing is a sign of a new era.
by
John Duerden