 |
| Kieran James, Robbie Gaspar, and John Yoedi @ Bandung, 4 April 2012 |
Our
interview with Robbie Gaspar of PERSIB BANDUNG
By
Dr Kieran James and
John Yoedi (BUSUK WEBZINE)
Interview:
4 April 2012, Paris Van Java Shopping Centre, Bandung, Indonesia
“I
think Persib Bandung fans are fantastic, I have never heard of fans as passionate
as here. They follow the team all over the country, they live, eat and breathe
football. Win or loss they still cheer on the team. They bleed blue blood here,
they bleed football. Hundreds of kids wait here for an autograph after
training. It makes you proud; it makes you feel like a footballer” – Robbie
Gaspar, PERSIB BANDUNG.
Kieran James Question 1: Hi Robbie, it is great
to be able to meet you and thank you to John Yoedi for the introduction. I
always hope to bring football and metal/ punk music together because so many
people are into both scenes including here in Bandung. However, first of all
can you give me your comments about Australia’s A-League and the cancellation
of the old National Soccer League (NSL) in Australia?
Robbie Gaspar (PERSIB BANDUNG) Question 1: I
think it was for the betterment of Australian football. However, a lot of the
boys could not get overseas gigs. Many players had a year and a half break
[between the end of the NSL and the start of the A-League]. I think the standard
of A-League is very good with players such as Kewell and Emerton. I think they
are underestimating the Australian league, it’s an underrated league. It’s
going to get bigger and bigger I think. Many of the boys have gone over to
Asia.
KJ2: What do you think of how the Australian
ethnic clubs were treated such as Melbourne Croatia and South Melbourne Hellas
when they were not permitted to join the A-League?
RG2: I’m of Croatian descent, my mother and
father. I was disappointed with it but I think [the A-League] brings the ethnic
groups together. The fact that the ethnic clubs are still playing in the state
leagues is good. We can’t forget about these clubs and their histories. We are
a multicultural society [Australia] which brought football to the place it is
today. It was difficult at the start. I would like to see them in the A-League.
We now have two teams in Melbourne and Sydney. These clubs – Melbourne Victory
and Melbourne Heart – should not forget those [ethnic] clubs. They should go
back to play against those teams.
KJ: Melbourne Heart played a pre-season friendly
match against Melbourne Knights at Somers Street...
KJ3: What do you think of my proposal in my
published article that there should be promotion and relegation in the A-League
so those ethnic clubs can come back if they are strong enough?
RG3: In time you could have promotion and
relegation. However, the salary cap of AUD2.4 million might be a bit of a
stumbling block. The owners put in some money and they are working towards a
[new] TV deal. They should start with a cup competition to see how the NSL
clubs would go in the A-League.
[KJ: Yes, imagine Melbourne Victory playing
Sydney United out in the western suburbs of Sydney at Edensor Park on a Sunday
night.]
KJ4: How does the standard of A-League football
and Indonesian football compare?
RG4: Here the humidity plays a big part and the
standard of facilities is not as good. If you give this league [in Indonesia]
ten years it will be like the A-League. Because we are so close to Indonesia
there are more cultural things we should learn from each other. The people here
love football.
KJ5: What do you think of the Clive Palmer case
where the owner of Gold Coast United is in verbal warfare with Football
Federation Australia through the media? Now the FFA has stripped Gold Coast of
its licence.
RG5: I won’t comment about Clive Palmer. It’s
disappointing to see a team just disappear – you feel sorry for the fans and
the players. First we had North Queensland Fury [gone], now Gold Coast. Many of
my mates have lost their jobs. You can’t play football for the rest of your
life. For players to be treated like that [yes] it’s very disappointing. The
FFA should learn from that [North Queensland case]. We need a new team in
Western Sydney; the area has contributed many great fans and players. I think
Wollongong, Canberra, and Northern Territory could have teams in the future.
KJ: Yes I was in Wollongong presenting my
research paper and people there are quite upset that Wollongong has no team especially
given Wollongong Wolves’ success in the NSL...
RG: It [expansion of A-League] should be done
slowly, to make sure it’s viable. Derbies in Western Sydney would be fantastic.
KJ6: Why do you think Perth Glory crowds have
not been as high in the A-League as they were in the NSL?
RG6: There is so much EPL [English Premier
League]. It kills the game because you can watch it live. People in Perth have
such affluent lifestyles because of the mining boom and there is a lot of money
splashing around. [Furthermore] to take a family to the football it costs over
AUD120-130. It is very hard for working-class people. The rivalries between
Perth and Sydney and between Perth and Adelaide will take some time. Now with
Sydney and Brisbane there is a bit of a rivalry there. Perth [Glory] paved the
way for the football now, it’s disappointing to see Perth not doing well. It’s
good to see Perth doing well. They should be up at the top. I’m biased being
from Western Australia! They were the first one-team-one-city club and they
brought the ethnic groups together in a way that has been the model now for the
A-League.
KJ7: Perhaps we should have begun the interview
with this question but can you tell us the clubs and years you have played for
in senior competition?
RG7: Hajduk Split (Croatia) 1998-99; Sydney
Olympic (Australia NSL), 2000-01; Perth Soccer Club (Western Australian Premier
League), 2002; Sabah FC (Malaysia), 2003-4; QAF Brunei 2004; Persila Tangerang
(Indonesia), 2005; Persiba Balikpapan 2006-9; Persema Malang 2009-11; Persib
Bandung 2011-ongoing.
KJ8: Thank you. What do you think of the Persib
Bandung fans?
RG8: I think they are fantastic, I have never
heard of fans as passionate as here. They follow the team all over the country,
they live, eat and breathe football. Win or loss they still cheer on the team.
They bleed blue blood here, they bleed football. Hundreds of kids wait here for
an autograph after training. It makes you proud; it makes you feel like a
footballer.
KJ9: Had you had any experience with the Viking
hooligan firm at Persib Bandung?
RG9: I have seen some fighting firsthand. I have
been in a few riots here.
KJ10: How do you like living in Bandung?
RG10: The people are fantastic, they love their
football, [and] they are passionate about it. The traffic’s pretty bad but it’s
cool weather, pretty clean, and close to Jakarta. Results [for Persib Bandung]
haven’t been so good but I’m optimistic. In the second round we have been doing
a lot better. I think I play in the biggest club in Indonesia from what I’ve
seen in the last six or seven years.
John Yoedi (BUSUK WEBZINE) Question 11: Robbie,
what is your opinion about the Indonesian league situation?
RG11: I want to see both parties work together
to find the middle road so Indonesian football can move forward. The fans are
suffering. What is happening now in Indonesian football is disappointing. The
fans are suffering and the leagues are suffering. The best players can’t be
represented in the national league. I feel I’m Indonesian now in a way. I want
the country to move forward. They could be in top two in Asia. But now the best
teams are split between two leagues.
John12: What do you think of “Along” (Moh Alam
Syah) joining Persib Bandung?
RG12: I think he will be a great addition to our
team, he has much experience, he’s a good player, he’s a nice guy, a fighter, a
winner. He has represented Singapore many times. It will only increase the team
quality. We can do better with Moh Alam Syah in the second round.
John13: Why did you choose to play in Indonesia?
RG13: Because I really enjoy it, I feel like a
footballer, the people are fantastic. I see the future here. I hope son it will
take off. The potential here is it can be one of the best leagues in the world.
Here there is a passion; it is like you are playing in Europe.
KJ14: Are you a citizen of Indonesia?
RG14: No, I’m not Indonesian. I could qualify
but they should think of nationalizing young players who can give more in the
future.
John15: People in Balikpapan compare you to David
Beckham...
RG15: I’m 31 now; I want to keep improving every
day. I wore 23, I have the similarity. He’s right foot but I’m left foot. One
of the strong points is my set pieces.
John16: Can you give me your opinion as to the
best players in the Indonesian league?
RG16: Boaz Salosa (Persipura); Maman Abdulraham
(Persib); Bambang Pamungkas (Persija); Keith Kayamba Gumbs (Sriwijaya); Miljan
Rodović (Persib).
KJ17: Do some foreign players find it hard to adapt
here?
RG17: It takes some time to adapt to the culture
and the standard of the league. A lot of the Aussie boys adapt pretty quickly,
they do alright. We have a network of Aussie boys who support each other over
here. The people here [Bandung] are down to earth. Here they are not so
arrogant, that’s so very important.
KJ: Not sombong?
RG: Ya, not sombong hahaha....
John18: What do you think of Persib Bandung
nowadays?
RG18: Now we are in a transition phase, we are
rebuilding, preparing for the second round, and we hope to do better than in
the first round. We have been getting better and better. I think we will
surprise a few people and move up the table. This team has a good mix of
experience and youngsters. The youngsters are willing to learn, not arrogant
and not sombong (Robbie smiles). We had to adjust at the start of the year to
may new players coming in.
KJ19: Do you prefer first-past-the-post system
[top place team on table wins championship] or final round series like in
Australia?
RG19: When you play 34 games a season it’s
pretty tiring so I prefer first-past-the-post. There was a conference system
[in Indonesia] of east versus west and playoffs. That’s how I made my name
taking Balikpapan to top four in Indonesia. Everyone was focusing on those
games, it was great.
KJ20: As I told you earlier John and I run a
death-metal music website here called “BUSUK WEBZINE”. Do you know of any
Indonesian death-metal bands?
RG20: No, I don’t know any, [my] apologies, no.
Maybe one day I can watch some bands play.
KJ: Bandung is the death-metal capital of Asia,
not only of Indonesia...
RG: You can see it here; the people have a style
and an attitude. I can see it with Bandung people, they are pretty cool people,
[and] I can understand why death-metal is so strong here.
[KJ: Robbie said he would like me to introduce
him to some Bandung death-metal bands on my next trip here. I can only hope
this is the beginning of a strong relationship between Robbie/ Persib and the
death-metal community in Bandung. How about BLEEDING CORPSE opening up for a
PERSIB match? I would like to see that! ]
KJ21: As a young player you played for the
famous Hajduk Split Football Club. Only Dinamo Zagreb could possibly rival
Hajduk Split for the title of the biggest football club in Croatia. What were
your experiences playing at Hajduk Split as a young guy and as someone of
Croatian descent?
RG21: It was fantastic in Croatia. I learned a
lot about respect and how to conduct yourself. I lived with and played
alongside the Croatian national team captain Darijo Srna. He is still the
Croatian national team captain. To play for that club I supported as a kid was
a dream come true.
 |
| The late John Yoedi (interviewer) @ Bandung |
KJ22: Did you ever play for either Croatia or
Australia at senior level?
RG22: I played for Australia under-20s. I was
born in Australia. My heart is there. I respect my parents’ [Croatian]
heritage. I went for some under-20s camps but never played for the Australian
national team.
KJ23: Any future goals and plans especially for
life after football?
RG23: Yes, to help Persib win a title [and] to
keep playing healthy and fit. I’m 31 and taking it one year at a time. You
can’t plan too far ahead. I want to get involved in football in Indo and
Australia after I retire. I understand some things of the culture here; I have
lived here a long time. I could get involved and facilitate cultural
interaction.
KJ24: Are you interested to return to play in
the Australia A-League, perhaps with the new West Sydney team?
RG24: It was my goal to play in the A-League but
I’m 31 now and I think the A-League’s goal is to produce youngsters. I would
never say never in football. Anything can happen. I won’t regret if I don’t
play A-League. I want to see out my career in Indo. The people here follow EPL
and the leagues of Asia. They are very switched on. We need more international
teams coming here and Indonesian teams playing in Australia. Australia should
give priority to Indonesia. The crowds here are bigger than in China and we
[Indonesia] are closer to Australia. Many Australians go to Bali for travel.
People must realize the potential here.
KJ25: OK, to return to topic of music, please
tell us your favourite bands....
RG25: Mate, I don’t mind anything, I don’t mind
a bit of SKID ROW, AC/DC, hip-hop, R&B. I’m into all stuff. I’m really bad
on music [laughs] but I can tell you anything about football. I don’t mind some
Indo rock. There are some decent bands. PETER PAN, the one who went to jail,
they are a decent band.
KJ26: Your favourite songs of AC/DC?
RG26: “TNT”! I went to Bon Scott’s grave in
Fremantle.
KJ27: What is your opinion of how BUSUK WEBZINE
interview young, high-school bands from Bandung?
RG27: Give them a bit of recognition, they would
love that!
KJ28: How easy was it to learn Indonesian?
RG28: It took me a year. If you persist it’s not
a difficult language to learn.
KJ: OK, that’s about all. Thank you very much
for your time, Robbie. It would be great if you could meet some of the senior
death-metal bands here such as JASAD and BLEEDING CORPSE. On my next trip here
I can introduce you. Ferly, the guitarist for JASAD, is a big Persib fan.
Perhaps you can do some partnership or collaboration with the death-metal scene
in Bandung? BLEEDING CORPSE opening for Persib Bandung? I’m sure our BUSUK
readers would love to see that!
RG: Yes I’m interested to meet those bands.
Thank you very much for the interview.
 |
| Bandung City (Kota Bandung), West Java, Indonesia, from 17th Floor Ibis Hotel. |
 |
| Ayyub Anshari Sukmaraga and the late John Yoedi @ Bandung, April 2012 |
No comments:
Post a Comment