Tumpak Sihite refuses to manage Persipura

April 6, 2001

Tumpak Sihite said on Thursday (4/5) that he's not willing to become the head coach of Persipura Jayapura because he doesn't want to 'kill' the career of a fellow coach, Henky Haipon. Henky is now currently Persipura's head coach, and will be sacked as soon as Tumpak takes over the job.

Tumpak Sihite said what Persipura's officials are trying to do is unethical, because they're approaching him while there's still another man at the helm of Persipura. It'd be a different story if they came him after the old coach was released, said Tumpak.

"They come to me while Henky Haipon is still officially their head coach. So if I said yes and then they fired Henky, isn't it the same as my killing Henky's career? It would've been a different story if the position was vacant and then the management appointed a new head coach," said Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Head of Scouts.

Furthermore, Tumpak said that this is not a money issue at all, but an ethical issue among coaches.

"However he's doing in the league, he's still my friend. How could I say yes to Persipura if their team is in Jakarta right now in a friendly tour and the players are still being coached by Hengky? About money, ask to the Persipura officials how much I made with them I took the team to playoffs in Indonesian League II in 1996," said Tumpak.

He reminds everybody that to save Persipura from relegation will take a lot of hard work. They have to get a minimum of 30 points to survive. At the moment, they only have 8, so it means they'll need to collect 22 more from seven wins and one draw.

"Persipura must not lose more than two matches from their remaining nine home games , and get the as many of the 22 points needed as possible while playing home. Then they'll need at least 1 point from an away match. This is not an easy job for Henky and co.," Tumpak explained.

From Jayapura, Persipura's spokesman Willem Yobi said that their approach to sign Tumpak Sihite as head coach has failed. Because of that, the club will retain Henky Haipon as head coach along with his two assistants, Nico Dimo, and Samuel Palapessy, S.Pd.

There is also some good news for Persipura fans. PSSI has officially legalized the registration of Persipura's six new players. Persipura's team secretary Benny Manuputty, who is in Jakarta right now, said that one of the players is a former national team player, Ronny Wabia. Ronny's beautiful goal at 1996 Asian Cup against Kuwait was voted as the year's Asian Goal of the Year. The other five players are Pieter Werbebkey, Joseph Rumaikewi, Alfa Randongkir, Hendrik Nahinde, and Timotius Mote.

With the addition of these six players, Persipura's squad members will swell to 30. This number, however, will decrease because some players will be released after a further selection. This recruitment of new players is detrimental to Persipura's fight in the second half of the season, because as it stands right now, the team lies at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

from PSSI Website (4/5/01)