| Full Name: |
Widodo Cahyono
Putro |
| Common Name: |
Wiwid |
| Place of Birth: |
Cilacap, Central
Java |
| Date of Birth: |
November 8, 1970 |
| Height: |
1.70 m |
| Weight: |
62 kg |
| Position: |
Striker |
| Clubs: |
Persija Jakarta
(1998-...) |
|
Petrokimia Putra
Gresik (1992-1998) |
| Warna Agung (1989-1992) |
Article from BolaNews
Sportsline
The name Widodo C. Putro is glued
to the hearts of the Persija Jakarta fans. So respected that he is as
a senior player and a role model, fans call him the guardian of the
Menteng Stadium.
But as the time goes on, all those
reputations don't guarantee him a first place in the Persija team anymore.
Wiwid, as he's commonly called, is now surrounded by at least three
other strikers who are younger than him and of good quality. They are
the whiz kid Bambang Pamungkas, Budi Sudarsono, and Robby Mariandi.
Gendut Dony Christiawan, another rising youngster who was the top scorer
at Tiger Cup 2000 in Thailand, is also still in negotiations.
Even then, Wiwid, the scorer of
Asian best goal in 1996, still feels optimistic. Persija's head coach,
Andi Lala, prefers to play the 3-5-2 formation, where there are at least
two starting places for strikers. Last season, Persija's head coach
Ivan Kolev preferred to use the 3-6-1 formation, and he put Bambang
Pamungkas as the target striker for most of the time. So Wiwid was either
put on the bench or played as attacking midfielder, not exactly his
favorite position.
"When I was rarely used last season,
my motivation went down deeply and there was a thought of moving out
of Persija. But I dismissed that thought because I was sure that there
will be another chance for me in the following season," said Wiwid.
"Competing for a starting place
with the youngsters is good for me, because it makes me more aware of
myself. But everything depends on the coach. I'm just trying to give
the best for Persija," Wiwid continued.
Anything to say from the coach,
Andi Lala?
"As a professional player, Wiwid
has shown his loyalty and determination for the club, even though he's
aged. But I'll say this: his chance of making the starting striker is
just as good as any other player. They have to compete for that, and
I will pick that looks the best to me," said Andi.
Gendut Dony, Indonesia's rising
youngster, said, "Mas Wiwid is my role model. It'd be an honor for me
to play alongside with him. To me, he's still one of the best strikers
in this country."
Wiwid has been playing for three
years with Persija Jakarta. Three times also he has felt the agony of
not being able to win the league title for the club, even though Persija
is full of star players. Wiwid said the main problem all this time was
the lack of harmony among players off the pitch.
"There was no feeling of unity
and togetherness in the team. Every player, coach, and official was
busy with his own business. But for the next season, LI VII, I've seen
some positive changes. Everybody has realized what our main goal is,
and everybody is ready to put aside their personal business for the
sake of the team," said Wiwid.
When are you going to retire?
"I don't want to set a specific
age. Maybe when Persija doesn't need me anymore, I'll retire. Maybe
I'll become a businessman, since I already have a small store in Gresik,
East Java. But it's still a long way to go. For now, I just want to
concentrate on Persija," said Wiwid, the former Player of the Year in
Indonesian League (LI) I, 1994/1995.
data from BolaNews
Sportsline
picture from Gema Olahraga
