Wanting Persebaya Players to Have Excellent Physicality, Aji Santoso: Football is Complex

Suara.com – Persebaya Surabaya coach Aji Santoso wants Persebaya Surabaya players to have excellent physical endurance when wading through the Indonesian League 1 next season.

Quoted by ANTARA from the official website of the Indonesian League, Thursday (4/5/2023), Aji explained that excellent physical endurance was needed by his foster children to play the game he wanted.

Aji wants the Persebaya Surabaya players to rely on tight, short balls that keep his team moving looking for space to take advantage of.

“Football is complex. I told the players that next season I want the players to be able to withstand playing 90 minutes at a fairly high intensity,” said Aji.

Read Also: Wanting to be hijacked by Persib Bandung, Luis Milla’s favorite player makes PSIS Semarang boss upset?

The former Indonesian national team player is trying to instill the importance of the vision of playing in the minds of Persebaya Surabaya players.

Aji assesses that the game of football in the modern era is much more complete and players are required to be smart in adapting to the strategy that the team wants to play.

According to him, besides moving with the ball or sending bait and scoring goals, players also need to have a broad mind in the game and control the ball properly.

He hopes Ze Valente and colleagues can show balance in Persebaya Surabaya’s style of play in the Indonesian League 1 competition next season.

“I always emphasize to the players that ideally the number one soccer player is in their head. Football is in the head, not the feet, the feet will move if there is an order from the head,” said Aji.

Read Also: Profile of Christian Rontini, a Filipino player of Italian descent who is widely associated with Persita

“Good head, good vision of playing ball, supported by good physique. They are clear tactically how to defend and attack and how to transition, that’s what I emphasize to the players. Next season, I want to have attacking and defending, I want someone who have a very good balance,” he concluded.