Indonesian football club to recruit 'best' Asian players

A football club in East Java of Indonesia said on Tuesday it is scouting for some of Asia's best athletes to join them for the national championship at the end of the year.

"I want players from Japan, South Korea, or Thailand," said Gede Widiade, the chief executive officer of Surabaya United, in Jakarta.

He noted that the recruitment cost of these players will be expensive, but "the most important thing that their quality of playing is good."

Gede said that the new footballers would play as striker and second striker, adding that they would be offered a contract for one competition season.

As many as 18 clubs are to vie at Indonesia's football competition, starting on April 29, according to the sport ministry.

Recruiting foreign players, who typically are better skilled, is one of the ways taken by Indonesian football clubs to improve the local players. Endit