While the AFF Under-16 Championship 2022 will officially get off the block tomorrow with matches in Group A, thoughts of inculcating the right values were certainly not lost on the four coaches who attended the Pre Match Press Conference this morning.
Indonesia head coach Bima Sakti said that while he has been focussed on building a credible squad that has played a handful of test matches prior, the coaching staff has also spent time on educating the young chargers.
“I told the players that we need to always maintain respect for the opponents and that they should also behave appropriately as means to educate the fans. This is the lowest age group and we have to create the right mindset for the players to bring to the next level,” said the former Indonesian captain
“We have prepared this squad since June this year and while we are up against some of the toughest teams in the region, I want the players to play with positive energy. This is an important age group and I believe we should learn the values of respecting the opponents.” – Singapore head coach Angel Toledano
“All teams here are equal in strength at this age group, even though Indonesia may have the slight advantage of playing at home. But I always tell my players that they need to always comply with all regulations. We had our integrity briefing yesterday, so we hope that the players will play competitively with the right education.” – Vietnam head coach Nguyen Quoc Tuan
“Over the last two years, we have had some difficulty with COVID-19, so it is good that we can play competitively again. It is a tough group for sure but at this age group, it is also important that players learn the values of Fair Play and why they need to be educated the right way for them to be better professionals in the future.” – Philippines head coach Christopher Pedimonte
The AFF U16 Championship 2022 kicks off tomorrow with all four teams from Group A taking to the field at the Sultan Agung Bantul Stadium and Maguwoharjo Sleman Stadium.
The tournament started in 2002 with Thailand and Vietnam tied with the most number of titles at three each.
Host Indonesia’s only crown was in 2018 when they hosted the event in Sidoarjo.
AFF UNDER-16 CHAMPIONSHIP 2022
31 July 2022
GROUP A
FIXTURES
1500hrs (Sultan Agung Bantul Stadium): Vietnam vs Singapore
2000hrs (Maguwoharjo Sleman Stadium): Indonesia vs Philippines
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#AFFU16
Pictures Courtesy #PSSI
