Who Am I? --- A Journey To The Top

[iqbalpratama]

It's a late Sunday night. Liverpool had just lost to Tottenham. I'm incredibly frustrated by how this team is not improving even after 2 years since Jurgen Klopp took over from Brendan Rodgers.

"If I was a football manager, I'd be delivering their 6th Champions League title alread", I said to myself.

And then it struck me.

Why don't I be a football manager? I mean how hard can it be?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, I began researching how to be a football manager. I obviously can't go straight to manage at a top premiere league club. I know I have to start somewhere small, yet here I am, lying in a bed in a rainy Indonesia, wondering who could be my first club.

So I start seeking for jobs. The top clubs didn't want me. Who the f do I think I am? If an Indonesian club dont want me, how can I go to Liverpool and get them that premiere league title they've been craving for years?

But I didn't give up. With no coaching badges or playing experience before, I started looking for a job at a local club.

As of right now, I'm still looking for my very first job. Wish me luck ahead of this tough journey.

View attachment 70058​

 

[iqbalpratama]

After a month of job hunting, three clubs finally offered me a chance to impress them with an interview. They were Persiba Bantul, Sragen United and Persiba Balikpapan. I was surprised that Persiba Balikpapan, an Indonesian Super League club would be willing to give someone with no reputation a try, but apparently, I impressed them with my vision.

Then after a week of waiting, Persiba Balikpapan decided to hire me.

View attachment 69945
​

And here I am now, sitting in a hotel room in Balikpapan City, a really cool city in Kalimantan. I'm hoping to get everyone to know my name as soon as possible. The board expect me to guide Persiba into safety in my first season. But I feel I could do better, so I told them I was aiming for a mid table finish.

View attachment 69946
​

The best thing about taking this job is that they are willing to fund me to get a coaching badge.

View attachment 69944​

So here's hoping for a successful first job at Persiba!