The Jakarta International Football League has just wrapped up its 12th season to the joy of some and relief of others. It always seems to end so abruptly after a long September to June season (running parallel to Europe’s finest leagues). And since I‘ve already hooked you into reading this column then I might as well expand on a few highlights of the 2003/2004 season.

Firstly, yep you got it… the Wanderers went undefeated all season and wrapped up the League trophy for back-to-back championships two in a row (is that four? – Ed). The rest of the league has forgotten what the trophy actually looks like. In the Cup Final the Wanderers beat Team Italia 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a double overtime 1-1 finish. Now they have smashed all world records by going undefeated for over 50 matches (that is 2 ½ years in man time) and taking all three major trophies for two years on the trot. It has to be said: “The Wanderers are the best football club on the planet”. That’s right, you heard me! And we have the best football player in the world playing for us…. Dave Henderson or ‘Super-Hendo’ as he is affectionately called (by one or two guys in the league).

JIFL SEASON WRAP-UP
Other league highlights this season include:

• The Mighty Lions defeated the Bali Bulldogs in the first nation-wide open JIFL Cup match in history. After being down 2-0 in the first ten minutes, the Lions battled back to even the score with only minutes left and then took it to double overtime and finally a penalty shootout

• The ESE FC ‘Youngsters’ did well in their first season of competitive football especially considering that they are only between 14-17 years old. ESE FC went on to win the FIFA ‘Fair Play Award’ with a grand total of only one yellow card all season and no reds whatsoever.

• The Jakarta Ex-Patriots got to the finals of the Plate Competition against BuGils FC at the Knudde Six-a-Side tournament and won their first trophy ever.

• FC Knudde again boasted of having the top striker in the league, Rainier Brunings, with over 35 league goals to his credit. He did the same last year. Perhaps Ajax (or the Wanderers – Ed) should have a look.

• FC D’s Place became the ‘Most Improved Club’ after a record 18-1 defeat in their inaugural 2002-03 season. This year they finished a respectable 9th place just missing out on a UEFA Cup berth.

• JIS had an 11-match winning streak finishing a strong 4th in the league and earning a UEFA Cup slot this year as well as reaching the JIFL Cup semi-finals where they took the Wanderers to a penalty shootout after double overtime.

• Team Japan has proven to be one of the most consistently competitive clubs in the league with their outstanding sportsmanship and impressive leadership duo of Sugimoto and Mr. Sakai.

• German Plus celebrates its 40th anniversary in Jakarta and has played over 1000 matches against ex-pats and local clubs nationwide. In fact, some believe that Dieter Cramer may indeed have played in every match throughout the forty-year history!

• JIFL End of Season Party. ISCI was the venue and Queen Nina was the host. She threw an excellent party that started with the players on the Cup Final field and ended with D’s Dancers on the table. The season’s Most Valuable Player award was shared by Sugimoto of Team Japan and Manny Rawthore of the Wanderers. The Manager of the Year was Mike Wildblood of the Wanderers.

• The Player’s Player of the Year was given to somebody named Dale of the Wanderers.

In closing, the JIFL has had its best year ever in terms of organization and competitiveness. I would like to finish by praising the Vikings’ long serving goalkeeper Jan Gramm, who will be leaving Jakarta within the next few weeks. We all love Jan more than he will ever know. I am sure that someday in the years to come, somewhere in a bar in Jakarta, someone will be overheard saying in late-night conversation, “In JIFL, Jan Gramm was the best there ever was….”.

Good luck, Jan! You will be much missed.
Dale Mulholland is one of the former legends of world-class football. He serves as JIFL League
Co-0rdinator; loyal member of the almighty Wanderers; and Head Coach of the ESE FC ‘Youngsters’.