Indonesia's newest star Usman Diarra, a 25-year-old who shoulders the weight of midfield in front of the ball, is about to start a brand new chapter of his overseas career in the uniform of Hang Yuen FC. The player of Maldivian descent, who previously played for Nusantara United FC in Indonesia's second division, has spent a long time bouncing around between the second and third divisions, but has now chosen to move to Taiwan to take on a new challenge.
On February 4, Nusantara United officially announced Usman's departure to join Hang Yuen FC.
In October 2022, the Indonesian First Division suffered a tragic stampede that shocked the world, with 135 people killed and more than 500 injured in an incident at the Kanjuruhan Stadium. The incident forced the suspension of Indonesia's second and third divisions, with the 22/23 season of the second division canceled and the new 23/24 season not restarted until November of that year. Usman was affected by the suspension of the league, but was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to move north to East Asia to continue his soccer career as opposed to other players who were left without a ball to play.
Currently, there are two main Indonesian players active in East Asia, Pratama Arhan of J2 Tokyo Green and Asnawi Mangkualam of K2 Jeonnam Dragons, who both featured in the Taiwan-Indonesia battle in the 2021 Asian Cup qualification round. Indonesia, which does not seem to have outstanding soccer strength, has been able to send players to East Asia's top leagues, largely thanks to the AFC Carrying Countries Policy, which was implemented by the J-League in 2014, and the K-League's Eastern Conference Foreign Aid Policy, which was launched in 2020 and allows clubs to sign additional Asian foreign aiders from specific countries on top of the original foreign aid quota. This policy has enriched clubs and raised the league's profile in the players' home countries, which in turn has boosted commercial interests.
Asnawi Mangkualam (player in red) started both matches against Taiwan in the 2021 Asian Cup qualification.
Usman's visit to Taiwan, apart from the suspension of the Indonesian league, is also due to the rule change of the Enterprise A League in line with the AFC's adjustment on the number of foreign players: the AFC's 3+1 has been adjusted to 5+1, while the Enterprise A League has been adjusted to 4+1 for this season, which gives clubs more room to bring in foreign players, perhaps enhancing the spectacle of the game. As recently reported in the media, defending champions Nansei Taigang will be bringing in foreign players, including two Indonesian players, for testing purposes, and it is expected that there will be a lot of new faces in the Enterprise League in the future.
The 2023 Penguin A League implements the 4+1 foreign aid policy.
We contacted Usman back in February, and from his words we could sense his anticipation for his upcoming overseas career. I was very excited when I got the call from my agent and coach! Usman said that he had learned that Taiwanese soccer was moving towards professionalism and had watched the Chinese men's football team through the Asian Cup qualifying matches. More importantly, he had heard that there were many Indonesians in Taiwan and he hoped to get their support.
In Taiwan, there are many friends from Southeast Asia who are passionate about sports. It is believed that the scene of fans pouring into the stadium when Vietnam challenged Taiwan away in the World Cup qualification match was unforgettable for Taiwanese fans. If Usman's joining can attract the attention of Indonesians in Taiwan and even the Southeast Asian community, it will be a great benefit for the promotion of the club and the league.
With Usman's transfer sparking some discussion in Indonesia on social media, Voyageur FC could consider how to turn online buzz into actual viewership as a marketing selling point. There is already a precedent of bringing in Southeast Asian players to attract viewers in the next-door professional basketball league, such as T1 Pro Basketball CITIC Special Offense, which brought in Thailand's national team's Chalathi last year, the Philippine national team's Brickman, and Filipino internet sensation Rivero, who joined the P-League's Taoyuan Pilot Ape.
Hang Yuen FC has finished fourth in the Enterprise A League for two consecutive seasons, and has yet to make it to the upper reaches of the table occupied by Nan Shi Taigang, Taiwan Power, and Taichung FUTURO. The upcoming new season, the change in foreign aid policy and the changes in the lineups of their main rivals provide opportunities for Hangyuan FC to challenge the front-ranked clubs, including Taipower and Taichung FUTURO, who have lost Pan Wenjie, Wu Chunqing and Wang Rui.
Usman's arrival was not enough to give Hang Yuen FC a significant boost in their war chest or to successfully explore the Southeast Asian market, but it did bring about a change in Taiwanese soccer. Taiwan gave him a chance to start a new life in a foreign land, and he gave Taiwan soccer a new direction to think about.
We look forward to seeing you in Taiwan in April for the start of the Enterprise A League, Hang Yuen fans and all Taiwan soccer fans!
