Just a couple of years back Erol Iba was being tracked by A League side Sydney. It never happened, they couldn't match the wages being paid by his then club Persik so he stayed put.
Since then the former Indonesian international has moved around a bit playing last season with Persipura. Now comes news that he is returning to East Java, this time with newly relegated Persebaya. Click to continue reading...

The fixtures for the new season are out but not available on the ISL website yet.
It all kicks off on 26 September with five games the pick of which is probably, umm, well you decide.
Persijap v PSMPersibo v PersibaSemen Padang v PersipuraPelita Jaya v PersiwaPSPS v Persija
As ever with Indonesia don't go booking your hols round the football. Click to continue reading...

Despite adding strikers Pablo Frances and Rahmat Affandi and defender Baihakki Khaizan Persib are still eyeing new additions to their squad. One player in their sights is reported to be Mustafic Fahruddin who of course last season played alongside Baihakki at Persija.
If a deal for Farra falls through then Persib will consider another couple of Singaporeans, Juma'at Jantan and Shahril Ishak. Click to continue reading...

Dian Agus Prasetyo, Yohan Ibo (Pelita Jaya - Bontang)M Ridwan, Supardi (Pelita Jaya - Sriwijaya)Ezequial Gonzales (Persiba Bantul - Persela)Charis Yulianto, Slamet Riyadi (Sriwijaya - Persela)Samsul Arif (Persela - Persibo)Hendro, Ferry Ariawan (Persiba - Persela)Djayusman - (Persebaya - PSM)Herman Batak (Persik - PSM)Nur Hakim, Dony Siregar (Persijap - Persiba)Julio Lopez (Persiba - Persisam)Rahmat Latief (Persiram - Sriwijaya)Mahyadi Panggabean (Persik - Sriwijaya)Firman Utina (Persija - Sriwijaya)Budi Sudarsono (Persib - Sriwijaya)Jung Hwan (PSM - Sriwijaya)Isnan Ali (Sriwijaya - Persib)Herman Abanda (Persija - Persib)Rahmat Affandi (Arema - Persib)Satoshi (Persib - Bontang)Yongki Ariwibowo (Persik - Arema)Fazil Jafar (Gombak United - Persisam)Kenji Adichihara (Bontang - Persisam)Hendro Kartiko, Tony Sucipto, Precious Emuerjeraye, M Nasuha, Ambrizal (Sriwijaya - Persija)GregNwokolo (Olhanense - Persija)Titus Bonai (Persiram - Bontang)Zah Rahan (Sriwijaya - Persipura)
Note - these transfers are lifted from a local tabloid, Top Skor, and is posted here for reference. Click to continue reading...

Charis Yulianto has been sensationally dropped by new coach Alfred Riedl. It won't come as a surprise to many who have seen Charis turn in a series of poor performances at club level for Sriwijaya last season. The only surprise it that it has taken so long.
Keeper :Markus Harison (Persib Bandung), Ferry Rotinsulu (Sriwijaya), Kurnia Meiga (Arema Indonesia). Click to continue reading...

Yesterday's final 2009/2010 ISL game between Persik and Persebaya ended much as it had been the last few months. In a farce. Persebaya stayed home meaning the game was awarded to Persik 3-0.
I think this all means that Pelita Jaya take on Persiram in the play off to decide the final ISL spot for the mew season which begins in five weeks. Click to continue reading...

Former Singapore international Fandi Ahmad, consider a cross between George Best and Gary Lineker, is considering a move to the Netherlands. His former club Gronigen, where he is still fondly remembered, are believed to have offered him a coaching position.
Fandi is however still under contract with Pelita Jaya, a deal that ends in November, so is unlikely to rush into a deal. Click to continue reading...

Kediri, East Java. The fate of three Indonesian Super League clubs was left hanging in the balance after police officials refused to issue a match permit for a crucial league game in Kediri, East Java.
Persik Kediri was set to host Persebaya Surabaya today at Brawijaya Stadium in the two teams' last Super League game. Click to continue reading...

This post follows up on a couple of comments by visitors talking about SAFFC and their struggles this season.
Obviously I'm no coach, I don't even play fantasy football or computer games though I will, reluctantly, point out that I was The All Clositers Subbuteo Champion in 1975, so these are, as ever, just the garbled impressions of someone with way too much free time. Click to continue reading...

The Indonesian FA have invited Cameroon to come to Jakarta to play a friendly in November. I understand that they are now waiting a response.
This is just the type of friendly they should be organising and not non stop games against the Army, University Kids or Pelita Jaya Under 21s.
With a new coach in place, Alfred Riedl, and the ASEAN Cup in December it is clear that a seriously underperforming team needs quality opponents. Click to continue reading...

Pelita Jaya v Persipura
Sriwijaya FC v Persebaya
Persija v Persik Arema v Persib
Ties to be played home and away from 15-22 July but actual dates to be decided. Overcome Pelita Jaya and runners' u[ in the last three years Persipura could well come up against holders Sriwijaya in a repeat of last year's final. Click to continue reading...

Well football's greatest showpiece, not my words, is proving a damp squb isn't it? It must be the first ever football event where you can't hear any fans singing thanks to them stoopid horns. And this afternoon what do we have to look forward to? Bloody Chile against bloody Honduras, that's bloody who. Click to continue reading...

The q/fs have been scheduled for 17/18 July (or was it 18/19 or 16/17 July). Favourites to host are Solo and Sidoarjo though of course all that may change.
Persija, Sriwijaya, Persipura, Persib, Persik, Arema, Pelita Jaya, Persebaya.
Arema have won the cup twice, previously known as Copa Indonesia, Sriwijaya also twice while Persipura have been defeated finalists three times. Click to continue reading...

With relegation a nailed down certainty* Persitara Jakarta Utara are looking forward to life in the Indonesia Premier League. And there is something to look forward to. After a couple of seasons living the nomadic the team from North Jakarta are looking forward to returning to their spiritual home, Tugu Stadium. Click to continue reading...

Indonesia Super League
Pelita Jaya v Sriwijaya 3-2 (Supardi, Redouanne Barkaoui, Warwan Mustafa Sayedeh; Richard Obiora, Pavil Solomin)
What more to say about Sriwijaya? Going forward they are one of the best teams in the country but at the back it's another story. International goalkeeper, international full backs, international central defenders. Click to continue reading...

With Alfred Reidl now firmly ensconced as Indonesia's coach it has been suggested that there won't be many new names being looked at as he looks to World Cup qualifiers, the Independence Cup and the AFF Cup later this year.
But which players should be worth a look? I don't mean the usual suspects who have been hindered in the past by a lack of tactical savvy, but people who can come in and, in the cliche, shake things up a bit. Click to continue reading...

I love this. You know like when you were a kid and each time you started a new exercise book? You'd take great care to write your name as neatly as possible on the cover. That first, virginal, page, you would use your bestest writing. This time, you'd promise yourself, you really would keep it neat on every single page. Click to continue reading...

It's fair to say at the start of the current campaign not many people tipped Arema to win the ISL. In conversations before the season began back in October people's favourites seemed to be Persipura, Sriwijaya, Persib in my case and one brave soul tipped Pelita Jaya as a good outside bet.
Today two of the fancied teams meet head to head in a game that will have no impact on either team's season. Click to continue reading...

Six of the eight participants are known with all the teams coming from the Indonesia Super League.
Persipura, runners up in the last two finals, are joined by Persik, two time winners Arema, Pelita Jaya, Persebaya and Persib.
Sriwijaya, Persija and Persisam fight it out for the final two places. Click to continue reading...

AFC Cup
Sriwijaya v Thai Port 1-4 (Richard Obiora; Sayaroot Chaikamdee 3, Sompong Soleb) 9,000Da Nang v Binh Duong 4-3 (Gaston Merlo 2, Phan Duy Lam, Doan Hung Son; Nguyen Anh Duc, Lancelot, Kelsey Alves) 22,500
A night of fireworks in Asian football. After Muang Thong United sneaked through to the next round the previous night all Thai eyes were on Thai Port's trip to Palembang. Click to continue reading...

Indonesia Cup
Arrema v Persidafon 1-0 (Dendi Santoso)Persebaya v Persibo 2-1 (Supriyono 2; Perry Sah Kollie)
Persisam v Mojokerto Putra 7-2 (Pipat Thonkanya 3, Zaenal Arief 2, Danilo Fernando, Ahmad Usaman Sambiring; Charles Oben, Evandro)Persib v Bontang 4-1 (Christian Gonzales 3, Atep; Satria Feri)Pelita Jaya v Persela 1-1
10 : Cristian Gonzales (Persib)
8 : Zaenal Arif (Persisam)
7 : Pipat Thonkanya (Persisam)
6 : Saktiawan Sinaga (Persik)
4 : Rodrigo Santoni (Persikabo), Carlos Raul Sciucatti (Persidafon), Boaz Salossa (Persipura)
3 : Aldo Baretto (Bontang), Victor Igbonefo (Persipura), Warman Mustafa Sayedeh (Pelita Jaya), Evandro Devilaqua (PSMP)
Thai Premier League
Raj Navy v Police 1-0Bangkok United v Pattaya United 0-1Si Sa Ket v Samut Songkram 1-1Buri Ram PEA v Army 3-1

Click to continue reading...

Indonesia Cup
Arema v Pelita Jaya 2-0 (Rahmat Affandi, Dendi Santosa)Persela v Persidafon
SLeague
Geylang United v Gombak United 0-0 1,850 Report
Aussie import Goran Subara got a red card in the 90th minute of this game that helped only Tampines and Etoile
Malaysian Super League
Selangor v Johor FC Click to continue reading...

07/05 Arema v Pelita Jaya, Persela v Persidafon (Malang)
08/05 Sriwijaya v Persija, PSMP v Persisam (Palembang)
09/05 Persib v Bontang, Persebaya v Persibo (Surabaya)
09/05 Persidafon v Arema, Pelita Jaya v Persela (Malang)
09/05 Persipura v PSM, Persikabo v Persik (Jayapura)
10/05 Sriwijaya v Persisam, Persija v PSMP
11/05 Persibo v Persib, Persebaya v Bontang (Surabaya)
11/05 PSM v Persik, Persipura v Persikabo (Jayapura)
12/05 Persisam v Persija (Palembang)
13/05 Persibo v Bontang, Persebaya v Persib (Surabaya)
13/05 Persipura v Persik, PSM v Persikabo (Jayapura)
14/05 Sriwijaya v PSMP (Palembang) Click to continue reading...

16 teams in four groups to be played the second weekend in May.
Palembang
Sriwijaya, PSMP, Persija, Persisam
Bandung or Surabaya
Persib, Persebaya, Persibo, Bontang
Malang
Arema, Persidafon, Pelita Jaya, Persela
Jayapura
Persipura, Persikabo, Persik, PSM Click to continue reading...

Remember that incident when Persisam striker Choi was, allegedly, severely battered during the Persiwa v Persisam game a few weeks back? Punishment has been handed down as follows:

• Persiwa manager has been banned for two games from going into the dressing rooms, going on the field, sitting on the bench etc

• Persiwa officials have been fined 25 million rupiah for behaving badly in two home games against Pelita Jaya and Persiwa.

Click to continue reading...

They had a season which can best be described as crap. Couldn't score, couldn't win, couldn't stay up. Yet Persis Solo fans stuck by their team as they got relegated from the Indonesia Premier League...these are their home attendances for the 2009/2010 season.
Their average attendance of 11,994 would have been much higher but for the Gresik United game. Click to continue reading...

Indonesia Super League

Persipura v Arema 4-1 (Boaz Solossa, Ortisan Solossa, Steve Bonisapia; Pierre Njanka)
Persitara v Sriwijaya 5-1 (Prince Bello Kabir, Tantan; Rachmat Rivai)
Pelita Jaya v Persib 2-1 (Marwan,;) Images
Persisam v Persijap 5-0
Persipura are now just four points behind leaders Arema, both teams having five games remaining. Click to continue reading...

There are 11 names already in the hat for the next round of the Indonesia Cup:
Sriwijaya, Persikabo, Persija, Persela, Persib, Persik, Arema, PSMP, Persisam, Bontang, Persipura
The following are still chasing those elusive final spots
Pelita Jaya, Persita, Persipasi, Persibo, PSBI, Persebaya, Persidafon, Persema, Persiwa and PSM. Click to continue reading...

They used to play in Bandung. For this last season in the Indonesia Premier League they played their home games in Sleman.
Now Pro Duta are looking to move yet again. Rumours earlier in the season linked them with a move to Cirebon on the north coast of West Java but the latest is they fancy the Wilis Stadium in Madiun, East Java. Click to continue reading...

Persiwa v Arema 0-2 (M Riduan, Roman Chmelo)
Is this Persiwa's first ever home defeat? Certainly until yesterday they had not lost in Wamena this year and I don't think they were last season.
After the Pelita Jaya game the Arema coach Robert Alberts bluntly came out and said he didn't want to see any 'hanky panky' in Wamena. Click to continue reading...

There are several teams in the Indonesia Premier League who attract good sized crowds, among them Persis, Persikabo and PSIS. But Persiba Bantul have announced they averaged 11,800 at their home games in the just finished season. That's better than Persiwa, Persitara and Pelita Jaya among others. Click to continue reading...

AFC Cup
Persiwa v South China 0-2 1,000
OK it may have been a home game but it was played at the Gajayana Stadium in Malang. Their own Pendidikan Stadium in Wamena isn't fit for international football. Shame it's allowed for domestic football.
VB v Muang Thong United 2-3 (Ahmed Thoriq, Ashad Ali; Thamapan, Yaya 2) Report
Indonesia Super League
Persik v Pelita Jaya 2-1 (Yongki Aribowo, Zhou;)
SLeague
Gombak United v Etoile 1-0 (Obadin) Click to continue reading...

Indonesia Super League
Persijap v Sriwijaya 1-1 (Pablo Frances; Pavel Solomin) 4,515
Persiwa v Persisam 1-0 (Padwa)
Persipura v Bontang 5-1 (Paulin Bio 2, Boaz Solossa, Ortizan Solossa, Qu Cheng; Feri)
Persik v PSPS 2-0 (Shou, Aribowo)
Persebaya v Persija 0-0
Arema v Pelita Jaya 6-1 (Noh Alam Shah 3, M Fahruddin 2, M Riduan; Vizcarra)
1 - Arema 27 18 3 6 41-14 57
2 - Persipura 26 13 10 3 45-26 49
3 - Persiba 28 14 6 8 38-22 48
SLeague
Sengkang Punggol v Albirex Niigata 0-1 (Kobayashi) 1,449
Home United v Geylang United 3-0 (Shi Jiayi, Choi Chul Woo, Shahril Ishak) 1,032
Etoile v Balestier Khalsa 1-0 (Frederic Mendy) 2,158
Thai Premier League
Samut Songkram v Bangkok Glass 1-0
Sisaket v TOT 1-0
Thai Port v Police 3-2
Muang Thong United v Raj Navy 1-0
TTM Phichit v Army 3-1
Pattaya United v Chonburi 1-2
Buriram PEA v BEC Tero 1-1
Malaysian FA Cup
Negeri Sembilan v Selangor 0-1
Kedah v Terengganu 2-1 (Kedah win 4-1 on aggregate)
I'm guessing Negeri Sembilan will meet Kedah in next Saturday's final. Click to continue reading...

On my sister site Asian Football Pictures a couple of new posts from my Malang trip. First is a look at the forgotten team in the city, Persema. There was also a warung near my hotel called the Persema which suggests they do have a small, hardcore support.
And then some action shots from Arema v Pelita Jaya including Noh Alam Shah scoring the first of his three. Click to continue reading...

Coach Robert Albert talks about the squad he has built
His last club side was very different. Find out what happened with Sarawak
Meet one of the lads behind the excellent Arema fan site Ongisnade
The Coach & The Fans. No, it's not a bar but Alberts speaks of his appreciation of Aremania. Click to continue reading...

Following his team's merciless 6-1 thrashing of Pelita Jaya Arema coach Robert Alberts used the post match press conference to lash out (a great tabloid phrase) at politicians involved in football.
In his sights was the manager of one team who had said that Arema were a team without stars. Click to continue reading...

When Singaporean internationals Noh Alam Shah and M. Riduan signed for Arema, igniting a migration south by some of the SLeague's biggest names there was some bemusement as to why they would want to leave. Singapore has everything, people wondered; why the hell would anyone want to leave?
A lot of soul searching went on as they tried to come to terms with the fact that the local heroes were leaving. Click to continue reading...

Indonesia Super League
Persik v Persija 2-1 (Jiho, Legimin Rahardjo; Aliyudin)
Bontang v Persiwa 4-0 (Boakay 2, Erick Lewis 2)
Persebaya v PSPS 0-1 (Cyril Tchana)
Persema v Pelita Jaya 2-2 (M Kamri, Robbie Gaspar; Redaouanne Barkaoui, Sayedeh)
I intimated a couple of weeks back Pelita Jaya would not go down and it's looking that way after they came from behind to earn a point against Persema with a 'dodgy' pen. Click to continue reading...

15 - Persisam 24 8 5 11 23-31 29 WLWLL
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16 - Pelita Jaya 26 6 8 12 25-35 26 WWWLL
17 - Persik 25 6 7 12 30-45 25 LLLWL
18 - Persitara 26 5 5 16 24-43 20 LLDLL
Momentum is with Pelita Jaya now that Redouane Boukaroui has been rattling in the goals of late but they will find it hard to continue that fine form when they hit Malang for two games. Click to continue reading...

The stale, fetid aroma of politics will hang over Indonesian football for the next couple of days as a special conference gets under way in Malang.
Nearly everyone agrees things ain't rosy in the happy world of football and hasn't been for some time. What has changed recently is the level of debate has intensified, especially over the last few months. Click to continue reading...