Persebaya v Persipura
Fascinating match up this one seeing former Persebaya legend Jacksen F Tiago bring his Champions Persipura to Surabaya. Tiago of course has won the title with both Persebaya and Persipura.
Persebaya have been giving their fans and coaching staff kittens this season as they have been scoring and conceding with gay abandon. Click to continue reading...

Persib Bandung's first home game of the season tomorrow night sees them up against Pelita Jaya at the Jalak Harupat Stadium in Soreang.
Persib have lost both their games so far this season and they will welcome Sinthaweechai 'Kosin' Hathairatnakul back on a loan spell while fellow Thai international Suchao Nuchnam will also get his first run out. Click to continue reading...

Two home games, two home defeats, four goals conceded at home.
It's been a sorry start to the season for Persitara in their (latest) new home of Soemantri Brojonegoro Stadium. The heavens opened as the fans left the stadium and heaven might be an approriate place to start looking for inspiration as this current vintage seems to lack much of it on the field. Click to continue reading...

Lock up your daughters, board your windows residents of Jakarta, Indonesia's most infamous football fans the Bonek of Persebaya are about to hit the capital city for this afternoon's game with Persitara at the Soemanti Brojonegoro Stadium in Central Jakarta.
Hundreds of security personnel will be on duty at the stadium as officials hope the first high risk game goes off peacefully. Click to continue reading...

John Tarkpor will possibly line up for his new club, Persebaya, against his old club, Persitara, after a long winded, drawn out pre season transfer that had both sides fighting over his registration.
Persebaya won and on his debut, alongside fellow new signings Claude Ngon A Djam and Takotoshi Uchida they got thumped 4-1 by fellow newly promoted side PSPS Pekanbaru. Click to continue reading...

Last season he played his part at the heart of an exciting Persitara side. But now Essiah Pello Benson (far right) will be parading his talents in much more humble surroundings. Reports have him signing for IPL side Persiraja in Aceh, at the northern most end of Sumatra. Click to continue reading...

There are, to paraphrase some numpty, few certainties in life. Death of course is one. Stupid people with loud shirts on airplanes another and not forgetting boring soap operas.
But here in Indonesia we have another, uniquelly Indonesia certainty. Changes to the fixture list.
I've not detailed the ones that have happened so far, Persija and Persitara have had games rearranged, but now I will. Click to continue reading...

Persitara have decided not to sign Australian Joel Wood after seeing him perform in a friendly against Persikabo. They felt that while he was talented he lacked the toughness requied to perform at the highest level in Indonesia.
Persitara won 1-0 with a goal from Prince Kabir Bello who has signed on for another season. Click to continue reading...

The Community Shield kicks off the new Indonesian Super League next Wednesday and I had hoped to catch the game between champions Persipura and Copa winners Sriwijaya at the Bung Karno Stadium here in Jakarta.
However I hadn't been holding my breath. Games are announced then postponed at the drop of a hat in these parts and I had special reason to doubt the season's opener would be taking place in the capital city. Click to continue reading...

Now it's Persitara who have their eyes on an Australian striker. They are currently looking at Troy Hearfield who is an attacking midfield player cum striker and aged 22.
The North Jakarta club have already said they have added former striker Prince Kabir Bello, Canadian Ladislas Kikunda Bashiri and Paraguayan Ernesto Brunhoso. Click to continue reading...

If I recall correctly the average attendance in the Indonesian League back in 2007 was about 11,000. For the season just completed it was always going to be a lot less given that clubs like PSMS, Persitara, Persija and Persija couldn't use their own stadiums for what ever reason.
In addition clubs like Arema, Deltras and PSIS had less than impressive campaigns. Click to continue reading...

Hassan Sunny – Persisam
Alex Duric – Sriwijaya (to be fair if I put my boots on they might be interested in me as well!)
Indra – PSM
Daniel Bennett – Persebaya (but his agent(!) is quoted as saying he would prefer Jakarta)
Agu Casmir – Persipura (but his agent says he has extended his contract with Gombak United)
Shi Jiayi – Persija did ask me about him but there is talk someone else might be interested. Click to continue reading...

Indonesia's football media is geared towards Java. That's understandable in a way. It's where the vast majority of the population live, it's where the media is based. But what it means is that good news on other islands tends to be overlooked. Actually good news every where gets overlooked.
But in football terms we rarely get to see the Papuan sides, Persipura and Persiwa live when they play at home. Click to continue reading...

Three clubs have been told by the Indonesian Super League to improve their stadiums or they risk being thrown out of the league.
New boys PSPS Pekanbaru, Pelita Jaya and Persitara have been given a list of tasks that need to be completed before they can use their appointed grounds. Persitara have elected to use Lebak Bulus this season while the eternal nomads Pelita Jaya make it three grounds in three years when they move to Karawang. Click to continue reading...

Copa winners Sriwijaya have added former Persikota and Persitara striker Mostafa Aji to their squad. Since losing Claude Ngon A Djam and Budi Sudarsono they have been looking lightweight up front but now the promising Aji has joined Keith Kayamba Gumbs and fellow former Persitara forward Rachmat Rivai. Click to continue reading...

Newly promoted Persebaya have finally ended their search for a new coach. After seeing old boy Jacksen Tiago turn them down they have appointed former Persija and PKT coach Danurwindo for the new season.
He will helm a squad that has seen Anderson Silva and Claude Ngon Djam already added and hopes are high John Tarkpor and Wijay will soon be added. Click to continue reading...

Edy Joernadi has been busy recently. He was announced as the man whose funds will release Persija Jakarta from going cap in hand to the local government every time they need to pay wages. Finally, thinks me, someone looking at the business opportunites in Indonesian football.
Then comes the news he has also bought Persikad Depok, a team in the second tier Premier League with little in the way of footballing tradition. Click to continue reading...

Rahmad Darmawan continues to add to his Sriwijaya squad while the rest of the ISL wonder who will be coaching them next season.
He recently signed former Persiter and Persitara striker Rahmad Rivai and has now brought in experienced former national team keeper Hendro Kartiko from Persija.
An stute signing given that the Copa winners maybe withut first choice Ferry Rotinsulu for the opening weeks of the season on international duty. Click to continue reading...

Rahmad Darmawan, the Sriwijaya coach who has led his side to three trophies in the last two seasons, is considering his options regarding the two Asian players he can use to complete his squad for next season.
Under the new regulations teams in the ISL can have three foreigners plus two Asian players. Click to continue reading...

Following yesterday's meeting looking into the possibility of Persija and Persitara merging I understand there was no agreement and that Persija are looking for a sponsor for next season so they will not be reliant on local government subsidy Click to continue reading...

Persik are famous for their cavalier football, everyone heads forward leaving the keeper to assume all defensive duties.
In the latter of of last season it was Persitara who were the great entertainers.
So it is appropriate that the side from Kediri, who have twice been champions in the last six years, should be raiding North Jakarta. Click to continue reading...

Persitara fans, NJ Mania, took to the streets yesterday to protest against any possible merger with hated city rivals Persija. TV news showed them congregating near the Mayor's office up north.
One channel of reasoning has suggested it would make more economical sense if there was just one Jakarta side which would absorb local funding, unity in strength type thing. Click to continue reading...

With the ISL done and dusted focus in Indonesia turns to the 2nd leg of the Copa Indonesia quarter finals
13/06 Persijap v Persitara (o-1)
14/06 Persibo v Sriwijaya (0-5)
15/06 Deltras v Persija (1-0)
15/06 Persipura v PSMS (2-0) Click to continue reading...

Persipura v Sriwijaya 4-1 (Alberto Goncalves, Ernest Jeremiah, Boas Solossa 2; Budi Sudarsono) 17,500
PKT v Pelita Jaya 5-1 (Josiah Seton 2, James Debbah 2, Titus Bonai; Cristiano Lopes) 2,500
Persela v Persitara 2-1 (Alex Robinson, Dicky Firasat; Rahmat Rivai) 12,000
Persiba v PSIS 5-0 (Trinidad 2, Musafry 3) 5,000
Persik v Persita 3-1 (Hamkah Hamza, Ronald Fagundez, Fadil; Nicholas Djone) 10,000
Persija v Persib 1-2 (Fabio Lopes; Airlangga, Christian Gonzales) 10,550
Persiwa v PSMS 5-0 (Rumaropen, Boakay,Barkaoui, Mamgbrasar, Weeks) 7,000
Arema v Persijap 3-1 (Buston Brown, Ahmad Sambing, Udo Fortune; Evaldo Silva) 15,000
Deltras v PSM 5-3 (Danilo Fernando, Firduas Nyong, Junior 2, Kornelius Kaimu; Syamsul 3) 597
1 - Persipura 34 25 5 4 81-25 80
2 - Persiwa 34 21 3 10 57-32 66
3 - Persib 34 20 6 8 63-40
4 - Persik 16 7 11 53-46 55
28 - Boas Solossa (Persipura), Christian Gonzales (Persik 14/Persib 14)
23 - Alberto Goncalves (Persipura)
22 - Claude Ngon A Djam (Sriwijaya)
18 - Bambang Pamungkas (Persija) Click to continue reading...

So it goes down to the wire. Persib and Persiwa are neck and neck for second spot in the ISL with Persib having the slightly better goal difference. Wednesday sees the final round of fixtures and Persiwa are at home to PSMS as they seek to maintain their 100% home record. Sixteen games, 16 wins.
PSMS on the other hand need the points to crawl away from that dreaded relegation play off spot. Click to continue reading...

With some clubs having to forsake the highly paid foreign strikers it has been refreshing to see local forwards getting among the goals. Primarily of course Persipura's Boaz Solossa. The lightning quick wide man can play anywhere along the front and has long been considered a Papuan prodigy and this season, despite missing much of the start, has shown what he can do with 26 goals so far, second only behind some geezer called Cristian Gonazales. Click to continue reading...

PKT V PSIS 3-0
Arema v Persita 4-1
Persik v Persijap 1-1
Persija v Persitara 2-4
Persela v Persib 2-0
Two straight defeats for Persib as they chase down 2nd place in the ISL. Now Persiwa have the advantage with two home games while Persib must defeat Persija in their final game. Click to continue reading...

Things have been quiet on the Semarang Dave front for a while. My one time PSIS correspondant used to bombard me with text messages and e mails when his heroes were doing well but things have been quiet of late.
Mathematically they're not down. They're guaranteed a bottom four finish which means they could end up in a play off spot against the 4th best team from the IPL. Click to continue reading...

A real relegation six pointer this one and what a thriller they produced. It's as if defence is a dirty word in Indonesian football as the visitors from Medan set about their mission with a flair and a purpose that would have done any title challenger proud.
With Zada, Elie Aiboy and Oktavianus on fire PSMS were rampant and had it not been for a linesman's eagerness to wave his little flag on a little stick they would have been out of sight at half time. Click to continue reading...

Persitara v Persiwa 1-0 ( John Tarkpor)
The lights went out at Persitara's adopted Lamongan home on Saturday night forcing the game to be finished the following day but have Persiwa's hopes of 2nd place also faded. Despite their final two games being at home where thet have yet to drop a point Persib have three games in hand. Click to continue reading...

25 : Boaz Salossa (Persipura)
22 : Beto Goncalves (Persipura), Cristian Gonzales (Persib)
21 : Ngon A Djam (Sriwijaya FC)
18 : Bambang Pamungkas (Persija)
16 : Marcio Souza (Persela)
15 : Cristiano Lopes (Pelita), Ernest Jeremiah (Persipura)
14 : Greg Nwokolo (Persija)
13 : T. Click to continue reading...

The problem with trying to cover the Premier League here in Indonesia is that nobody else really does so it is difficult to even copy and paste.
But I have been intrigued by the comparatively large number of google's I have been getting regarding Germain Bationo, the Mitra Kukar striker. And they have all come from Australia. Click to continue reading...

It does seem odd suggesting that were IPL side Persebaya to defeat ISL side Persitara it would be an upset. But Persebaya are one of Indonesia's 'big' clubs, being one of just two sides to have won the title twice.
Persitara have always been there to make up the numbers. A fine run at the end of last season saw them surprise everyone as they squeezed into the ISL but they have struggled to make much of an impact and now could find themselves going down as Persebaya go up. Click to continue reading...

13 - Persitara 27 6 8 13 28-38 26
14 - PSMS 27 4 12 11 34-44 24
15 - PKT 28 5 9 14 29-48 24
16 - Persita 28 6 6 15 21-50 24
17 - Deltras 28 5 7 16 21-42 22
18 - PSIS 27 4 7 16 14-48 19
PSIS look to be as good as down. Their hopes wer infintisemal when they had a full squad, now they have been ditched and the young 'uns brought in they'r odds on. Click to continue reading...

Persija v Sriwijaya 3-4 (Bambang Pamungkas 2, Agus Indra Kurniawan; Ambrizal, Keith Kayamba 2)
Pity poor Persija as they lost the lead and made it five games winless. The break for the election has really hit the Jakarta side as has the decision to play their home games far from their own fans. Click to continue reading...