Incompetence on Parade: The Life and Times of an Unknown Nobody(FM14)

[Brian Swartz]

10.31 vs. Persebar(1-1-1) We're tight 6-4 favorites here. Right now I'm making no changes, going with what's working.

3' -- Long shot for Bayhaqi, taken easily by Cahyadi

7' -- Muda's day ends early for the second game in a row, he goes down after a challenge in our end. Prasetyo on.

11' -- Yogi to Sutanto in on the left, pulled the trigger too early and right at the keeper. We're too tentative so far.

12' -- Saragih caught upfield, they get it in behind him and Sujabir's shot from 18 is deflected by Syarif, but he didn't get a good handle on it and it goes in! For the first time this year, we trail 0-1 here.

14' -- Bayhaqi freekick just outside the area, high and wide right.

22' -- Long freekick goes to Sutanto but they head it out for a corner. Bayhaqi finds Patay at the near post, gimme header there for the score, and we're tied up at 1!

They really start contesting possession better: we're in a fight here, that's certain.

32' -- Sujabir, who scored for them earlier, injures himself fouling Yarangga. Saputra eventually slides on to Herlan, his shot from just outside is well wide.

35' -- Another corner, this one comes deep to Herlan who heads it across to the near post, Patay's first time shot is clearedf of the line Hidayatullah, nearly a second one there as our corners look potent today. We hold it in but can't get a clear look.

40' -- We've stayed on the attack pretty much non-stop, Saragih angles in from the right but they deflect it out for a corner. This time it's from the other side, but once again Bayhaqi delivers to Patay open near post, it's not quite the opening it was before but he powers it home again! 2-1, we take the lead!!

44' -- Bayhaqi gets a crack, Saragih on the pass, he hits the right post.

HT -- We're up 2-1, but it should be more as they scored on their only shot while we missed some opportunities. I tell them not to let up and we're back at it.


49' -- They get a decent looking header that hits the bar and goes over. Faizal comes on for Kombo who has just not been good.

51' -- Absolutely atrocious header by Prasetyo sets up a one-on-one, Hidayatullah goes left and Syarif manages to block it away. He partially atones by clearing out the corner, but that was just awful, singlehandedly giving them a great shot to tie it. They cross it in again and another header is well struck but right at Syarif.

We still have a lot of work to do.

53' -- Nice interception by Faizal leads to our first shot of the game, they close in on Yogi before he can get it off cleanly. A corner is headed out, Yogi goes up for it and is fouled, they call a penalty!!

Patay takes it and drills it, and that's the hat trick for him!! Incredible game, 3-1!

They get a nice pass to Hidayatullah in between us up the seam, he tries to chip it over but it's just wide and high.

56' -- We keep pressing. Bayhaqi has a shot blocked, then a corner goes nowhere. Same thing repeats, this time Patay's header is over. That could have been a remarkable fourth ...

65' -- Nice play by Bayhaqi hitting the trailer Saputra who has a shot tipped over. We're living on their end right now.

73' -- Herlan from deep, off the left post and in! Just a great shot, nothing to do about it. 4-1.

84' -- Patay goes down just outside our area ... crummy end to a great day for him. Urwan comes on, Saragih moves inside.

89' -- Absolute gimme header in front, but they clang it off the bar.


FT -- Incredible 4-1 win, hattrick for Patay, all of them off corners which we usually are crap at. We're doing it every which way this year. There was still some looseness on defense, they should have scored another goal or two, but overall it's a great start to the year.

[Brian Swartz]

NOVEMBER

Training -- no positives and fitness is an issue for Ferminus and Ewangin. Both are probably in their final year, but still. Both say they will prove to me they can do better.

Sutanto wins Premier Division player of the month, Bayhaqi is second in Young Player of the Month, and I won Coach of the Month.

We already have a huge differential lead on the rest of the group and 2-5 points lead depending on what happens in games later today. Either way, clearly I need to adjust my expectations: we're going to be pushing for back-to-back promotions, incredibly as that may seem. The way we've come out this year allows no other goal, as early as it is in the year.

Interestingly, our foe in last year's First Division final, Perserang, is also undefeated in Group A. That will bear watching.

1B Cash injection by the board, and an overall 5.28B profit but that's because of the loan agreement which will now be paid off at 50M a month. Job security is a bit down due to the new president but still very secure.

It's a quiet month upcoming, only two matches for us.

[Brian Swartz]

11.7 @ Persitema(1-2-1, 6th) They are even-money favorites. Prasetyo starts in place of Muda in defense, Akbar in place of Bayhaqi up front as I want to start doing a rotation where I can to keep everyone fresh.

3' -- Bad pass by Patay, Endratno tries a long shot that's not within the proper zip code.

7' -- Kombo misjudges a ball, Alaita gets an angled shot behind him that's off. We look pretty poor to start here.

23' -- We've not gotten anything going, but we make our first shot count. Saragih draws two men wide right, centers for Yogi who is open just inside the box and his shot is well placed with no chance for the keeper. 1-0


HT -- They continued to control the action but there were no more shots either way. It's 4-1 in attempts on goal, they've had the ball 54%, but we had the one good look of the match and the lead because of it. Really a boring one so far.


47' -- Saragih fires one from the right, bit of a poor angle and it's blocked out for a corner. Prasetyo can't get to a header and they clear it out, long shot by Yogi is off the right post but there wasn't much room for that one to get through.

51' -- Free kick by Herlan is high. We're playing a lot better to start this half.

54' -- Absolutely beautiful passing play. Yogi to Herlan to Sutanto who leads Akbar nearly perfectly, he's on the doorstep and it's a gimme goal. 2-0. The last three passes all had to be right on the money with the right amount of pace and touch, and all of them were.

Yogi's gotten pretty beat up out there today and is tired, no point in keeping him on now. Bayhaqi comes in.

57' -- Terrible clearance by Herlan over the middle, good tackle by Patay prevents a shot, then a header a bit later clears it. Bayhaqi sends a long pass right up the middle, thought he was just hoofing it out of dodge but Akbar is there as a defender is caught just a couple steps too far upfield. He chips one from the edge of the area, and that's good in the right side of the net! Two for Akbar in this second half, and we're rolling 3-0!!

59' -- A shot from the edge is tipped over by Syarif. They hold the corner in and get a close shot but it's an impossible angle, blocked away and Kombo clears it.

67' -- Corner and Patay is open near post similar to the attempts last match, this one is a bit wider and he puts it into the side.

71' -- Ewangin gets his first action of the year, on for Akbar who is tired.

84' -- Pratama gets behind Kombo at the right corner of the box, shot was a bit too far inside of the post and Syarif somehow makes a diving deflection. Not a great finish but a big opening there.

86' -- Freekick by Ewangin is just deflected enough by Hamdani. We get another free from the side, it's cleared away.

89' -- Angled shot by Setiawan, sharply hit upstairs and they finally get on the board. 3-1 it's too late, but they've put us under a lot of pressure here at the end and break through.

91' -- Trailing shot by Saputra, saved easily.

FT -- This was a back-and-forth match but overall pretty evenly played. It was a case of making the chances count, and we were much better on that score for a 3-1 win. We have not lost in 12 outings going back to last year, a new club record.

[Brian Swartz]

11.13 -- Indonesia manage only 3 shots in a 2-0 loss to Bahrain. Four matches four losses, and with two left they have been eliminated in World Cup qualifying. After a good start in the first two rounds, the group stage was a total disaster.

11.17 -- Another loss for Indonesia in their qualifying group, 3-1 to Australia. North American World Cup Qualifying groups are drawn, with the US going up against Jamaica, El Salvador, and Trinidad & Tobago starting next summer.

11.21 vs. Persida(2-3-0, 5th) 5-4 favorites. Prasetyo and Patay at DC, Yogi/Bayhaqi/Akbar up front as Sutanto/Muda will have the day off.

2' -- A bit overeager, Akbar has a long shot blocked away.

9' -- Two good angled shots are saved by their keeper, by Saputra first and then Bayhaqi.

16' -- A soft shot by Akbar is taken easily. So far they've had a decent amount of possession, but nothing dangerous.

18' -- Saputra has an angled look into the side.

21' -- Same thing for Akbar.

30' -- Akbar leads for Bayhaqi on the counter, pass is a little off but excellent touch on a cross-angle shot and they have no chance. 1-0! Persida wants an offside call, but none comes.

35' -- Saragih is wide on a shot from the right.

40' -- Miss by Bayhaqi, same spot.


HT -- We haven't surrendered a shot yet, looking very good.


52' -- A bad throw-in results in a shot by Bayhaqi, saved. Another one, and Akbar tries to put it over the keeper but it's off the bar, free ball in front, they get there first and clear.

60' -- Clear shot from about 25 for Adriyanto, their best look, well wide. Deflected jump ball right in front a minute later, but Syarif is there.

66' -- Corner for them, they've been attacking well the last several minutes and it's looking tense. Kombo clears.

73' -- Patay goes down trying to win the ball back, Muda comes in. Sutanto on for Yogi a couple minutes later as he was involved in a collision. Definitely getting physical out there.

84' -- Tough angled shot by Akbar, well hit but Sahar cuts it off with an excellent diving save.

88' -- On the counter, Yarangga is the trailer from just outside, but he drives it high.


FT-- Persida played well in the second half, and good stuff from Sahar in goal. We get 16, 8 on target but only one score. We defend well enough to make it hold up though, 1-0 victory. Patay has a bruised shin(two weeks at most).

[Brian Swartz]

DECEMBER REPORT

Training -- Yogi(Tactics), Ewangin(Tactics), and Sutanto(Ball Control) are positives, Urwan(Fitness) the only negative.

Iwan Akbar is second in Young Player of the Month(Premier Division). His goal against Persitema was third in the Goals of the Month.

The board remains delighted with me, yet my job security continues to decline, barely perceptibly but it's happening. We made a 525M profit, but that's only half of the money the board invested so really we lost a good amount once again.

We are six points clear of the rest of Group D and have a massive 10-goal edge in differential. We'll meet the two closest clubs in the standings this month on the road with four total fixtures, and get a lot better handle on whether we are as good as we've looked so far.

Perserang have been the second-most dominant club in the division over in Group A. Could we be headed for dual back-to-back promotions with another clash in the Premier Division Final? Much will happen before that can be close to a reality, but it could be a great story ...

Meanwhile Persibom has done middlingly well, three wins and three losses in Group C.

[Brian Swartz]

12.6 @ Perseta(3-2-1, 4th) We're even-money favorites on the road as the oddsmakers are starting to shift our way. Patay is back, and Perseta have four players out injured which certainly doesn't help their cause. The young trio will go up front, Sutanto/Bayhaqi/Akbar with Yogi taking a rare day off(at least from starting).

3' -- Sharply contested balls in midfield early going both ways. Akbar leads Bayhaqi into the area but Guntur tackles it out before anything can come of it. We worked on set pieces all week and Bayhaqi goes near post, Muda is open with just enough of an angle to poke it in!! Well worth the effort it seems, as we score early to go up 1-0! We've been monsters on corners lately after getting jack from them the last couple of years, a lot of that is on Bayhaqi who excels at them.

6' -- We can't get anything good and a long shot by Akbar isn't close.

7' -- Sutanto to Bayhaqi who is close but tough angle and it's blocked out. So far we are totally dominating this match.

Just as I say that, they start putting the pressure on us a lot more and our chances dry up.

18' -- Yellow on Rifai for impeding Saragih. A wide freekick, comes back to Bayhaqi and they foul again, almost getting carded again. Nothing comes of it, they are playing sound positionally and making it difficult for us to find space.

They come down, Antariska draws Patay wide and crosses, Muda is there with Galuh but misjudges it and he's got an easy volley from just outside the box. Tie match, 1-all!

Muda is a good DC, but he makes a frustrating amount of mistakes like that one. Syarif didn't react well to that either and looked to be out of position.

20' -- We come right back down, Bayhaqi to Saragih in from the right, tackled away but it's to the foot of Sutanto, blocked by a defender and out. He was right at the edge of the box, that was a score if he could have hit it a split-second earlier.

A couple of impatient blasts by Akbar achieve nothing. He's getting an early seat if he keeps this up.

34' -- They've had more than their share of possession, we're in for a fight today and no doubt about it. Saragih to Bayhaqi to Akbar, excellent patient play as both of them could have shot, his cross-angle try is pretty well placed but didn't have enough on it and Tanujaya makes the save.

41' -- Galuh comes free up the right side of the area, excellent patience and positioning there by Syarif to block any angle off and make the save. Corner, Kombo makes the header in traffic but Saputro is there with a volley from 15 ... that hit somebody in the box traffic and doesn't get through, Patay with a nice tackle to get it out.


HT -- Both sides pressing and getting sloppy, but they've had the better of it the last twenty minutes or so. A few players don't look like they are really having their best day but Sutanto probably the worst, I slot Yogi in to try and shake things up.


48' -- They get a quick corner, Saragih and [/b]Yogi[/b] combine to get rid of it.

57' -- After a rough first ten minutes it looks like we are ready to start getting back into the game again. Then an amazing play, Ariawan with a wicked curling cross that had some serious velocity, Yuli with a half-volley just inside the area, bangs off the crossbar. That didn't score but had some serious wow factor, I've never seen a play like that in First Division and we didn't even have time to react.

60' -- Ariawan is carded for fouling Yarangga, that looked like a blatant dive to me.

61' -- We get a corner, can't get near it but it's out for a second try. A couple headers near the box are contested but we get nothing substantive.

We hold it in, Yogi from an angle on the right, rifles it but it's off the post. Akbar is first to it, about ten yards out and hits the open net! 2-1, and we're back in front!!

64' -- Setiawan comes clear in the area, taking way too much time to seemingly set, take out his camera, adjust the lens, and Herlan tackles it away, Kombo getting to it first for the clearance. Dodged one there.

They hold it in, pretty long try from the left side is wide by Afandi.

69' -- Another corner, Yogi will try this one, swings it out deep and Saputra misses from an angle. For a guy who basically never scores, Saputra's taken a lot of shots with mean intention behind them for us.

72' -- Some good passing results in a long shot by Bayhaqi but he's wide left.

73' -- They come down and get a header from the edge of the box, good reflexes by Syarif to get a hand on it and it's a corner. Setiawan with a header just yards from the goal, somehow Syarif blocks that one and Saragih heads it off the line! They should have tied it there.

I go to our five at the back defensive strategy, which I haven't yet used this year. Prasetyo is on and Akbar takes a shot. Galuh gets one off before the change, long shot that hooks well left. They are really throwing it at us right now.

76' -- Yogi up the middle for Bayhaqi, up the right side of the area but not even close with that try, should have at least made them stop the shot.

77' -- Long shot by Seriawan, pushed away by Syarif.

82' -- Cross by Hartono, Ariawan open from an angle on the right and Syarif can't get over, easy score! It's 2-all ... frustrating, but they've played well enough to earn a draw so it's hard for me to get too upset about it.

I switch to counter, wanting to take any chances that might present themselves.

84' -- Long freekick for Herlan, about a mile wide and high.

85' -- Umbas trips Bayhaqi, another yellow.

89' -- We hit them on the break, Saragih heads a long pass to Saputra, angles to Yogi, right up the gut to Bayhaqi. He pauses, looks like he's about to do something stupid, then quickly chips it over the keeper's left shoulder before he can get his hands to it! It's in there, and we're back in front 3-2!!

Don't blow it again. Please don't blow it again, we've already lost two leads today.

90' -- Excellent recovery by Herlan to head out a ball and break up their first push, then Saputra gives it back but they can't do anything with it. Another nice header by Herlan ... Saputra with another ... Yogi is flying up the middle ... and puts it about a foot wide left. Great chance to put this one away there.

93' -- Angled shot by Bayhaqi is out for a corner, great way to waste time at least. It's scrambled around and cleared, and they never get it back.


FT -- We win 3-2 in a match we probably shouldn't have, definitely the best of the year so far and really a hard-fought contest. I have a few words for Kombo who wasn't good today, he doesn't react well to that sort of thing. Our lead is now eight points, which is pretty significant at this point.

[Brian Swartz]

12.12 vs. Persipur(0-4-3, 12th) Big favorites(1-6) at home against the last-place side in our group, but they're better than the record looks and they're going to beat somebody eventually: a differential of only -4 is better than the other clubs at the bottom of the table. There's a logjam at the bottom of the table and a lot of clubs getting desperate right now.

They play a direct 4-1-2-2-1, so it'll be a case of who handles the midfield turnover situation best. That's what we're good at.

4' -- Herlan to Sutanto up the left side, very good cross in to Yogi with an open volley just outside the box. Should have been automatic but Susanto managed to block it away as he didn't angle it enough. Saragih eventually ran on the rebound, tipped wide. Impressive display by Susanto, but Yogi should have put that first one away and usually does.

A half-volley from Herlan off the corner was wildly off-target.

12' -- Bayhaqi to Sutanto a bit inside, he's got room and turns to fire ... off the right post! That was probably good enough to score a few inches to the left. A bad throw-in is taken by Bayhaqi, we work it around and a deep cross gives Yogi a header, which loops just over.

15' -- Oh. My. Goodness. Saragih comes up to far, recovers but they center for Septian who's right on top of the near post, easy score. We're down 0-1 at home! That was on Patay who got caught sleeping.

21' -- Saputra puts one upfield, Bayhaqi's behind the defense but can't control it quickly enough and Susanto cuts down the angle and blocks his attempt.

We can't keep getting chances like this and not win ... right??

23' -- Off a corner, Sutanto tries to thread one through traffic but it's blocked out.

27' -- Close freekick for Herlan, doesn't put a lot on it but it's perfectly places in the right corner, Susanto leaps but can't get it! Ok, tied up again. I can start breathing a bit. A bit.

31' -- Some loose passing turns it over, they come down and Septian tries one from distance after the traffic clears. Routine save for Syarif.

33' -- Angled shot by Saragih goes high. We're not passing well enough right now to take advantage of the fact that we are dominating the ball.

44' -- Widyatmoko misses from well outside.


HT -- I tell them to keep playing and the result will come. A draw is not acceptable here. Saragih's made a lot of mistakes but also won a lot of headers and done some good things ... I save all my subs for now and see how the next bit shakes out.

46' -- Yogi is wide with a quick shot.

Turnover, Bayhaqi up to Yogi, floats it over the keeper ... it worked, but floated a bit too much.

[b]52'[b/] -- Saputra is wide with a sharp-angle look. A lot of sloppy passing right now, we're just not executing.

56' -- Easy save by Syarif on a long shot.

62' -- Muda in for Patay, Ewangin on for Bayhaqi. Mostly I'm just trying to shake things up, but fresh legs never hurt. We've got half an hour and we need a score. I tell them both to get out there and make a difference, and they bring a lot of energy immediately.

Septian crosses for Widyatmoko, blasts one into the corner of the net from 18, and we're down 1-2. That's not the kind of energy I had in mind, it's his first score of the year.

66' -- Long, and stupid, shot by Yogi goes into orbit.

70' -- Deep cross, bobbled by Susanto and it almost goes in for Saragih. We get a corner, headed out for a second. Sutanto to Prasetyo near post, he's close but can't get it through the bodies.

78' -- Saragih crosses, deflected off some people, Yogi's half-volley is deflected off someone for another corner. Nothing.

79' -- Another corner. Muda goes up in a crowd, close at the far post ... he can't get it. Out for another corner. Long header by Sutanto is cleared off the line. A scrum, and Prasetyo is called for a foul.

We are running out of time.

85' -- Saputra to Ewangin, lays it off to Sutanto for a shot ... blocked out for a corner by Susanto.

Nothing.

87' -- A bad header gives us a possibilty, then bad pass by Ewangin gives it back. Moments later, a chip by Yarangga that came out of nowhere is well wide. We're playing like a team that can't believe we are losing.

90' -- Freekick from deep by Ewangin, Sutanto is there in front for the easy score ... no, it's disallowed!! They call him offside ... that was a bang bang play he broke at the right time I thought ... we go nuts with our protestations and get nowhere.

92' -- Last chance. Long ball by Saputra into the area, but nobody's home.


FT -- After 10 straight wins, seven to start this year, we fall at home to winless Persipur by a 1-2 count. Nobody in the post-game team huddle was having any fun, and Saragih was singled out for an extra helping of my rage.

A record 401 fans came ... and left angry.

[Brian Swartz]

12.17 -- Engel Ewangin has announced he will retire at the end of the season. Makes sense as he's been relegated to a reserve role and frankly hasn't been that effective when he's in there. He's still capable of the timely score but far less likely to be able to get in position for it. I'd love for him to go out strong but it definitely takes the honus off me having to tell him we don't want him back next year.

He's definitely a significant part of why we are in the Premier Division to begin with.

12.20 @ Pro Duta FC(3-4-1, 5th) We're 5-4 favorites in a matchup of clubs that weren't supposed to be doing as well as they are. Pro Duta have just two draws and a loss in their last three after looking like one of our top challengers early on. Until a wild 5-3 defeat last time out(at Persipro), they were the stingiest club in the league(apart from us, that is).

A recent injury to Ferminus(hernia) puts him out for almost two months, so I had to activate Setia from the youth team for this one. Hopefully he won't have to play. Right now we just need a win to get back on track. In other news, the board put up another 400M cash injection earlier today ...

Muda over Patay and Akbar over Sutanto today as the latter pair have not been good recently, perhaps they could use a day off.

They had the better of the action in a quiet start, neither team able to put together any kind of an attacking rhythm.

13' -- Bayhaqi with a sharp pass, a little too sharp, into the area for Yogi who stops, pauses, fires cross-angle and it wasn't quite good enough, pushed away.

20' -- Same idea from outside the area this time, not close.

23' -- Herlan crosses, lots of traffic but Yogi feeds to Bayhaqi mid-area, he's pressured and can't get much on it, easy save.

26' -- Bayhaqi with a close freekick, but it's right at Kurniawan.

They are tackling very well and have most of the possession, but haven't been close to a shot yet.

29' -- Yogi's shot from just inside is deflected out for a corner, if he keeps finding space I like his chances to score today. We hold it in for a while, but can't quite find an opening.

31' -- Corner from the right, Kurniawan just beats a leaping Prasetyo to the ball.

33' -- Yogi evades one of their defenders and has an angled look, curling ball is high.

They finally get something going the other way, a sliding tackle out left by Saragih and it's a corner. Line-drive near post, deflects to Ginting with a close angled shot, Syarif flattens out to stop anything at the ground and he's guessed right, a longer volley and he saves it. That could have been it.

37' -- Dangerous floating cross, Syarif just gets there in time. They are definitely the aggressors now.

Kombo picks one off and we go the other way, an idiotic shot by Saputra 30 yards out with three men around him ... seriously??

41' -- Soft coverage by Saragih, shot by Haay at the edge is wide.


HT -- They controlled the last 20 almost as much as we owned the first 20. After it's all said and done, very even so far and we've gotten jack for a long time now. We could really end up paying for not converting those early opportunities.


55' -- After very little happening, Yogi to Akbar who finds Bayhaqi with a great lead, alone at the corner of the box ... misses wide!!! Oh my goodness, you can't miss that. You just can't. Argh!!!!

Cannot ask for a better scoring opportunity. We deserve to not win today.

60' -- Another scary cross taken by Syarif. Saragih starts up the right, to Bayhaqi over the middle, up to Akbar who has some daylight ... waits too long and his shot is deflected out for a corner. Sigh.

Volley for Prasetyo at the near post, deflected wide. Haay clears the next try off the line, and we're half an hour from being shut out.

64' -- After trying to probe their defense and failing, a first-time chip by Bayhaqi floats high.

69' -- Angled shot from the corner of the box by Ginting, good positioning by Syarif and his body blocks it out for a corner. Everybody and their mother gets a shot at it three times right in front of the goal ... and it's another corner. We'll do it again. Half-volley from the edge of the box by Prasetya, an absolute rocket but Saragih got his body in the way. Saputra with a tackle but it's not cleared, Utomo gets blocked by traffic, and finally we get it out, Herlan chases it down.

Phew. That was nerve-wracking.

Herlan up to Yogi, then Akbar, who draws the defense and kicks it wide to Saputra. A couple of crosses go nowhere and they clear it.

20 minutes.

Sutanto on for Yogi.

74' -- They get a long freekick, rifled but a mile wide. Patay replaces Muda.

76' -- Yarangga with the turnover, Bayhaqi to Akbar who has a look, blocked away by Kurniawan, awkward bounce as Sutanto is looking at a completely open net and he can't control it. Blast it all anyway!!!!!


FT -- The last 15 minutes are a whole lot of nothing and we end in a scoreless draw. We should have won, but we just couldn't find the net on some ridiculously good opportunities. Meanwhile, our lead has shrunk considerably with one match left in the calendar year.

[Brian Swartz]

12.22 -- Urwan has strained some knee ligaments in training and will miss 2-3 months, a good part of the rest of the year. That won't hurt us much unless we lose another body back there.

12.26 vs. PSBK(1-6-2, 8th) Priyono gets the start for Saputra, which will limit our midfield but he's recovering from an illness and just isn't ready to go yet. We're 6-4 favorites despite the recent struggles. I tell the guys we need to end the slide here and get back to the dominating form we showed for most of the first couple of months.

6' -- A corner gets us nothing and a tight-angle shot by Yogi is wide. Then two defenders converge, leave the ball behind, and Sutanto's long half-volley is also wide.

14' -- Long shot by Yogi, he can't control it and it's wide. That movie is getting old very quickly.

18' -- We're playing better after a poor start in midfield ... but after losing a tough battle in the middle, Putra comes free down the left side, hits a screamer cross-angle and we're down 0-1. Saragih was left in the dust and didn't even react.

Bloody ...

Another quick turnover, and it's only thanks to a heady play by Kombo that we don't concede again immediately.

21' -- Putra takes it away from Priyono, they come down and get a good shot straight on from 17, Syarif just manages to get a leg on it.

28' -- Priyono up to Sutanto, leaves it for Yogi ... blocked! He gets it back and has a crack, wide left.

Same song, different verse. All of a sudden we just can't score.

35' -- Long shot by Hadi is just wide from way outside.

39' -- They are really packing it in now, plenty willing to take their lead to the bank. Bayhaqi gets a half-volley that's wide, we're having to try and send shots through traffic and it's not working.

45' -- They gift wrap us a corner, Muda the far edge of the box puts one off the post, and they clear out the rebound. Figures.


HT -- We're just not playing well enough, it's that simple. It's a real slump now and we have to work our way out of it after getting everything so easy at the start. Saputra on for Priyono who made some mistakes but also some nice passes. Didn't embarass himself. I think Saputra can give us a half. Prasetyo on for Patay who hasn't looked good at all.

A dumb turnover, a dumber foul, and a moronic clearance straight at the sideline. That was the first 30 seconds.

Not encouraging.

46' -- Arifin has a header just outside the box, just left and into the side. Looked like a goal at first, probably should have been one.

A few minute later, they get a corner, we head it out, a volleyed shot is off the crossbar and Syarif grabs it. Minor miracle we aren't down more.

58' -- Maybe our best chance of the day, Bayhaqi's half-volley goes closer to the corner cone than the goal. We couldn't hit the broadside of ...

63' -- Wow. Yogi with a touch cross to Bayhaqi, clear header 5 yards away. Softly places it right to the keeper. Seriously?!?

65' -- Herlan's freekick from 30 had the right idea, but missed close.

69' -- Yogi open from 25 after a bunch of passing ... misses the left upper corner.

72' -- Scary corner with a couple of contested headers, then Hamka misses badly from distance.

74' -- Almost a freak goal from a bobbled cross, but it's a corner as it went over. Cleared without incident.

77' -- Yogi gets in the way of Saputra's shot, rebound to Sutanto, shot from just inside doesn't have enough mustard and Hadinsyah's diving save gets to it.

81' -- Bayhaqi sets up Yogi at the edge, cross-angle shot is just wide.

84' -- Mardinsyah's header is right at Syarif, otherwhise we were fried as he got to it 7 yards out right in front.

89' -- Long kick by Syarif, they let Bayhaqi free, he's alone into the right side of the area ... blocked away. Again he can't finish under the best of circumstances. Corner. We get nothing.

That's the match.


FT -- We lose 0-1, and now do not even resemble the club that started off the year. We can't score to save our lives. 18 shots, only 4 on target and none of them worth a darn. Iskandar Muda decided to tell the press just exactly how I blew up the dressing room. Like I care what they think.

[bbgunn]

Yikes, what happened? Keep the faith, my man.

[Brian Swartz]

At this point I wasn't really sure and thought it was a bad month, as every club goes through ups and downs ...

[Brian Swartz]

12.29 Indonesian Cup Draw.

If it weren't for bad luck ... we draw Super League side Persepam. They are dead last right now and have never finished higher than 8th, but still.

CONTRACT RENEWALS

We know Ewangin isn't coming back, so that's one down ...

GK Ferminus(31, 3.75M) -- Out of his depth at this level, he was the man my first couple of years but his time has passed. I've got no intentions of resigning him.
GK T.M. Syarif(23, 2.75M) -- Our keeper now and of the future so long as we stay at this level. Wants 4.25, we split the difference at 3.5 with 5% raises.
GK Roni Setia(19, 1.8M) -- Back in the role of backup keeper possibly as Ferminus moves on. He'll take a slight raise to 1.9M.

DR Saragih(3.5M) -- Willing to take a cut to 2.5M, easy choice.
DCR Patay(30, 1.9M) -- A tough call here but I don't mind keeping a guy like him on so long as it remains cheap. He's had his moments, like the incredible hat trick earlier this season. He'll take 1.6M, and we save a bit more.
DR Urwan(32, 1.7M) -- Won't even discuss a new contract, which is fine because he's another guy who has outlived his usefulness.
DRLC Prasetyo(27, 1.3M) -- Cheap, versatile, and solid. I'll take another year of that at 1.2M.
DL Ferry Kombo(20, 4.75M) -- We still think he can be a star at this level. He's good now. He'll take a cut to 3.75M, though with 5% annual raise so it'll really be almost 4. Still, I'll take it.
DCR Iskandar Muda(30, 1.7M) -- The regular bouts of stupidity notwithstanding, he's a relative rock in the middle and worth a lot more. Wanted 3M but I got him to bite at 2.5.

MC Frans Yarangga(28, 4.5M) -- We think he's a bit overmatched here, and the 'loose cannon' element has ceased to be as romantic as it once was. We're thin in midfield though. He's willing to take a significant cut to 2.75M.
MC Dodi Saputra(30, 1.5M) -- Worth more than he's getting paid, and he knows it. Still, he'll take a small increase to 1.7M, at which he is a bargain still.
MC Herlan(26, 1.7M) -- I see him as a backup now, if cheap. He wants to remain a key player on the squad and he's just not good enough for that -- we may be parting ways.

AM/ST Fabian Yogi(31, 6.25M) -- He's also willing to take a cut for once. The staff thinks he's just a bit over the hill so we get him down to 4.5M. So far so good!
AMC/ST Imam Bayhaqi(22, 4.25M) -- A key part of the future. Wants more than I'm willing to give him at the moment, hopefully he'll change his mind.
ST/AMC Iwan Akbar(18, 3M) -- Took him some time to fit in but it looks like things are going better now. Right now he's our long-term solution up front and it's hard to overpay for that. He'll get 3.75 +5%, and I've got a feeling he's going to be expensive in the years to come.
AMC/ST Sutanto(18, 2.5M) -- Our pride and joy has really struggled lately. It takes some work to limit him to 3.25M. Like Akbar, he's getting expensive.

[Brian Swartz]

JANUARY

Training -- Sutanto(Attacking) is our positive, Yarangga(fitness) is the negative. That's unusual. Messi wins the World Golden Ball, while Juan Mata is the World Player of the Year. We get nowhere near any of the monthly awards, and shouldn't.

A loss of 114M, 400M more hid by board injections. Our income didn't grow as much as our expenses with the leap to the Premier, that much is certain.

The board is as always delighted. For some reason I'm back up to 'untouchable', even higher than before the takeover ... I guess the honeymoon period is over and J. Klijn has decided I'm a keeper. Ironic that's it's now after our crap showings the last few times out.

Our new midfielder has arrived from Cambodia, 25-year-old Chhun Kirivutharo. We think he should be better than Yarangga and Saputra right away, our new best player in midfield. However, we can't register him until February according to Premier Division rules, so he'll get his first action in Cup play. It's a historic moment -- our first foreign signing ever for Persigubin!

We've made a lot of progress this year, espescially in defense, with player development according to Bob. I did however have a bad conversation with Akbar who hasn't done well in training and thinks he's done enough.

STANDINGS

Persigubin(22 pts, +14)
Perspar(22 pts, +8)
Madiun Putra(18 pts, +8)
Perseta(14 pts, +4)
Pro Duta FC(14 pts, --)
Persipur(13 pts, +2)
PSBK(12 pts, -1)
Perseba Super(11 pts, -5)
Persipro(11 pts, -6)
Persida(10 pts, -3)
Persitema(9 pts, -7)
PS Biak Numfor(7 pts, -14)

We've lost a lead that was once eight points. Tied for the lead after ten matches, first on goal differential, that's nothing to sneeze at of course. I need to make an important strategic decision here in terms of focusing on the Cup or the Premier. We need the exposure and we need the money -- I'd like to promote again as much as anyone would but we don't have a sustainable Premier following much less one that would support a Super League roster. So as long as we have a bunch of congested fixtures and are in the Cup, I'm going to sandbag our league contests and see what happens with that.

[Brian Swartz]

1.2 @ Persipro(3-2-5, 9th) This is the end of the first half of the year, and as mentioned we'll go with a weakened lineup:

GK: Setia
D: Faizal/Patay/Prasetyo/Saragih
M: Herlan/Yarangga/Priyono
A: Sutanto/Akbar/Ewangin

We aren't deep enough to run a full second unit out there, but this way we can have half of our squad fully rested for a try at a result in the first leg of the Cup.

They are 4-6 favorites at home. I tell the team I expect a much better performance, and the defense especially looks up for it.

4' -- Amiruddin draws two wide, crosses and Hermawan hits a laser of a header just inside the post. Setia didn't know what had happened until it was over. 0-1

10' -- Similar play for us, Ewangin tracks one down and crosses for Sutanto, they've got him covered better and a weak header is way off.

13' -- They work to Oliveira at the spot, turns and hits one that's saved by Setia, didn't do enough with it. I tell the guys they need to stop giving their forwards so much space.

14' -- They work it to Kuswaha, he's actually just inside the box but manages to miss a cross-angle shot by maybe a foot or two. Gift.

We've had a couple counters but haven't been able to get anything from them.

17' -- There's one, nice look for Priyono a little inside the area, but he's wide right.

26' -- Ewangin up the middle to Akbar, wide left. A minute later, Faizal clears a dangerous corner off the line.

28' -- Long freekick for Ewangin is high.

31' -- Patient passing and Herlan has a look straight on, he floats it and it's pushed over.

We start fighting for the ball a little more.

38' -- Setia is asleep and Oliveira gets behind Prasetyo, he would have had to try to miss the header on that cross. 0-2


HT -- Not as bad as the score indicates, but they've been better. Bayhaqi in for Sutantop, Muda in for Patay, that's just to keep as many bodies reasonably fresh as possible for our Cup contest.


46' -- Long shot from Akbar, miles wide.

We're pushing hard out of the break but sometimes making poor decisions and others trying to force something through a horde of defenders as they are just trying to turn turtle.

54' -- Decent long shot for Akbar, again it's wide.

61' -- Bayhaqi from the edge, well high. We're the scoreless wonders, don't ya know?

68' -- Pretty good look for Ewangin maybe 16 yards out, well high. Then a blatant foul from behind as they pull down Bayhaqi, get a yellow for their troubles, and we've got a pretty good freekick. Yarangga fires it in from 30, close but high.

70' -- Bayhaqi up the middle for Ewangin, best chance of the day, waits forever, and his blast is blocked by the keeper.

It really doesn't matter what else we do if we can't finish anything.

72' -- Yellow for Prasetyo. Super.

74' -- Priyono to Akbar in on the right, weak effort and it's out for a corner. You know, even when we play badly Priyono makes a lot of good smart plays. Solid passer.

Can't finish if his life depends on it.

75' -- Long header by Bayhaqi is saved easily.

81' -- Corner, dangerous header by Oliveira near post but Setia is there.

88' -- Akbar nearly floats one over the keeper, but it's just high.

90' -- Freekick by Ewangin saved easily. Good night.


FT -- Another shutout loss, 0-2. Bayhaqi had a solid second half, but I have words with Faizal and less polite ones with Akbar, who was bad in every phase. He's pissed that I called him out. He can learn to deal with it, or play better. His choice.

Persepar lost as well, so we're still in first on differential.

[Brian Swartz]

1.2 -- We get some good news as Bob thinks Ferry Kombo has been doing remarkably well in training. And some bad news, with Yarangga fracturing ribs in training. 2-3 months out. Takes a bit of the luster off our new signing, and for the next month we'll be seeing a lot more of Priyono in Premier fixtures.

1.4 vs. Persepam(Indonesian Cup First Round First Leg) We need to break out of our scoring slump today and make some magic happen. 15M plus whatever we make later on in the Cup is on the line if we advance. We've got some good fortune here, and the fans are hopeful. Persepam has 2 losses and three draws in their last five, due largely to a horrid run of injuries(currently they are missing seven players -- I remember what that's like).

They play a 4-1-2-2-1 V. We worked a lot on defending set pieces to avoid any more cheap corner concessions. Saragih and Herlan come in a little fatigued and Kirivutharo is not in match shape, but other than that I like the fitness situation. We're as ready as we can be: this is an important match. They are even-money favorites. It's drizzling as we get under way, which isn't going to do our direct style any favors.

12' -- Santoso fires a tough 30-yarder wide for them. The first shot of the match, and neither team is taking many chances.

14' -- Freekick at the left corner of the area as Saragih got a little too aggressive trying to win the ball. It's sent high.

20' -- Santoso again from way out, sails over.

30' -- Still nothing, but we're looking a lot better on the ball and I tell the guys to stay back on defense, but try to hang on to it and press forward more.

39' -- Sutanto to Bayhaqi to [/b]Yogi[/b], he launches a prayer from 30 yards, and it floats in under the bar! That is what we needed today, pure magic. I'd be so ticked if I was on the other sideline, but we take the lead 1-0!!

43' -- We stay on the attack, a left-footed try by Sutanto from distance is easily saved.

44' -- Nice throw-in and Kusuma is open for a long header, but it's not close.


HT -- Shots are 5-2 against, they've had the better of possession especially early. Neither side is giving much away, but we're now in the position of strength in that tug of war having the one goal. I don't change anything.


46' -- Nice cross and Kurniawan heads a long one wide.

This game is evolving the opposite of the way I normally play: we are doing solidly in possession since the switch in the first half but they have the better quality of possession. With our quality at zilch though anyway, it's better to at least not let them have the ball as often as they were.

60' -- Kurniawan from the edge, wide right. I'm not comfortable with the space our defense is giving and hesitantly tell them to tighten it up.

63' -- Saragih makes a nice play to get the ball back at midfield, then his cross almost scores but instead we get a corner out of it. Pure luck that. Bayhaqi sends it deep for Herlan, deflected.

70' -- They get another ineffectual long shot.

75' -- Skip pass by Kirivutharo across to Saragih, good look at an angled shot from range but it curls just a bit too far cross-angle there. Priyono comes in for Saputra who was involved in a collision, precautionary as he's not moving that well.

84' -- Corner, only their second of the day. They try to play it deep and Herlan is there. Held in, wild cross and they have an open volley on the far side at extreme angle. It's into the side.

88' -- We get a corner. Nothing comes of it but we use some time, which is just as valuable right now. They try to counter, Muda breaks it up and we come back down with numbers. Pretty passing from Herlan up the left to Sutanto centers for Yogi, alone in front 12 yards out and it's easily in the right side of the net! 2-0, we caught them pressing too far upfield!!

91' -- Almost a hat trick as [/b]Syarif[/b] went straight up top, Yogi got onto it but didn't get the right angle and they make the save. Rebound is deflected as Kirivutharo tried to put in his two cents.


FT -- A little fortunate as this could easily have been a draw, but we needed it and I'm not arguing. Yogi was the man today, but Saragih was fantastic also in probably his best match for us. It seemed like everything they tried to get going down the left he would get it back, then play a part in our push.

Getting that second goal was huge, up 2-0 we have a strong chance of finally advancing despite the poor 'luck of the draw'. Only 190 attended, far below our usual. Our first win in quite a while, this did wonders for our morale and hopefully it will spark a run of better play.

[Brian Swartz]

1.7 -- Officially the dumbest news story I have ever seen. First of all, they think we are up against it at home against last-place PS Biak Numfor(who we beat, on the road, 5-0 in our opener). Then they go on to talk about how they are playing above expectations. How are you last and playing above expectations? They could win and still be in the relegation zone.

Journalism fail.

1.8 vs. PS Biak Numfor(1-4-5, 12th) Hopefully I'm right about this one. Once again I'm going with the backup crew but I'll end up looking pretty stupid if we blow this. They are indeed 4-6 favorites though I can't figure why, even with our bad form of late.

4' -- Sutanto gets a long header off a corner, easily saved.

6' -- Brilliant header by Akbar as Sutanto splits two defenders for a good angled shot, saved again.

11' -- Pretty counter, Akbar, Ewangin, Herlan who absolutely threads the needle and Akbar gets it back exploding up the middle, then punches it inside the left post! 1-0, some very nice stuff so far. Granted, these guys make it easy, but still.

13' -- They get a step on Prasetyo up the middle, poor shot from the edge and Setia saves.

26' -- A long shot is well wide for them. We're struggling to control the ball with this group, so I tell them to back off -- we are ahead after all. Snap shot by Ewangin from outside just misses wide.

35' -- From the angle on the right, Akbar beats the keeper and hits the crossbar, nearly a second one there.

37' -- Ewangin goes down, and his day is finished. Pity. Yogi comes on.

43' -- Nice centering pass through traffic by Saragih, Yogi's volley from 18 is a little left.

45' -- Yellow for a blatant trip as they bring down Sutanto.


HT -- Only up one with Setia in goal, there's still a lot to be played here. Muda on for Patay, I'd rather have a fresh defense in the return leg than anything with a two-goal advantadge.


47' -- First corner for them right away, Khamid gets a near-post header ... skims the bar and goes over! That should have been a goal, we dodged it and need to not screw up again.

50' -- Yogi nods one on for Akbar, it's a race with one man to beat ... the defender stops. I swear he just stopped. Maybe he thought the keeper would get it, but Akbar was there a couple steps first and had a wide freaking open net. 2-0!!

He almost missed it, but the important thing is he didn't.

55' -- Saragih crosses for Akbar, on the doorstep but no direction on that header and it's deflected by the keeper. Should have been the hat trick, right there.

58' -- Terrible turnover as Sutanto takes it and we've got a free run up the middle. Akbar in alone, fakes out the keeper and there's number three!!!

59' -- Arfayan gets behind the defense, Setia comes out and manages to cut it down, blocking the shot away. Rebound to Prasetyo from distance, but he can't find the net.

Against a competent foe that was a goal.

63' -- 10th corner of the day for us, routine one over the middle ... but Santoso completely misses the ball, and Muda volleys it in from the far post!! Ok, not routine. 4-0

65' -- Akbar to Herlan on a freekick, his header from the edge of the box is a hair wide, had the right idea though. Nearly another one.

Down the other end, Arfayan gets free at the corner of the box, and angles one past Setia. They get one back, 4-1 now.

74' -- Short freekick for Akbar is just high.


FT -- We hold on for a good win at a final of 4-1. Akbar's hat trick steals the show, but this might have been Herlan's best match for us. Yogi was also excellent.

[EagleFan]

Well done.

[Brian Swartz]

1.10 -- Former player Melianus Ningmabin did an interview in which he talked about what a fine player Akbar is and how he's a huge fan. He'll be disappointed to see the fatigued Akbar sitting this one out ... The board also injected another 400M.

1.11 @ Persepam(Indonesian Cup, Second Leg, 2-0) So here we are. We'll play a deep defensive line and fairly conservatively to make it difficult for them to score: we could lose by one and still advance. Once again we worked on defending set pieces ahead of this.

If we can get through a clean first half and put a couple subs on, we should be ok. Saragih and Herlan might struggle in this one, they need another day of rest that we don't have. Persepam are 5-4 favorites.

6' -- Fabulous pass from Yogi in to Sutanto, but he can't get it off with two men draped all over him. Corner.

11' -- Jump ball after a bobbled cross, they head it off the line. They are being very physical with us as the fresher team, but we're handling it fine so far.

12' -- Yogi sets up Sutanto, nice save to keep him out. Would be really nice to see him score one, it's been way too long. Another nothing corner.

Fachrurrozi turns our defense into a pretzel, but eventually has to shoot and is way off.

20' -- Kurniawan goes halfway between shot and cross, in position for both, and it's just out.

29' -- Yogi sets up Bayhaqi, blocked by traffic. Sharp-angle shot by Yogi is saved by Tesar, and we do nothing with the corner.

35' -- Tough angled header and Fachrurrozi misses it.

36' -- Saragih inbounds it, up the line for Yogi, he draws the defense up and then Sutanto in the middle ... hits the post! That was our chance, right there.

39' -- First corner for them, dangerous but Herlan gets to it and clears.

41' -- Bayhaqi has an extreme-angle shot saved, we hold it in but can't get anything else.

46' -- A couple of key clearances, one by Muda and one by Patay, but they get it back. Running out of time, Santoso just launches one ... and it's good! Inside the left post, that either took a funny bounce or deflected off someone but it was a heck of a strike regardless. 0-1, and we're now in scary territory.

We were less than a minute away from the clean half I wanted. Call it karma for Yogi's shot in the first one I guess.


HT -- I tell them we need to hold the aggregate lead, Yogi is stressed for the first time I can ever recall. It's been nearly even except for that blast.


46' -- Oh ... my ... goodness. Freekick from ... well, it had to be at least 45-50 yards. Almost to midfield. And Fachrurrozi scores it. Just underneath the bar, Syarif couldn't get there. An absolutely ridiculous shot.

It's 0-2, and we're in trouble, the aggregate score is now dead-even. We've got to find a way to score now.

50' -- Muda blocks a shot, and a foolish header by Herlan gives them a corner. We're trying to push forward on the attack more now, but nothing doing so far. Patay with the header, they hold it in and almost score on a fluke cross. I would have gone nuts if they did.

55' -- First chance in a while, close freekick by Saragih is well wide right. Bayhaqi goes down at midfield winning the ball back, and he's done. Well, I guess we get to see Akbar as it is.

65' - - It's been quiet for a while, but Fachrurrozi turns Kombo into swiss cheese, not for the first time, and just misses with a blast from the right side. I can't do anything with him, he's just tearing us up.

71' -- Salinas with a freekick right on the edge. This could be it if we can't stop it. A rifle shot into the left corner! 0-3, and we're screwed. Priyono on for Herlan, who is tired, just to try to shake things up.

81' -- Sutanto a return pass to Akbar, first time shot from the edge ... he missed it wide right. That was probably our last chance to get back to even.

87' -- Hidayatullah draws half the team as he's in close on the left, somehow gets a pass through to Fachrurrozi who drills it from the right angle. 0-4, and we may consider our butts fully stomped here.


FT -- Well, when a team shoots the way they shot today, not much we can do other than make ours which we didn't. They showed us what Super League quality is, at least in the finishing department, and got some luck as well. Very frustrating to be up two, put everything into this, and still come up short. It was there for the taking, but I can't fault our defense for any but the last goal.

I tell them we were just unlucky, except for Kombo and Muda who were just bad and I let them have it. Three times we lose in the first round of the Cup in three attempts. Excuses for that are starting to wear thin.

Bayhaqi landed badly on his wrist and there's a fracture, he'll miss two months. We'll need to rely more on Akbar now, and the injuries are starting to mount.

[mrtourette]

Great read and congrats on the excellent league performances!

[Brian Swartz]

Thanks! It's been a bit of a charmed existence the last year or so I think.

1.16 @ Perseba Super(4-3-5, 6th) I don't know why, but they are big favorites(1-6).

19' -- They pick up a yellow, it's been a very drab start. That's on Obure their keeper, first time I've seen that kind of foul. He beat Akbar to a long ball but picked it up a couple steps outside of the area.

20' -- Our first look at the goal is horribly off, Saragih on the right side.

22' -- That one wasn't. Saragih crosses in to Akbar who is free on the edge of the box, he pokes it by and we take the lead! 1-0

Or not. Late whistle but they call Akbar offside. Close, but arguable.

23' -- Wow. Saputra leads Sutanto but it's too far, they cut off the pass ... but don't control it and Sutanto doesn't give up the play, hits the free ball from 17 and puts it past Obure at the left post! There's our score, and that shot was just literally handed to us.

Sutanto finally gets on the board!

28' -- Pretty good looking long shot, but Syarif is right on it and makes the play.

30' -- Yogi plays it up the right side to Akbar, draws the D and centers to Herlan the trailer, opening on the left side and his shot is in! 2-0!!

Less than a minute later, nearly identical play but this time Herlan is well off with his try.


HT -- Nothing much the rest of the way and we haven't gotten many shots but taken the ones we have. Still gotta like solid defense and a two-goal bulge on the road.


52' -- Lazy pass over the middle on our end, Saputra picks it off and we're off the races. Akbar sets up Yogi, pretty good look but he could have moved in more, Obure gets a hand to it. Two corners yield zilch.

54' -- Bachri gets free in the area, Muda tries to block it off but he fits one in a narrow window between him and Syarif, and our lead is down to 2-1. That wasn't that bad of defense, mostly just a great shot there.

Angled try for Yogi down the other end is high.

60' -- Bachri gets a look in front, maybe 13 yards, blasts it but Syarif just gets there. He should have scored, and our defense is looking shaky all of a sudden.

65' -- Long shot off a corner for them, but it's wide. Crazy corner for us, headed around a few times, Muda gets a shot at it near corner, and Obure deflects it off the bar.

Saragih goes off with Yogi, Prasetyo and Ewangin replace them. We're getting tired, and I'm hoping fresh legs will help us hold the lead.

72' -- Big intervention and clearance by Patay prevents any nonsense. They hold it in for a corner, Muda gets his head there but it's out for a second try. Syarif snags that one.

81' -- We block another shot out for a corner. Really getting tired now. Goes far post and Hadi has a header from about 8 yards, puts it just high.

Sutanto up the left side for Akbar, waits a little too long and it's a sharp angle, into the side.

84' -- Rizal from at least 25 yards ... rifle shot into the roof of the net, and they tie it up!! Of all the horsecrap ...

89' -- Long pass hits Bachri up the middle, he's into the area ... and a fine tackle from behind by Muda saves the day. Corner ... close to the goal and Syarif has it.

92' -- We try to get one last shot, Ewangin crosses for Sutanto, his volley is knocked out for a corner. Akbar puts it in, Ewangin heads toward the goal ... Obure has it.


FT -- That's all. A 2-2 draw on the road, but we led almost the whole way and just ran out of gas plus a couple of fantastic finishes for them. Pretty close match all things considered, but still disappointing after the early lead. If we don't win the group, this will be one we look back on as an opportunity squandered.

Persepar won today, knocking us out of the top spot for the first time all year ...

[Brian Swartz]

1.22 -- Saragih has the flu and will be out for a week.

1.24 vs. Madiun Putra(7-1-5, 3rd) They are 4-5 favorites to come in here and beat us on our own turf. The war of words continues with Uut Kuswendi, who referenced my 'astonishing lack of professionalism' in acknowledging that our personal rivalry adds a bit of edge to the contest. He stated that 'we can rest assured that we'll know we've been in a match come full-time.'

Aside from all of that, we have Ferminus back but Saragih, Bayhaqi, and Yarangga are still out, three important starters for us making this the weakest we've been all year. Of course Urwan is still out as well, and Kirivutharo can't be registered until next month. It's a bad time for it as the next two matches are crucial. If we are to make a serious push for promotion then everyone else will have to rise to the occasion. A win today would essentially make it a two-team race, as we would have a six-point lead on the rest of the field. A week from now we visit Persepar which would give us a chance to regain the top spot potentially. These two contests will shape how the last few months of the year shape up, and we must do well to maintain a realistic shot at the group title.

Many are expecting a record turnout for us ...

It's no secret that their key is striker Safri Kotto, who has 13 goals already(nobody has more than Akbar's six for us, by comparison). He got a lot of the attention in the pregame press and we will be watching him closely wherever he goes.

3' -- Yogi-Akbar-Prasetyo, we attack up the right side and a defender gets a piece, out for a corner. Twice we head it back in, but they clear it each time.

7' -- I like what I've seen so far. Strike that, I want to shoot Ferry Kombo. Routine pass to him but he doesn't control it, just bounces off him and Kurniawan pounces for Madiun Putra. He moves in and places a shot in the left corner of the net, nothing Syarif could do there and we go down immediately! 0-1

Just an absolutely inexcusable error. If I had anyone competent to pull Kombo for I'd do it.

12' -- Sutanto gets a look from the edge, good looking shot but it's off the bar. Herlan with the corner, Muda goes down at the near post, and I'm livid about the lack of a call! A second corner also looks good but nothing.

15' -- Nice tackle by Patay prevents Kotto from getting anything off after another bad turnover. He gets a decent header from the corner, sharply hit but right at Syarif.

20' -- A slew of turnovers, then Akbar to Herlan right up the middle, keeper's a bit out of position .. he hits it too close to the middle and a diving save by Haribowo! Wow, that was a fine play but also a poor shot, Herlan really should have scored there.

We're simultaneously firmly in control of this match and losing it. Deflections on the corner, Kombo blasts one from just inside that's well wide.

22' -- They get it to Kotto twice, first one we take it away, second one he has a look from 15 yards and should have scored, but Syarif got his body just enough in the way.

34' -- Save by Syarif on another dangerous shot. Our dominance of possession has ended, and I have to tell them to pull back. We are in trouble here.

41' -- Herlan up the right to Yogi, he takes two with him, rolling cross to Akbar in front, he's in close but can't get anything off. Our fifth corner of the half is the least profitable.

46' -- Yogi's hurt, and he'll have to go off. This day is getting worse and worse. Ewangin is in, Akbar back to AMC which is not his best position.


HT -- Even match overall, their individual attacking skill makes them maybe a bit better. They made their good chance, Herlan missed ours, both sides have had solid looks that didn't go. Down 0-1, we need to finish better, it's as simple as that.


49' -- Akbar gets it to Sutanto just outside the area, one shot is blocked, a second partially. Corner goes to Patay far post, nice try at a header that's cleared off the line, then eventually we get another corner try. Muda at the near post, way off target with that one.

Just not good enough.

53' -- Freekick from the side, Firzada beats Muda to the ball at the far post and there's nobody even close. 0-2. Stick a fork in us.

A minute later, it takes another fine save to keep their lead from growing, They are just ripping us apart and I don't know that we can do anything to stop them.

60' -- Ewangin leads Sutanto, just squeezed between two defenders but he's got a look ... score inside the right post! 1-2, and we are still in this! That pass had to be perfect, defense wasn't bad at all -- it was perfect and the finish nearly was as well.

Kotto drifts free quickly, but a huge header by Muda prevents him from getting it.

62' -- Angled shot from the left for Ewangin, just wide. We're back to that position where all we need is one.

68' -- They run up the left, Kuswanto from a bit of an angle .... blocked by Syarif and Saputra clears. We control most of the play but don't get much of an actual attack going. Time is not on our side.

81' -- Prasetyo clears out a corner. Desperation time.

93' -- One last push, Herlan at the edge, can't get anything off, and we eventually turn it over.


FT -- Revenge is served. We beat them 2-1 at their place, they return the favor today. We couldn't match their skill on the attack, in most aspects we outplayed them but not where it counts. As expected, a record 518 show up. I wish we could have given them a better result.

An elbow injury will sideline Yogi for 3 weeks. Oh well.

[Brian Swartz]

1.30 @ Perspar(10-1-3, 1st) We're really up against it here, but any decent shot at winning the group has to start with a win today. We're down five as it is, anything else would leave them with a sizable lead. Beating the hottest team and group leaders on the road with a depleted squad ... it's a mammoth challenge for us to be sure.

We focused on defense ahead of this one, as with our attackers espescially decimated we need to stay in it and hope for that one moment of brilliance in a tight game. the oddsmakers have them as 1-6 favorites to beat us and I find it hard to disagree.

Patay is out with a cold. This leaves us with six injured players, not counting Kirivutharo who still isnt' registered. This is almost on the scale of what we had going on at the start of my first year.

I'm forced to bring up Endra Abidin from the youth team, which will cost us some money once his contract kicks in. That's just so we can have a proper defensive line. We still only have three subs, two of them keepers. Oh, I do hope those of you watching at home enjoy carnage.

I tell them to ignore the odds and just go play -- what else can I say? Akbar[ looks fired up. And who stops the first attack of the day? That's right, it's Abidin with a nice header. Go figure.

11' -- Ewangin goes down hurt. Well, that's just fantastic.

Introducing our new striker, Roni Setia!! No, I'm not joking. Haven't got anyone else to run out there.

14' -- Kim Dang-Suk swings in a cross from outer Slobovia, and just misses scoring when it hits the post.

20' -- We haven't surrendered a shot. No, we aren't getting jack either, but I'll take it under the circumstances.

We almost get something on a counter but we have too many invalids out there. Corner. Sutanto doesn't even put it in play. ...

23' -- Long pass by Kombo to Akbar, he's in with a decent look, not a great shot and blocked away by Cayhaqi. That's the kind of thing we need to score on, we're not going to get much.

They get a yellow card. Frustration boiling over perhaps?

26' -- Close free for Sang-Duk, high. I can breathe a bit now. That was their first shot against four for us.

29' -- Abidin goes for a header ... misjudges ... then recovers and tackles Arman before he can get a shot off. Corner. Impressive recovery though.

Kombo clears it. They have a ridiculous 67% possession and can't get shots. I've never seen anything like it.

34' -- Dangerous counter to ... Setia? Don't laugh, he almost got a clear run on goal there. Every time I turn around Kombo is making a big header to get possession back. Yeah we don't keep it long, but he's breaking up a lot of stuff today.

45' -- Deep corner cleared by Abidin. Our best player on the pitch today is either him or Kombo, it's ridiculous what he's doing out there.


HT -- I tell them how well they're doing and to keep going, spirits look extremely high and we're ready to go out there and kick some arse!! Except that they are, you know, way better than us. Don't tell us that though.


51' -- We've inconcievably been fighting for possession, but Muda gets what I think is a harsh yellow at midfield. We need him.

57' -- Second corner of the day. We're playing great right now. Akbar steps up and ... can't keep it in play. Seriously??

59' -- Corner for them, jump ball right in front ... Syarif gets a hand but can't grab it, someone knocks it off the crossbar ... and it's cleared . by . Abidin. The kid is everyhwere!!

61' -- Header upfield, Budiansyah is behind our defense, doesn't control it well and he's too far out left, Syarif is in position and there's no angle, shot blocked for another corner. Dangerous one in front, header missed by Muda, it's on the ground ... Prasetyo takes it away! We're still alive!! I have no idea how!!!!

Hard fouls both ways but no offense to speak of. They are starting to assert themselves again, but our defense is holding -- fatigue is playing a huge part but we don't crack as the minutes slowly tick by tensely.

82' -- They get another corner. Sutanto is there to cut it off at the near post, Saputra runs it down. Wheeee!!

89' -- Bad throw-in, intercepted, a chip from just inside the area ... please no ... and it's high! Thank you! Thank you very much!!!

93' -- Kombo gambles and loses, cross for Budiansyah, header inside the right corner of the box ... looks good but it's into the side, just right of the post! We survive!!


FT -- I don't think I've ever been so thrilled with a scoreless draw. 10 shots combined. Abidin is player of the freaking match. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.

He's not willing to compromise much, 750k with 10% raises. He's earned it though.

[Brian Swartz]

FEBRUARY

Training -- Patay(defending), Kombo(tactics), Syarif(Shot Stopping) are all positives, but a number of negatives as well. Ferminus(tactics -- injured), Saputra(fitness), and Muda(fitness). Usually those guys do ok so it's a surprise. Bob continues to be impressed by Kombo's progress -- perhaps he's on his way to fulfilling his potential.

STANDINGS

Persepar(32 pts, +13)

Madiun Putra(28 pts, +12)
Persigubin(27 pts, +14)
Persipur(26 pts, +8)
Perseta(23 pts, +6)
Perseba Super(19 pts, -3)
Pro Duta FC(18 pts, -3)
PSBK(17 pts, --)*
Persipro(17 pts, -10)
Persitema(16 pts, -9)

Persida(14 pts, -2)*
PS Biak Numfor(7 pts, -26)

*Only 14 played, one in hand

With seven to play, we aren't out of this yet but will need a lot of luck and some help. Down to third now, and we could easily slip further. The injuries have reached the point where the team we can put out there isn't nearly as good, nearly as explosive, as the one that started the year. A 13-point turnaround, we led by eight points and now trail by five. But we must look forward.

February has three fixtures and two are against Persida and Persitema, a couple of bottom-feeders. Perseta is a quality foe but we get them at home, so we really have a chance to make some noise and put a bit of pressure on it if we can find any kind of form with the players we have. If we don't, the meaningful part of this year will be over quickly.

We agree to terms with Bayhaqi, same 4.25M he's making now with a 5% annual raise and moderate bonus increases. Herlan I decide to punt on ... I may bring him back, may not, and Sukma gets out there to take a look at who might be available in the offseason for us to sign. In order to save on costs, we're only looking in Indonesia this year: there were plenty of quality players last year, and we didn't run into the 'too small club stature' problem as much. The limiting factor is money, and I don't see that changing or any good reason to cast a wider net right now. The good news is we think Agung Sukma has gotten a little better this year: he's about twice as good as he was when I started here(still incompetent mind you, but now far less so). So we'll see what shakes out. And with the second transfer window starting today, I'm not totally adverse to bringing someone in if it looks like they could make a major difference.

The board makes a major change and is now merely 'satisfied' with what I've done, also downgrading my job security to only stable. Our fall from the top of the table is the entirely predictable reason, but they are still being a bit finicky if you ask me. Another 233M(actually 633M) lost last month.

[Brian Swartz]

2.6 vs. Persitema(4-4-7, 10th) We have Kirivutharo registered now, and Patay is back. Persitema are still 4-5 favorites to come in here and beat us, which I don't really understand. They've had mixed but solid results lately, but we did thrash them 3-1 on the road earlier in the year, the first of four straight defeats for Persitema at the time. Whatever ... the oddsmakers have clearly decided we aren't worth a crap lately. Both sides have a lot to play for, we're trying to stay relevant in the promotion race and they are trying to stay out of the relegation zone, which they are only two points clear of coming in.

We're weakest up front where once again we have Akbar out of his best position at AMC, Ewangin as our striker, along with Sutanto. In defense and midfield though we can at least put a quality group out there, so I really think we should generate enough to get a win.

2' -- Horrible start. Herlan makes a nice clearance to stop an attack right away, then Mambrasar gets behind Patay and they cross it to him, excellent chance eight yards out and only a weak shot allows Syarif to parry it. We need to wake up, fast.

12' -- They hit a long freekick, just high. No shots for us yet but we're doing much better at controlling the action.

Freekick down the other end, Akbar sends it in from deep and Kombo wants a foul given, he's furious about the ref swallowing his whistle.

18' -- They get a couple of long angled shots from the left, one's blocked and the other was horrid. Our complete lack of chances is starting to bother me.

25' -- Turnovers galore, but Akbar eventually outduels two defenders, centers for Herlan who fires one from the edge, high. Well at least we got a shot. I've seen enough to pull back to a countering approach though, I'd rather be a bit safer on the other end if we aren't going to produce anything.

26' -- Long volley for them just wide. Our defense sucks today, we'll be lucky if we don't lose this. We should already be losing it.

35' -- Mambrasar mid-area, Syarif cheated to the right which is where the shot went, defenders had the other side blocked off pretty good. He makes the save, but they are getting too many and we're getting nothing.

Ewangin gets a very sharp angle down the other end and fires it anyway, a rocket but there was no way that's getting through. Only benefit is a corner, they clear easily, come down and get one shot blocked and a long header that's no danger.

41' -- After more dodgy defense they make a bad pass, eventually Akbar leads Ewangin into the area, he goes down no call and they knock it out for a corner. Goes to Patay at the near post but a bit too close to the goal and he can't get to it.

45' -- Decent passing play, Ewangin - Akbar - Sutanto gets a look between defenders just outside, it's a fair bit wide right.

HT -- We're just plain sloppy and very fortunate to still be tied, although the last ten minutes or so have been better. That doesn't save the team one hell of a tonguelashing though. We should be better than this. Ewangin, Saputra, Kombo, Muda, none of them have looked very good at there. I can't take them all off, but I put in Prasetyo for Muda hoping to solidify our defense.


58' -- Absolutely idiotic move by Kirivutharo, loses the ball and a blatant trip in frustration gets him an immediate red card! Now we're down a man, and he and I will have words, that was just stupid and we don't play that kind of football here. Abidin on for Ewangin, we'll play a 5-2-1-1 and hope we can survive now.

60' -- Pramono rifles a cross right along the goal mouth, we all stare at it stupidly and Alaita is there at the far post with nobody near him. 0-1. Good ... we deserve it. This game has been a bloody catastrophe and anything other than a loss would be unjust.

Two minutes later, Mambrasar just misses a chip from the edge that would have added another for them.

63' -- Herlan up the right for Saragih, Suherman comes out to take it ... but Saragih tackles it away! There's no keeper now, can we get a shot? Saragih tries one from wide on the right, it's a significant angle but his aim is true and we tie it up on a ridiculous error, 1-all! I'm not sure whether I'm glad or disappointed.

They continue to get shots, thankfully missing most of the time.

73'-- I don't believe what I just saw. Nice interception by Kombo, we move ahead on the counter, Saragih gets behind them on the right, he's into the area and a fine strike inside the left post! We take the lead 2-1, man shortage be damned!!

76' -- Alaita from the right, screams one just over the bar. They get a corner a minute later, Sutanto heads it out but only for another try. Kombo gets to it first and we eventually clear. They're throwing everything at us right now.

80' -- Prasetyo clears another corner.


FT -- We hold on to win 2-1 despite being outshot 19-5 and outplayed virtually throughout. Saragih saved us almost singlehandedly, and of course it was a disastrous error by Suherman that gave him the chance. I'm actually annoyed we won though, we absolutely didn't deserve anything but a three-goal loss. I have nothing to say afterwards, I just let them stew, though I do commend Saragih. He tripled his goals on the year from 1 to 3 today.

Kirivutharo gets a 2-week fine. To his credit, he accepts both the fine and the criticism he gets from me in the post-game press conference. At least he's taking it like a man, it's going to hurt not having him out there for our next match. Priyono will have to take his place.

We gain two points on Persepar who has only a draw, so against all odds we are now down just three with six to play. With a nine-day break, we may be able to get another player or two back as well. Madiun Putra blasted our resident doormats 6-3 in a wild one, they not only stay a point in front of us but also drew even on differential.

I'm also told we have a new problem: many players are unhappy with the standard of the fitness coaching, feeling we have enough players that another coach is required. Well, if they'd give me enough money for the position to sign one ... but I head on over to the job center and post another advertisement for a coach, don't let it be said that I didn't listed to what the players have to say.

[Izulde]

Hoping you can close out with a win of the league after that swoon.

[Brian Swartz]

So you're tellin' me there's a chance ...

2.11 -- It took only a week and a half for Sukma to compile his reports on potential players. Nobody stands out as a 'must-have' for this year though there are definitely some good players in there. We'll take a closer look a little later on but I don't see us making any moves until the offseason.

2.13 -- The disciplinary committee reviewed the red on Kirivutharo and decided that it was worth suspending him for an additional two games. Freaking awesome!!! Great start to your career here buddy.

2.14 @ Persida(3-5-7, 11th) The crackhead oddsmakers can't decide if we're any good: today they say we are, 1-3 favorites on the road. Go figure. We had a 1-0 win earlier in the year at home in a game we controlled but struggled to score in. Don't imagine it'll be any easier this time around. The biggest news is that we get Yogi back today, the question is whether he's ready to start. Close call in this case but I'll run Ewangin out there and probably get Yogi in at the half.

In unrelated news, the board injected another 400M today.

12' -- We've controlled the early going well, but they get the first shot, half-volley from the left which is a little wide.

16' -- Saputra plays a long one up to Saragih in on the right, a striker's control skills he doesn't have and it bounces around and out for a corner.

23' -- Dangerous looking counter, Adriyanti gets only a long shot from the right and nothing. A quarter of the day is gone, there are two shots, none by us. Where oh where has our offense gone?

28' -- Oh, there it is. Ewangin leads Akbar, open from 16 and slides it inside the right post. 1-0! First shot, best shot of the day by either side. Thank you very much ... now keep it going.

Back the other way, Nawawi in on the right, nice cross to the far post where Basuki's header is off the hands of Syarif and in. We led for a solid 45 seconds. Tied again. Saputra thinks the initial pass was offside, but I don't think we have much of a case, we were just loose on the edges defensively and paid the price.

33' -- We stop a freekick and counter, Ewangin crosses and Saputra's long header is easily saved. I go a little more conservative as we are losing the ball too often now.


HT -- They push hard until the last few minutes, but nobody gets anything. As planned, Yogi comes on for Ewangin with Akbar moving up front to his natural position. Hopefully we can create more than two shots ...


52' -- Freekick for Yogi, straight on from 25 and he misses right. He's shown he can make magic happen from out there, but not this time.

54' -- Corner to the near post, Prasetyo and a defender go down there but nobody gets to the ball, loose in the box and they clear it. Almost a chance there.

57' -- An absolutely idiotic clearance and we get another corner. Nothing, we hold it in, can't quite get a look for a decent shot, and then a turnover by Priyono. He's showing his true colors now, not ready for this level but we don't have better.

I tell the team to push forward more as we are the aggressors at the moment.

61' -- We take it away from Basuki as they attack, could have been a penalty call there as he's hurt, but they don't get the call.

65' -- They just leave the ball for Herlan and he fires from just inside, it's high. A gift, and we refused it.

66' -- Nawawi up the right, nice play there by Priyono to prevent a shot. Kombo clears out the corner twice. Patay on for Prasetyo who has been pretty bad today.

76' -- I switch back to counter as once again they are surging a bit ... nothing cheap here at the end.

78' -- A cross from way out wide deflects off the crossbar ... don't need the heart attack guys.

79' -- Two guys miss the ball, Basuki slides to Adriyanto, mid-area shot beats Syarif in the right side! 1-2!! Good grief we suck. We have to push for an equalizer now ...

83' -- Basuki shoots from the right, weak and Syarif has it.

90' -- Dubious yellow called on them for impeding Yogi.


FT -- Well, we were bad in defense and this was Syarif's worst game this year, normally he'd stop at least one of those goals and maybe both. Also, four shots?? That was just sad. We still shouldn't have lost, but we shouldn't have won last time out either, so justice perhaps. I tell Herlan he played well(he did), which ticks off three other guys since I let the team have it as a whole. Shut up and play fellas.

Persepar loses as well but Madiun Putra wins again .. they're up to first now and we trail by four.

[Brian Swartz]

2.15 Urwan announces he will 'retire' at the end of the year, though he's thinking of still playing in the lower leagues.

2.20 vs. Perseta(7-3-7, 5th) They're pretty much top of the middle of the pack right now, and 5-4 favorites at our house. Neither club is burning it up lately. Yogi gets his first start since coming back. My primary concern isn't who we are playing, but how. Namely, that we are generating nothing but yawns. We miss Yarangga I think, but he's not walking through that door for a bit yet.

3' -- Well, this wasn't what I had in mind. Foul near midfield, Priyono takes the freekick, bounces in the box and over the keeper's diving arms for a score! How does he not get over there when it's hit from 5 yards this side of the midline? Complete accident farce absurdity of a cheap goal. And I love it!! It's his first score at this level. 1-0

4' -- That's more like it, complete defensive breakdown, Galuh is in alone, just barely getting his fingers on it is Syarif but that's enough to deflect it wide. Good grief, drop deeper guys if you aren't going to pay freaking attention.

16' -- Possession is not good. Switching to counter. I think we're going to need that cheap one if this keeps up.

19' -- Bad pass by Patay, Saragih bails him out. We move it on, should have lost it twice, then Sutanto leads Akbar, fakes out the keeper, left side open and fires ... just misses the corner! He didn't need to be that cute there, that is a gimme that should be money every single time. Heavens ... that's our leading scorer, but he looked 18 on that shot.

20' -- Oh my goodness. We attack again, they clear it after a bad pass but it's off Priyono and right to Sutanto, great looking volley just inside, keeper doesn't even give a token effort ... just high. That's two in two minutes that were a foot away from scoring. Karma biting us after the early shot perhaps?

25' -- This match is going to give me a heart attack. They push up the right, then swing left to Yuli. Nobody's over there. He moves in, shoots ... off the post, rebounds back, he's got it, Syarif on the ground after diving for the first shot, no way he doesn't score here ... but it's a high bounce and he can't control it immediately, Saragih knocks it away a second later.

There should be goals all over the place, and the only tally is Priyono's prayer.

31' -- Yogi unloads a rocket from 25 on a freekick, close but high. Nice passing on the counter, Nurcahya's volley from about 12 is pushed wide right.

33' -- The reign of stupidity is now complete. Yes, I know it's the first half, but still. Saragih finds Akbar, sharp angle right of the box, he fires and Tanujaya deflects ... off the bar ... and out. Yogi goes for the header on the open net but they beat him to it ... right back over to Akbar. His volley is off Tanujaya's legs ... off the right post ... and out. Loose in the box, Ritai hurriedly clears it ... off Sukirman his teammate, and into the net. That took maybe 10 seconds in total. We miss two must-convert chances only to see them bumble into an own goal.

We gave up an own goal at one point last year I think but this is the first we've benefited from. Whatever. We're winning 2-0. Nothing's going in but the crap that should be cleared six times. Wide freaking open one-on-ones with skilled players in position and on tempo? Nah, both sides are blowing those. Broken-arse plays with ridiculous bounces? Yep, that's the ticket today.

We're controlling possession well which at least limits the number of defensive breakdowns we can have. I think about telling the team to push forward more, but decide against it. We're up two. If it ain't broke, I don't wanna fix it.

41' -- Corner, ball bounces around, a shot through traffic is bobbled by Syarif and bounces right to Ferdinsyah, at the right post and not two yards out. Money. 2-1. Why not.


HT -- 55% possession, they've had only five shots but they've been good ones. No changes, we just need to defend better.


46' -- Or we could just score again and put it out of reach. Priyono nice pass over the middle to Yogi, too big a hole between their centerbacks. He times it well and easy score into the right side, no chance. 3-1!! Everything about that play was textbook, which is certainly something you can't say about the other goals today.

54' -- They are attacking more now. Galuh free mid-area, Muda gets close enough to block his shot out for a corner. Nobody's home on the corner.

56' -- Breakdown on the other end, Kombo finds Saragih shortly after an inbounds, left-footed angled shot is into the side but he was wide open mid-area there. A Herlan 30-yd freekick goes high.

60' -- Long shot by Ferdiansyah straight on, but a good one and Syarif does well to tip it over. I put in Faizal for a rare stint in place of Kombo. We come down, Saputra-Priyono-Akbar, left-footed floater doesn't have enough on it, easy save.

70' -- Abidin on for Akbar, we'll go with five at the back and get more time for our youngsters.

72' -- 30yd freekick for Yogi, pushed away, Muda is there on the rebound blocked by the keeper laying on the ground. He needed to do more, hit it at an angle but just get a little air under the ball and they were helpless.

87' -- Diving header by Haryanto, at least ten yards out and it's placed perfectly in the right corner of the net. Well, gotta just applaud that, defensive positioning was pretty good, he hit that one off balance and just hit it exquisitely. 3-2, glad we had a goal to give.

89' -- A corner bounces around and a long volley by Priyono is put wide.

90' -- We let Haryanto free. Up the middle. Behind the defense. Beats Syarif easily, right side. Tied at 3. I need a gun.

How the heck do you give up a lead like that? We flat-out lost track of the guy who just scored three minutes before. I mean ...

92' -- Priyono has Saragih free up the right side but leads him too far.

Goalkick. Three players miss it. Ferdiansyah is free at the edge, Syarif tips his shot. Corner for them. Good header for Ferdiansyah, but he misses it wide.

We should have lost this.


FT -- Well, blowing this match probably sealed our fate for the year. A crazy 3-3 draw that we absolutely should have won before we should have lost it with the late collapse. Yogi and what's-his-face, Priyono, did well. The rest of the team doesn't like me saying so. Mixed messages seem to annoy them. Deal.

[Brian Swartz]

2.28 -- It has been noted that Syarif is improving significantly by assistant PJ Bob.

MARCH

Training -- Saragih(Tactics) and Kombo(Defending) are positives, retiring players Ewangin and Urwan are irrelevant negatives.

The board continues to be satisfied, down a hair from last month they are almost neutral on me now. Lost just over 7M(400M injection though so it wasn't that good). Bayhaqi returns to training and Yarangga will do so imminently, which makes us 100% healthy for our next match -- a few too late to do any good though most likely.

STANDINGS

Madiun Putra(37 pts, +19)

Persepar(36 pts, +14)
Persigubin(31 pts, +14)
Persipur(30 pts, +8)
Perseta(25 pts, +5)
Pro Duta FC(24 pts, -2)
PSBK(23 pts, +2)
Persipro(22 pts, -9)
Perseba Super(21 pts, -5)
Persitema(19 pts, -10)

Persida(18 pts, -2)
PS Biak Numfor(7 pts, -34)

The hideous PS Biak Numfor have already clinched relegation. At the top, there is two-team race for the qualification spot. Technically three more are still mathematically in it including us, but six points down with four to go means it's just a matter of time until our fate is sealed.

Kombo's development has continued to be good, to the point where Bob thinks he's at least as good as anyone on the team now. And then ...

[Brian Swartz]

3.2 -- Sutanto has a fractured skull. Ouch. Out 3-4 months. So in other words, say goodbye to him until next year. It's been a relatively disappointing season for him, but 5 goals, 6 assists in 18 games is still a solid contribution.

In other news, another disastrous game for Indonesia who loses 3-0 to Kuwait in their World Cup Qualifying finale. 6 games, 2 goals, 14 conceded, all losses. Yikes.

3.5 @ Persipur(4th) They've already beaten us once this year, but haven't been great lately which is why we are still a point ahead of them. Essentially this is a match for third place. With Sutanto out Ewangin gets the start as Bayhaqi needs to be eased back in, same thing for Yarangga with Priyono still starting in midfield. This is the last match of Kirivutharo's suspension.

They are strong favorites(1-3), and it's going to be tough on us here.

2' -- Quick shot for Akbar edge of the area, fairly easy save for Susanto.

6' -- Bad throw-in by Kombo on our end, they get a mid-area shot crossangle that is just wide.

11' -- Another shot from the edge and another easy save, this one from Saragih.

19' -- Long kick by Syarif, Ewangin has miles of space, moves right around the keeper and hits to the open net. A shockingly easy goal as he broke perfectly and the defense just didn't go with him, he's not exactly a speed demon but was 10 yards at least in the clear. Fantastic not only to give us the lead, but to give a veteran who has been a big part of our success a score as his first goal on the year. 1-0

Persipur got a lot more aggressive after the score but it didn't translate into any immediate shots for them.

28' -- Saragih up the right to Akbar, cross for Ewangin whose header from just outside the box is saved. Good play, he just didn't put it away.

This is a lot like we looked early in the year, turning small amounts of possession into good shots and defending the rest of the time.

31' -- Looping freekick, pretty close one from Ewangin there.

36' -- Syarif is having an amazing day. Or was. Until he botched an easy catch, and Akman got to the ball first for a header on an empty net. 1-all. Somebody shoot me now. That wasn't even a hard ball to handle. He just didn't get control of it.

46' -- Cross for Akman who outjumps us at the far post and puts a strong header easily home! It's offsides though, thankfully, because we did everything we could to stop that and he just beat us on the play.


HT -- Bayhaqi and Yarangga come on after a 1-1 half to open it, hopefully they're ready enough to help us push on. We've been good enough to win, but it only takes one mistake to lose a lead.


48' -- Akbar with a fine header at midfield flicks one on to Saputra who has a full head of steam and runs past their defense, moves in ... and puts it high. They come down and Septian puts one into orbit from just outside. So nothing either way, but that was a great opportunity to take the lead again.

51' -- Herlan goes down at midfield and his day is done. I'm out of midfielders, so Patay comes on and we'll go with a 5-2-2-1. I've tried just about everything else, why not this?

64' -- Another how did we not score there moment. Bayhaqi is led into the area, but stands there to adjust his camera and take an album of photos, naturally it's tackled away, Akbar[ gets a shot and deflected out. Both shots should have scored, and of course they clear the corner kick.

78' -- Long shot by Akman is way off. Nobody is getting any play.

81' -- Another long shot nets them nothing.

88' -- Freekick from 25, Syarif leaps but can't get it, off the bar! It rebounds harmlessly out of the area. After a cross Annas has it in front, but he's totally bracketed and can't get anything through. They are pushing hard for another score, we may have an opportunity here ...


FT -- Nothing. A 1-1 draw, and we gave away two points today. Better than we were expected to do, not as good as we should have done. That's really become a rather fitting microcosm of our entire season.

Syarif is the completely undeserving player of the game. Now, he was fantastic almost the whole way, great passes, assist on the Ewangin goal ... but he singlehandledly handed away the one they scored. Not what I would have done.

Herlan sprained an ankle and will be out two months, which means he's done for the year.

[Brian Swartz]

Due to a power outage I lost the last few match write-ups of the season. It was not a particularly dramatic finish, so I didn't really sweat it a whole lot and just moved on. Here's how things concluded:

3.13 vs. Pro Duta -- W 2-1. We outshot them 16-3, spending almost twice as much time in their third as they did in ours. Still we trailed 1-0 at the hour mark, with Yogi converting a penalty kick in the 69th minute and Bayhaqi adding the winner in the 73rd on a simple pass from Yogi after a slow build-up. The defender simply missed the ball and he placed one in the left side from mid-area to give us the win.

4.2 @ PSBK -- W 4-0. A competitive match except for the fact that their attackers were no threat at all -- they generated only one shot despite decent possession numbers. We got a pair late in the first half by Ewangin who had one last hurrah here, another early in the second by Bayhaqi, and an own goal rounded out the disastrous match for PSBK in injury time. A great road win kept our momentum going, but it was already too late.

4.17 vs. Persipro -- D 2-2. A lot of action early on. A quick goal by Bayhaqi in the 9th minute was answered almost immediately, and then Akbar put us up again on a perfectly placed shot in traffic from a Bayhaqi header. That was in the 27th, and we held the lead until midway through the second half. They equalized by Rosadi on a corner, their second score via that route.

FINAL STANDINGS, PREMIER DIVISON GROUP D FIRST PHASE 2015-16

Persepar(48 pts, +22)
Madiun Putra(44 pts, +20)

Persigubin(39 pts, +19)
Perspipur(35 pts, +7)
Perseba Super(29 pts, -3)
Persipro(28 pts, -8)
Perseta(26 pts, --)
Persida(25 pts, +4)
Pro Duta FC(25 pts, -5)
PSBK(25 pts, -9)

Persitema(22 pts, -12)
PS Biak Numfor(12 pts, -34)

The best two second-place teams move on to Second Phase as well as the four champions, Perserang finished second but lost out on goal differential for the final spot ... Persibom finished third behind a dominant youngster(24 goals in 21 matches), so all of us did well but none could turn the back-to-back promotion feat. Maybe next year.

[Tellistto]

Hard to believe just how small that club you got the job with was/is. Solid work so far. Hopefully you found some good replacements for your retirees!

Tell

[Brian Swartz]

It was definitely a busy offseason, thanks for reading!

The May review revealed that Bayhaqi was named young player of the month, and Kombo continues to progress.

SEASON REVIEW

We burst out of the gate with an eight-point lead early, which we lost in a decidedly subpar middle of the year. A fairly strong finish, but combined with an early exit from the Indonesian Cup again, it was a disappointing second half.

Overall it's hard not to be pleased though. Third place in our first season in the Premier Division is far better than anyone expected. Saragih and Yogi are named in Premier Team of the Year, Yogi's contract means this adds 11M to his paycheck.

We were only 41st in average attendance(408), yet were given the 33rd-highest salary and managed to be 8th-best overall. I'd call that excellent work given the financial situation. The question is, how much more can we do?

May 8 -- End of season business. Team meeting ... I tell them we're aiming for a top-half finish next year. After this season, nothing less should be acceptable for us. Syarif agrees, Sutanto thinks it's too ambitious. I don't back off, and we have mixed reactions. Six up a little, Five down a lot. Setia, Herlan(leaving), Bayhaqi, Sutanto, and Patay think I'm reaching too high. That's some key guys there, so we'll see what they think when we come back.

Board Review -- They are content with the season, labeling our performance in competititons 'satisfactory', new signings 'adequate', and showing particulary good marks on our player performances.

Annual Training Report -- Syarif(Shot Stopping) and Kombo(Tactics) are the biggest positives. We have four negatives, Herlan, Ewangin, Yarangga, and Ferminus. Well, only Yarangga is coming back, so overall that's still ok but not as good as we would like obviously.

5.12 -- Players go on vacation, and the local planning commission once again blocks the stadium move. Based on last year, it'll be another six weeks before we get a preliminary budget.

[Brian Swartz]

May 31 -- DM/MC Yusuf Yusuf, good enough to be an emergency midfield backup, turns 17 and signs a 750k contract through the end of the 18-19 season.

SQUAD EVALUATION

KEEPER

GK T.M. Syarif(23) -- He wasn't as sure-handed as I'd like, but a good part of the credit for us being one of the stingiest teams in the Premier Division on our debut goes to him. A solid keeper and one that can continue to get better, definitely was a big acquisition.

GK Roni Setia(19) -- Hasn't gotten a lot of playing time and hasn't progressed much as a result. He's here for another year but if we can find a better backup we'll take it and dump him.

DEFENSE

DC Endra Abidin(18) -- Cheap and has a lot of time, development has been decent but not great. Definitely had his moments plus and minus as you'd expect of a young player. Right now I want to keep him around but the jury's still out.

DRC Dahrul Topansyah Saragih(27) -- One of our most complete players, important up and down the field. Had a strong year overall and scored three goals. It looks like he's basically peaked, but barring the acquisition of a real start what we get from him is enough.

DRC Ben Onisius Benoni Patay(30) -- 3 goals all in one match, solid but unspectacular. He's still here because he's cheap and has the right attitude, but definitely a guy I wouldn't mind upgrading if I can find a way. Could be his last year, if not it won't be long until we move on.

DRLC Adi Eko Prasetyo(27) -- Very cheap at 1.2M, plays all three positions, but doesn't do any of them particularly well. Another guy who is here only because of limited finances and because I can't find another option yet.

DL Ferry Kombo(21) -- What can I say, he's proving to be one of my best pickups and I certainly don't regret putting the money out for the transfer fee(only one I've paid to date). Still very young, far from his prime and he's become the best player at the club. Only drawback is he's strictly a defensive player and doesn't contribute to other phases, but what he does he does very well.

DL Widodo Faizal(17) -- Fairly raw, but we have a glut of young talented left-backs right now. Development has been ok but it looks like he's about to be superceded by the recently signed youngster Imam Hermawan(16), same position, more polished and similar potential. There's not room here for both. Faizal is on contract for two years and it won't be renewed unless he ups his game.

DC Iskandar Muda(30) -- Gave us some real size(194 cm/6-4+) in the middle of the defense when he replaced Fitriandi, but was a temporary and imperfect fix. Judgement errors are a flaw but not common enough to make us desperate. Two goals this year and still our best central defender overall by a significant margin.

Upgrading depth or middle positions is my main concern here, the wings are set for years with Saragih/Kombo.


MIDFIELD

DM/MC Chhun Kirivutharo(25) -- Only was here half the year, and only played half of that with the three-game suspension for the infamous red card and the one (bad) match with the Cambodian national team. He's fairly cheap and still probably our best overall midfielder, a quality player but more of a support one than a direct offensive threat. How he does next year will determine much of his future here, as the jury is still out a bit but he did enough at the end of the season to inspire some confidence.

MC Frans Yarangga(29) -- Long our defensive pit bull in midfield, Yarangga is showing signs that his best years are behind him now. He appears to now be lagging behind our better midfielders significantly(Saputra/Kirivutharo) and we can begin to number his days.

MC Dodi Saputra(30) -- The glue of our midfield, Saputra is always solid, occasionally spectacular, and usually disappoints when it comes time to contribute directly to our goal count. This year he was 0-for-17 shooting. He's a solid member of the 'good-enough-for-now' club, but father time is starting to sneak up on him as well.

MC/AMC Bangun Priyono(18) -- Still in the talented, unproven, and cheap camp. We learned this year that we need to not be relying upon him as a regular. He should probably be playing First Division ball at best, maybe Second Division, and that would be better for his development. He's on contract for two years, but will need to step up considerably.

We need at least two quality bodies here after deciding to let Herlan go. Add in the fact that there's some degree of uncertainty with every player and this is definitely my biggest priority this offseason.


ATTACKERS

AMC/ST Fabian Yogi(31) -- He's lost a step, but he's still our best and the fans love him. 8 goals/9 assists this year, well down from the 18 he put in last year during our promotion but still a productive season. For the first time though, it is possible we may not want him back beyond the coming campaign.

AMC/ST Imam Bayhaqi(23) -- Needs to produce at what we're paying him, and had 7 goals/6 assists while missing significant time with injuries, just 17 appearances. A 45% on-target rate is pretty darn good by our standards. I expect him to be a key part of our attack for a long time, and the injury really held him back from taking the next step. Hopefully next year he can do that.

ST/AMC Iwan Akbar(18) -- Almost 4M is a lot to pay a teenager, but this year it looked like he might be worth it. A higher ceiling than anyone else on the senior team, he could take over from Yogi within a year or two as my preferred striker. 8 goals, 7 assists in 18 appearances, and a 50% on target rate though the end of the year that wasn't nearly as good as the start. If we do get out of the Premier and into the SL, he's going to have a lot to do with it most likely.

AMC/ST Pamungkas Yuli Sutanto(18) -- Right now we're all just hoping he can recover from the skull fracture, that's not a minor injury esp. for a young player. This was a disappointing year, with 5 goals/7 assists in 20 appearances. 40% on target wasn't that bad, but some days he just disappeared out there. Still pretty solid, and we still think he's going to get better and be a force at this level.

The Bayhaqi/Sutanto/Akbar trio is the future of our attack, no doubt about it. We need to add depth though, with Ewangin retiring they need someone behind them. On the youth team, AMC Muhammad Triyono has shown flashes but is still a long way from being a major contributor.

NEW SIGNINGS

Most of our moves would wait for the budget to be released and see how much money there is available. I knew I wanted at least two midfielders and one player up front, so I did splurge on a premium mid. One player stood above the rest, Efbrik Pradana, presently playing for Persipasi. He has the best professional attititude and the lowest salary demands of the bunch and was as good as any of them. He's gotten only sporadic appearances for a club that's about to go down to First Division, so he hasn't had a chance to really show much. At 23, there was time for him to improve and the information I was looking at showed he should be about the same level as our best current players, Kirivutharo and Saputra, with room to get somewhat better. He wanted 3.75 but I got him down to 3M, he didn't want any annual raise or promotion raise clauses.

It only took him two days to sign, he was excited about getting to stay in the Premier Division and not get relegated down to First with the rest of his club. With this signing we had basic coverage everywhere, and it was just a case now of waiting for the budget and seeing how much was left to improve our depth and balance.

[Brian Swartz]

JUNE

6.10 -- US beats Jamaica 1-0 with Julian Green the scorer in the first NAM Qualifying game for the 2018 World Cup.

6.14 -- Another win for the US, 4-1 over Trinidad & Tobago.

6.19 -- Sponsorship deals worth 500M announced, almost exactly the same as the 498M last year.

We also get our initial budgets, and I'm shocked. They suggest 100M, 333M transfer budget. Clearly they aren't interested in resting on their laurels and slowly growing out of this, it's more than a 50% increase.

My direction is clear: I'll try again for better coaches and see if they've loosened up those at all, and I'm also going to go for any upgrades to our roster I can find. For the first time, it's really at the point where the limiting factor probably won't be money -- it'll be the fact that players significantly better than the ones we have aren't interested in playing for a club of Persigubin's stature.

It's fantastic to have a board that is behind me like this -- gives me a great sense of excitement about the season to come. I call PJ Bob in and give him the great news: it's time to get to work!!

Keeper -- the best we can do are guys basically at the same level as Syarif, but adding another solid keeper as a backup will give us cover no doubt about it. We like Dikri Afafa, who is not as good but a little better potential and at 21 a little younger as well. He allowed 22 goals in 21 appearances for Persikubar, a bad First Division club, last year. Decent personality, not really a pro or con. 2.75M proposed.

Defense. This is where most of the quality available to me is. We wanted to get deeper at DR and there's only one player: Belly Syawindra(24), currently unemployed. Evaluation puts here as an equal to Kombo and a bit better than Saragih, who we could move inside to DC if we wanted to where he's almost as good. Syawindra is ambitious and a bit expensive, but we don't care about that now. 3.5M proposed.

At DL Kombo is of course a premium talent already, I'm never opposed to getting somebody better and the new youngster should be a capable backup. Hendriko Kiwak(22) is nearly as good and is almost ready to play all three back positions ... a Prasetyo only a much better version of the idea. 3.5 offered.

To really finish it off we'd also need a DC upgrade. If we get the first two signings we've got good players in the middle with Saragih/Muda and Patay/Prasetyo as backups. But there's tons of DCs available, if there's a top-quality one we could still improve. Nobody that really shakes the trees here, but well-rounded Hagi Permana soon-to-be-relegated Premier side PSAP is worth acquiring. 3.25M offered.

Midfield: We've already thrown 15M into the kitty ... in reality that's not even half of what we have to spend and we can't even go after players that require a transfer fee. Not because we don't have the money, but because none of them are interested. A pair of 23-year-olds here could give us the flexibility of going with a normal wide midfield if we so choose, but I honestly see no reason to do that. We haven't suffered that I can tell from playing the narrow formation, and might as well continue to play to our strengths. That means our man is MC Wahyono, a good performer with PSCS(First Division). He'll consider 4M.

Attackers: ST Burhanuddin Bayu(also of Persikoba) is the only player that really makes sense. He's about equal to our top players up front now and would ensure that we can play a quality scorer at any time. He's 24 and there's the potential to get better. Good strikers don't come cheap: we have to pony up 4.5 to get him, he'll be one of our highest-paid players.

I also put out advertisements for several different coaching positions. I feel dizzy and a bit scared having thrown this much money out there, but if they're giving it to me I might as well spend it. I expect they'll have expectations to go with all this cash. Based on last year's figures, I have the authority to move us up from about the one-third mark in terms of total payrolls to a very average mark right at the median. These players I've offered for are the very best in terms of initial impact that will consider coming to play here, so I'm not pulling any punches. It's an all-out assault on assembling the best team money can buy for the 16-17 season.

All of our targets signed, the last coming in on my 39th birthday, June 24. The opportunity to play in the Premier Division, or stay there for some players with relegated clubs, was our biggest draw it seems. To the extent you can have one at this level, my 'dream team' was complete. All I needed was to hear back about the staff and see how the salaries shook out. Four out, seven in when the dust settles in a week's time: and the board can keep their transfer budget, since we won't be needing one.

June 26 -- Indonesian Cup is over. Defending champions Arema went out in the first round shockingly to Premier side PSIR, a good Premier side but still. Persib won both the Cup and the Super League(the last one for the third straight year). Their coach Widodo, just 45, is already considered the greatest Indonesian coach ever. He's been there just under three years and won 65% of his games(99-26-26), by an average of more than a goal per game. Persib are up to #2 in the national club rankings, with the top spot seemingly only a matter of time. Simply put, they and he are the standard.

[Brian Swartz]

Before moving on, I thought it appropriate to take a moment and recognize the contributions of retiring ST Engel Ewangin. His career spanned 14 years, with 66 appearances and 23 goals, most of those at Persigubin. He joined us in 2008, five years before I got here, and for my first two seasons was a focal point of our attack. In his prime perhaps he could have been a consistently effective player at the Premier level, but certainly not anymore. He was vital in getting us to this point however, and will be missed.

RANKINGS

Indonesian Super League -- 19th(+3)
Premier Division -- 26th(+6)
First Division -- 72nd(+7)
Second Division -- 105th(no change)

Indonesia -- 179th(-27)
United States -- 67th(-30)

Persigubin -- 74th(+7)

Professional Approval -- 20.5%(+1.0)
Local Name Recognition -- 54.9%(+1.8)
Global Name Recognition -- 5.7%(+0.6)

It was a good year for Indonesia domestically, a catastrophic one for both nations internationally. As for my personal situation, both club and I as its manager saw marginal gains. To really make a splash, we need to promote again.

[Tellistto]

Go new Board of Directors! Way to step up with the money with such a crap stadium and crap fan base!

Tell

[Brian Swartz]

JULY

July 6 -- US loses 1-0 to Peru in the first game of the 2016 Copa America(Chile and Ecuador are also in their group). Not the kind of play to propel them back up to the Top 20 where they were at the World Cup before crashing out.

July 8 -- DL Faizal is out on loan to Bank Sumsel(lower division side), where he will be able to get some first-team experience.

July 9 -- 6B profit last year is reported, but it's a mirage. Loans + over 4B investment by the board, it was actually about a 2 or 3B loss.

July 10 -- U.S. drops an early lead to lose 4-2 to Chile in the Copa America.

July 13 -- Roni Setia is now moving on loan to Persitoli(lower-division).

July 14 -- The struggles continue at Copa America as the US loses 3-1 to Ecuador. With three losses they finish last in Group A and will not advance, a miserable result.

July 16 -- Tempting offer from Persikasi(Second Division) for Frans Yarangga. They don't want to pay a transfer fee, quite understandable for clubs of that level, but I'm not letting him go without it. No deal.

July 18 -- Offer in for Iwan Akbar, but I'm not interested in letting last year's leading scorer go. There isn't anybody out there right now that we can really replace him with.

July 28 -- Perserang are named overacheivers of the year in the Premier Division, and it's hard to fault the choice. It could have been us, but we faltered.

July 29 -- Persepar turn full professional as they join the Super League.

Fabian Yogi is named player of the year. Again. Third straight time. Others could have been named this time, but he probably still deserved it.

I'm a bit surprised by our official board expectations, Consolidate is still their minimum, top half the maximum. It's only worth another 10M per week which we will almost certainly not need, but I still spring for the top half finish. We really should be able to do that sleepwalking.

PREMIER DIVISION GROUPS

We remain in Group D, but about two-thirds of our competition are different from who we faced last year. Our finances have been upgraded to Okay(I beg to differ). Sutanto is now listed along with me among our favored personnel, Yogi is still the only Legend, and we have no icons. We also now have an estimated value(a whopping 4B, but hey its something). 20B in debt. We've been picked 9th in the group, so they are giving us a bit more respect after last year but not as much as we deserve. Same as always, we need to go out and earn it.

My goal is to win the Division. With the new players we have and a third-place finish that could have been better last year, anything less will be a disappointment. The excitement of having a full, balanced, and deep squad brings with it also pressure -- it will be hard to overachieve(compared to my expectations, those of the fans/board are much lower).

There is a moderate amount of disappointment at the departures of Urwan and especially Herlan, who the board thinks of as the biggest negative right now.

July 31 -- After Magnin was a fired a few days ago in the wake of the embarassing Copa de America beatdown, the USMNT hires Frank Klopas as the new head man. A 49-year-old American and veteran of club football in Greece and the US, he coached in the MLS at Houston, Chicago, and Montreal before taking the national team job.

[Brian Swartz]

August

My job is still described as stable, with the board satisfied with what I've done. I talk to the board about staff salaries, a matter of utmost importance. I still can't hire anyone, they are about half what they need to be in most cases. Half the squad is now upset about the standard of fitness coaching and the youth team has no coaching at all. I do what I can to bring in players who can contribute right away, but for Persigubin to build a solid future we must do a better job with training them and have some semblance of a program for the youth.

To my surprise, they agree! I take another crack at the job center, coaches for both squads.

We've appointed Ferry Kombo as captain. Half the squad thinks it's great, and only one person objects -- Kombo, who thinks he's being put under too much pressure with that role at a young age. Hopefully he'll grow into it. Ewangin was captain and Urwan vice-captain last year, and of course they can't do it anymore inasmuch as they've retired.

We begin the preseason with 23 players, not counting Setia and Faizal who are out on loan. Preseason playing time is strictly on a need-to-play basis, based on fitness. Based on the initial reports from PJ Bob, we've got a lot of work to do to get these guys ready.

I had to keep reminding myself 'it's only a friendly' as we looked pretty darn impressive in beating SL side PSMS 3-0 on the road to open the preseason. Ten weeks till opening day ...

TEAM COMPARISON

Overall we have a team which is among the Premier Division elite in terms of being a hard-working club(5th), something I always emphasize. We are near the bottom in leadership and aggression though, which won't help.

Keepers -- You can really see the upgrades here. We have the best reflexes in the league, though we're still near the bottom in one-on-ones. The defense will have to keep working to limit those kinds of opportunities.

Defense -- A mixed bag here. Heading, Marking, and Positioning are still subpar. A disciplined defense is key to the way I want to play, but we just haven't been able to get there. We do have strong players with excellent acceleration and decent pace/tackling, so we will attempt to make up athletically what we lack in preparation. Ironically this is the opposite of my priorities, but we saw last year that rapid recovery can often make the difference in preventing a scoring chance.

Midfield -- Also mixed. Tackling and Long Shots are our biggest weaknesses, so I don't expect to see a lot of goals from the group. Teamwork and technique are strengths, and we're reasonably good passers/decision makers as well which will be crucial. We rely more on the midfield interception via heading or cutting off a pass as opposed to tackling, though it'd be better to be good at everything obviously.

Attackers -- We don't do much at an elite level, but what we do have are athletes. Few teams are faster, none have better acceleration -- which means we will continue to try to counterattack, play direct football and beat the other team to the business end of the pitch. Finishing, heading, anticipation are all weaknesses. Athletic but young and not particularly technically skilled. Hopefully we'll grow a bit in those areas.

We aren't bad in any one area, and have always been a club that is more than the sum of its parts: by playing to our counterattacking strengths and controlling the middle of the pitch, I think I've gotten the most out of our talent for the most part. I'll aim to do so again this year, you won't see any major tactical changes.

Over the last two years, we have dominated teams at or below our reputation level(nearly 3:1 goal scoring) while slightly outscoring higher rated teams. Can't ask to do better than that.

Interesting fact: we are slightly younger than the rest of the league, and Fabian Yogi at just over 32 is now the 'wise old man' of the squad, a role that was the sole province of Ewangin up till now.

Aug 11 -- The first crop of GK Coaches shows that we've made progress wage-wise but aren't quite there yet. The cheapest won't settle for less than 1.7M, with the board maxing out our offers at 1.6M. I keep that one running for a while longer as we may get someone who will take it.

Aug 13 -- Herlan signs at Persis Solo, in the First Division. The fact that nobody in the Premier picked him up is validation of my decision not to retain his services from where I sit.

Aug 15 -- Big news today as we have signed a fitness coach! 43-year-old Indonesian national Eka Raka Galih will make our new board max(1.5M) to whip our guys into shape. PJ Bob has virtually no skill at fitness, while Galih is only a bit subpar. In terms of his skill with the players he's not nearly as good, quite adaptable but poor in terms of determination and motivating ability. But a poor coach is far superior to no coach. I'm hopefully he'll make those complaints about our fitness training go away.

As it turns out, Galih will only moderately improve our effectiveness in fitness training. It is an improvement though, we're now as good at fitness as any other category(which again doesn't say much).

I had a player decision to make which seemed at first to be quite difficult. A new MC recommended ... but not cheap. At all. From Malysia, Muhd Hanif Mat Dzahir can play right or center in the midfield or attacking midfield, which would give us coverage at two positions. Right now probably AMC is his best position. He's 22, personality is balanced which is a neutral pro/con consideration ... but he wants anywhere from almost 8M to 13M. I normally wouldn't consider it, but we are 31M plus under budget.

He'd make us much better at AMC and slightly better at MC according to what I see. To heck with it. A quite sizable transfer fee of anywhere from 150 to 300M was expected(we spent 70-some on Kombo, our only fee so far), but his club was willing to forgo any transfer fee. He refused to talk to us, stating that we don't have the resources to get close to his financial demands(the same thing I've gotten when trying to sign some lesser stars in the Super League).

Well, it was worth a try. Right now our top salary limit is at 7.75M set by the board, though we don't actually have anyone above 4.75 at the moment(Yogi made 6.25 for the first part of last year before taking a pay cut to make his extension).

Aug. 18 -- A new low for the Indonesian national team, 180th out of the 209 teams in the world rankings. Just how bad can things get??

Aug. 19 -- AMC Muhammad Triyono turns 17 and is offered a pro contract. He's not quite ready for the senior team yet but maybe we can loan him out. His potential is reportedly higher than the current ability of anyone at any position of our senior squad and few have higher ceilings, so he's worth a bit of extra money to invest in.

He wants 850k and won't budge from it. Whatever, it's not that much, though a little more than most of the new youth players get.

Aug. 25 -- A twisted knee during a friendly will sideline Ferry Kombo for about a month. He should still be able to be ready for the start of the season if that's accurate.

[Brian Swartz]

SEPTEMBER

Training Positives: Priyono(Ball Control), Kiwak(Fitness), Bayu(Defending)
Training Negatives: Patay(Defending), Permana(Tactics)

The keepers are unhappy with the standard of goalkeeper coaching -- good point but I can't get anybody to sign on even for the(slightly) increased wages I'm authorized to offer. About half the players state they are unhappy with the training schedule for unspecified reasons(just says they are unhappy, not what they want changed). None are complaining about fitness training standard so at least we are past that issue.

Sep. 2 -- The US loses 3-2 to El Salvador in the first match for their new coach. Still tied for first in the NAM Qualifying, so it's not a disaster if they can right the ship.

Also, Indonesian Trial Day brought a couple of interesting new players to my attention. A few days earlier, I'd put out an offer for a player found by the staff, MC Paulo Oktavianus Sitanngang(20, 3.25M). He's only a decent backup quality for us right now, about the quality of Saputra, but has Super League potential. Trial Day was similar in the players that we found. DR/WBR Garry Rosadi(18, 3.25M), a youth player released by none other than Persib, would give us a premium talent at that position in terms of SL-level potential but isn't nearly as good as Syawindra or Saragih are right now. ST Victory Yendra(26, 6M) scored four goals for Persibom last year, and in his case we view him as a slight upgrade over Bayu and the rest of our attackers right away. The price tag made me balk for a bit, but I reminded myself that the money is there to spend, not sit idle. Even if all three sign, we'll still have at least 15M in the pot.

Sep. 3 -- Sitanngang agrees to terms, saying he's looking forward to working with such a talented group of players. So am I!

Sep. 5 -- Yendra signs, and becomes our highest-paid player by a significant margin. Rosadi signs later in the day, and that's that. Our squad is positively enormous now. I offer Rosadi out on loan, the other two I expect to significant time for here.

With a little over a month to go in the preseason, this year is getting crazy already. Can I balance all the playing time needs in a sensible rotation for this group? Are they all going to go nuts without enough coaches to go around? Will all the new players gel soon enough to keep us from imploding? Or will everyone work together with the result that we will treat the Premier Division as our personal whipping boy??

We now have a staggering 29 players, two of whom are out on loan leaving still 27 here. Depth won't be a problem, but as mentioned other problems are expected to supplant that.

Sep. 7 -- US loses 2-1 to Jamaica. With two left to play they are now in serious danger of failing to qualify ...

Sep. 20 -- Ferry Kombo returns to full training, he should be able to get in two games before the start of the season. We've got a couple other injuries but they are just youth players or end-of-the-bench guys.

Sep. 22 -- So much for that. Hendriko Kiwak has pulled a hamstring and will be out probably close to a month and a half. Kombo's health just got a lot more important.

Sep. 25 -- Iwan Akbar is out for a month, maybe more following a twisted knee during a friendly.

Sep. 26 -- Hagi Permana has suffered a broken ankle in training and will miss 3-4 months, basically at least half the season if not more. I'm not feeling like I signed too many players just about now.

New offers come in for Saputra(free) and Akbar(75M up front, 172M more over the next year, 16M if promoted). Saputra is just depth for us now but at only 1.7m I don't see any reason to give him away. Akbar is this year's Sutanto ... everyone wants him but we think he can hang at the Super League level. Not giving him up people.

Both are rejected.

Sep. 30 -- Persiba Bantul ups their offer for Akbar to 90M, 197M over the course of the next year. 300M is a serious haul for an Indonesian player(the top players tend to go for a little under 1B in the Super League). It was enough for me to think about it ... briefly. Not giving away SL-quality talent, we don't have enough of it yet. Rejected.

Also interesting is the players recommended by our staff are not even worth considering the last month or so. The reason for this basically boils down to how our talent level has increased -- only the best of those we can afford would even crack our rotation. The only way we're going to get better is for the club to grow in stature and income, the quickest path being to join the Super League. The evidence just keeps mounting.

[bbgunn]

What the hell happened to the US? How can they be on the cusp of not qualifying for the World Cup? Who was that new coach again?

[Brian Swartz]

It seemed to me that the decline began under previous coach Magnin, and that Klopas has mostly just failed to reverse it at this point. Other than that, I really don't have an answer for the why.

Frank Klopas is, at this point in our story, just recently turned 50 years old. As a player he made most of his noteworthy achievements at AEK Athens from 1988-1995, also playing at Apollon and then later at Kansas City and Chicago in the MLS.

Coach-wise, he held the head job at Montreal(1999), then for a long time at the Chicago Fire(2000-2015) and then at Houston the first half of this past year before taking the national team job in July.

The US now has a streak of five straight competitive international defeats, so it really hasn't seemed to matter who the coach was or who they played.

[Brian Swartz]

OCTOBER

Training Positives: Sutanto(Fitness)
Training Negatives: Bayu(Attacking)

I take another run through the players to see how they're feeling, as we've transitioned from preseason fitness training to work on teamwork. We only have a few unhappy players now on the senior team(who think they are overworked), most are satisfied what what is being asked of them. My main concerns are Sutanto who seems to have stalled(though he was our standout last month so maybe he'll start moving forward again) and Kiwak who, aside from being injured, is the one guy on the team who just really isn't putting forward that much effort. Combination of those things and he's lost the top spot at DL to Kombo for sure at the moment.

Chemistry was a major concern as well with so many new faces, but I see no signs of any significant problems. It's also noteworthy that Sutanto is still enthusiastic about his future. Maybe last year was a blip and he can keep moving on.

Board is still satisfied, but with a loss of another almost half-billion last month they are making noises about selling players. You gave me this budget guys. Can't make the SL on the price of a subway ticket now can we?

10.1 -- We defeat PSMS away again, this time 1-0, in our final friendly. And now it's on to the season, where we'll be under significant pressure to produce. I thought it would be useful to summarize who our first choice players will be, especially since I'm going to be going with more of a rotation system this time around.

GK -- Syarif/Afafa

Syarif will see most of the starts, but I play to use Afafa every third or fourth game to get him some experience out there, and in general I'll have him on the bench for the toughest opponents or most critical fixtures.

Defense -- Kombo/Kiwak/Saragih/Muda/Permana/Syawindra

Kombo and Kiwak are basically interchangeable on the left though we'll give Kombo the majority of the time until I have a good reason not to. Syawindra is the man on the right with Saragih a good backup as we've seen, Muda and Permana in the middle. With Permana and Kiwak out this complicates things, Saragih is the best choice to sub there but it will definitely leave the second center back position as the weak link. To really have a high-quality defensive line we need Permana back out there. Patay is the next-best thing if somebody else gets hurt, but right now he's purely emergency depth.

Midfield -- Kirivutharo/Pradana/Wahyono

These three are our 'A' team in midfield, all about the same quality and I'll go with this trio whenever I can. When I can't(such as when Kirivutharo decides to get suspended for a freaking month or when he's called up to the Cambodian national team), young phenom Sitanggang followed by the cheap dependable vet Saputra are our best options. Yarangga has been relegated to emergency depth, he's really fallen off the last year or so and of course we've just gotten better players.

Attackers -- Yogi/Bayhaqi/Akbar/Sutanto/Bayu/Yendra

Six players in a rotation of sorts at three positions. The rest of our roster has improved to the point of sort of leaving the attackers behind(same deal at keeper really as well). Yendra and Bayu are going to be platooning at striker until someone distinguishes himself, we evaluate Yendra as being better but Bayu did more in preseason(admittedly staying healthy helped). At AMC the trio of Sutanto/Bayhaqi/Yogi will rotate, which leaves Akbar as sort of the odd man out. My plan at the moment is to go with a 4-3-1-2 on occasion with him as the second striker to get him some time, depending on the injury situation.

October 2 -- We announce season ticket sales of 86, just 2 up from last year's 84. I have to admit I'm pretty disappointed by this, I would think our strong showing would have generated a little more interest in the team, even if they aren't ready to get behind the new players yet.

October 3 -- A bruised head will cost us Afafa for a week and a half, maybe two weeks. That takes care of who starts the season in goal. Of course, with Setia out on loan we now have no backup.

October 7 -- CJ Sapong lights up El Salvador with a hat trick as the US trounces El Salvador 5-1 to break the losing streak. They still need a win in their finale against Trinidad & Tobago -- shouldn't be a challenge really -- to make it to the Fourth Phase.

Kirvithuaro played his second poor friendly in three tries for Cambodia, as Bahrain defeated them 4-1.

[Brian Swartz]

2016-17 SEASON

Preseason is over.

10.8 @ Persipro They're narrow 5-4 favorites, we had a loss and a draw last year so we're hoping for better in this one.

GK: Syarif
D: Kombo/Muda/Saragih/Syawindra
M: Wahyono/Sitanggang/Pradana
A: Yogi/Sutanto/Yendra

Kirivutharo is still with the Cambodian team and Yarangga is serving a yellow-card suspension from the end of last year, so we have only Saputra to sub with quality in the midfield and no backup keeper. So much for extolling our depth. Also new this year is having to put thought into who my subs are. Rarely before has there even been a choice, just whoever is available. Now, I have to take several players that won't even dress.

And we're off!

11' -- Syarif knocks out a floating cross that looked a bit dangerous for a corner. Easy clearance for Kombo, pretty even start so far.

18' -- Weird seeing Saragih in the middle of the defense instead of doing his thing out on the right. Very weird. Anyway, Fadii fouls him and injures himself in the process. Be as stupid as you want, fellas.

19' -- An impatient frustration shot from Sutanto at 30y accomplishes nothing of course. First shot either way in a highly uneventful start.

23' -- Long freekick for Sutanto, goes wide.

25' -- Couple of nice plays by Wahyono in midfield, we bring it down and get a corner. Goes to Saragih at the far corner, he's doubled and outjumped for that one, and Sutanto tries to head one back towards the goal but that's cleared as well. We've started to take control of the possession battle, now we need to get some quality chances.

33' -- Or we could go back to losing the possession battle, that works too. Wahyono-Sutanto-Yendra up the middle on a string except Sutanto's pass led him too far right. He hits a perfectly placed shot cross-angle shot, and it doesn't matter -- we take the lead 1-0!

Until, that is they call him offside, which is really a fairly obvious call looking at the replay. Annoying though, when I want to get the year off to a flying start. Still scoreless.

34' -- They'll try another corner. Kombo is there again. Did I ever mention he's like, really good? We give them another crack at it almost immediately and Syarif grabs the ball himself.

A few minutes later, they get a yellow for fouling Yendra, though I don't think it was deserved.

40' -- Header from close to the spot, their first shot of the day, bounces slowly and Syarif is there.

43' -- Fadii leads Prastowo into the area, not bad defense by Muda but he just got beat, angled shot from in close is open and Syarif tips it wide. Best scoring opportunity of the day either way, and we're fortunate there. Two corners and a couple more crosses follow which go nowhere.


HT-- This is one for the defenses, two shots apiece either way, Syarif saved the day on one and Yendra was offside on the other, so no scoring. Might not be any either. No changes.


51' -- Corner for them. They are gradually looking the better team. Dangerous right in front, and I'm grateful for Muda's size as he heads it clear.

54' -- Oh wow. Sutanto up the middle for Yendra, outduels a defender for the ball, gets some space from a little outside the area, and makes their keeper look stupid on a well-placed shot into the right side, a looping shot and he just couldn't get that high and far to the side. Second time's the charm, and this was more impressive. 1-0!

55' -- Corner. We really need to stop giving these up so much. Seventh today. Saragih is the first of several at the near corner. They try to center but Muda is there. Back into the area and Sitanggang gets rid of it.

57' -- Cross from deep is up the middle, Fadii just outjumps Saragih who was right on the play, heads it on to Prastowo, stops and pops from mid-area ... went for the left upper corner and missed. Another gift, and our lead remains. For now.

60' -- We get sucked too far up, Prastowo is free at the edge, Syarif turns it aside ... we scream offside which it was close, no call, and the corner is to Fadii at the far post, powers it well high. Heavens. They are going to score eventually if we don't stop giving them chances.

65' -- Bad throw in intercepted by Sutanto, to Yendra who draws the defense wide then hits the trailing Yogi from the edge ... floats it just high.

69' -- Muda just absolutely drops the ball ... literally ... and Prastowo gets an open angled shot, well wide.

72' -- Another turnover, Syawindra from the edge is easily saved by their keeper. Bayhaqi on for Yogi, Saputra on for Wahyono in a couple of fresh-legs moves.

78' -- Three times we make a nice play on the ball only to have them recover it. Muda loses Effendy for a moment, he's clear from maybe ten yards out, fairly weak shot and Syarif gets a hand on it. He's partly standing on his head today, but that should have been a goal anyway.

80' -- Bayhaqi gets free up the right but procrastinates and it's tackled away, Sitanggang with a clear shot from the edge, not bad but needed more juice and it's saved. Corner ... Saragih had a shot at a wide-open, in front header but misjudged it and they clear. Ay caramba.

81' -- Ball richocets around in front of their goal maybe a half-dozen times, our entire attacking half got at least one shot at it, nobody gets anything clear. Corner. Nothing, though I love the way Bayhaqi hits them, he's so much better than anyone else at it. Might earn him more time this year.

83' -- Bad throw in, Saputra up for Yendra who waits for company. He's got it in Sutanto, hits Bayhaqi on the run for perfect triangle execution, open from the edge and floats one in the top left corner, no chance! 2-0!

86' -- Bayhaqi's freekick from 25, straight on, way too much air under that one.

89' -- Two man game with Yendra and Pradana, Yendra chips from a bit inside the area and that's in there on the right side! Smoke em if you got em boys, it's 3-0!! Oh wow, they're calling him offsides again, disallowed!! No way that was offsides. No freaking way. That's one of the worst calls I've ever seen ... he's played a fantastic match and only one goal to show for it now.

90' -- Jump ball corner in front, ends up with Syawindra from the edge who just puts it wide.

FT -- Wahyono was ok, Yogi was poor, everyone else was good or better. The entire defense was just superb, some mistakes but more than made up for it. I've never seen our back contribute so much in all phases. We could easily have drawn or even with some bad luck lost this match, also could have been a runaway without the disallowed goals, but overall it was evenly played so a 2-0 win is fortunate. Definitely saw some good things though, and Yendra sold me. His ability to physically overpower defenders is something we've never had here.

[Brian Swartz]

10.9 -- The board injects another 800M. We'll be seeing a lot of that this year I would think.

10.11 -- It took a late goal by Jozy Altidore, but the US beats Trinidad & Tobago 2-1, and will move on to Fourth Phase World Cup Qualifying(NAM), the final and most lengthy phase. If they play like this, and they may not even qualify, but they are still alive.

10.14 v. Perseta(0-1-0) -- Slight favorites(6-4) against a club we've never played before. In the last three years, they've had a goal differential of 0 or -1 every time, mired in mediocrity.

GK: Afafa
D: Kombo/Muda/Saragih/Syawindra
M: Wahyono/Kirivutharo/Pradana
A: Sutanto/Bayhaqi/Bayu

Afafa gets a run in goal in an early home game just to get him out there, Kirivutharo is back from international duties so we'll have our A team together in midfield, and Bayhaqi/Bayu get their first starts of the year on the attack.

5' -- A pretty good start, then they come at us on the counter. Isnaini stops and pops from just inside the area, and rockets a shot crossangle into the right corner. Nobody would have stopped that, it was just a fantastic strike and we trail 0-1 at home.

I do tell them to give him special attention though. We're behind for the first time this year ...

8' -- Bayu is offside, scores but it was obvious that one wouldn't count.

10' -- Bayu lays it off to Bayhaqi, he centers and there's a scramble in front, nothing gets through, deflections are out for a corner. We almost get a shot at a header and a follow-up, but the defense is just good enough.

A couple minutes later, a decent freekick by Bayhaqi is saved. Despite being behind, we look pretty darn good so far.

16' -- Corner for them, a bit too far and out of play.

24' -- We block them off at the edge well and another corner. It's to Hakim who is ridiculously open 10 yards out in front, doesn't control it immediately and Muda cleans up the trash.

26' -- Long shot high and wide from Bayhaqi. We're not getting many chances at all the last bit here ... of course they aren't either, but they're winning.

28' -- Decent delayed counter after a freekick, wide angled shot by Syawindra is nowhere close.

38' -- Sutanto from the edge after a fairly slow build, he scores and is called offside. That's two, and that one was close but he might have been too far upfield.

I know we're better, but we have nothing to show for it. And then, 30 seconds later ... Wahyono has two men on him, crosses, Bayu and two defenders at the corner of the box, he outjumps for a header that should have been stopped but sneaks inside the near post and a score! That play was the definition of making something out of nothing, they doubled the passer and the scorer and the keeper was in great position to make the play, header was on target but other than that not that great.

Whatever. I'll take it, we're even at 1-all. Perseta laughably appeal for another offside call. Go away.

41' -- Open chip from the edge by Bayhaqi, over the keepers head and off the bottom of the crossbar, bounces inches from the goal and they clear it. Can't get any closer without scoring.

46' -- Freekick by Wahyono from 25 is wide right ... but not by much.


HT -- 58% possession, we're winning the small battles and outshooting them 8-2. Another half like this and we should be able to take this despite giving up the early lead. We're getting not great play at all overall from the AMCS -- Yogi in for Sutanto to shake it up. Fairly subpar match by the defense also but we're getting away with it.


48' -- Yuli dribbles by Syawindra who goes for a sliding tackle and misses, Isnaini loses Saragih and puts it in from just ten yards out! 1-2! I want to scream!!

53' -- Syawindra and Pradana take turns losing it, then getting it back as we move it down the right. Eventually a shot mid-area by Bayu is blocked as they are tight on him, cleared out for a corner. Pretty good look at a header near-post for Muda at the edge of the box, he didn't hit that one well at all and it's wide right. Usually does better with those.

54' -- Isnaini is called for a dive, and they hand him a yellow.

58' -- Bayhaqi for Syawindra in from the right side, good shot but right at the keeper. Another corner, nothing.

63' -- We lose Isnaini again. Open from the spot, places it in the left side. That's the first I think Syarif would probably have made a play on. 1-3. Saragih again, and I pull him for Prasetyo just because.

Shortly afterwards, Yogi sets up Bayhaqi open from 10 in on the left side, but Kurniawan tackles it away at the last instant. We need those breaks now.

66' -- Two corners. Second one is headed out by their defense but Bayu heads it back towards goal, a deflection and Kombo is open in front, right side is clear and he pounds it in!! 2-3, and we're still alive!!

77' -- Wahyono and Yogi two man-game in midfield, then an opening for Bayhaqi down the right, they lead him in but too far and a near-impossible angle prevents a score.

83' -- Yogi floats in a cross, Bayu from the corner of the box with a tough header, crossangle and he almost does it again but misses wide. That man knows how to use his noggin.

85' -- Then there's Yogi. Wahyono's beautiful floating cross sets him up inside the box, in front, he heads it ... softly to the keeper. Gah!!!!!! That was the equalizer right there. You're not playing like a legend right now Yogi. You're not.

88' -- Bayu crosses for Bayhaqi, another edge of the box header, and this one's high. It ain't for lack of opportunities, fellas.

90' -- Wild shot from distance nearly scores for Wahyono, but wide right. I'm sold on his play if today is all I have to look at.


FT -- Horribly disappointing 2-3 loss. Looking at the core numbers it was the most dominant game we've ever played. 61% possession, 20-4 shots, no less than half a dozen great scoring opportunities ... and we lose. I tell them I'm pissed and most of them agree ... so are they. We simply cannot afford results like this, even early in the year. The margin for error in a short season with 12 clubs is just too small.

Bayhaqi, Syawindra, and Saragih all stunk it up.

[Brian Swartz]

10.16 -- Endra Abidin(young emergency DC) strained a muscle and will miss two weeks. Few will notice.

10.23 @ Persipur(1-0-1) -- An old friend here, and one up and one down for each of us this year. We had one draw and one defeat against them last year, and they are slight 5-4 favorites.

GK: Syarif
D: Kombo/Saragih/Muda/Syawindra
M: Wahyono/Kirvutharo/Pradana
A: Sutanto/Yogi/Yendra

We have Akbar and Kiwak back from injury, and I want to try to work them in for the second half especially if we're doing ok.

5' -- We start on the defensive, but get a great counter with a header by Sutanto setting up Yendra[. He couldn't control it soon enough, and his shot is blocked out for a corner. Pradana set up Muda near post but he was pushed fairly far out and a decent attempt was saved.

9' -- Long freekick by Wahyono, yards wide.

13' -- Yendra makes a great hustle interception at midfield, we work it in to attack and Wahyono gets a running look at a shot mid-area after a while, but traffic blocks it away.

They have more possession, but we've been far more dangerous. No shots surrendered yet and they've made some amazingly bad passes that we haven't been in quite the right position to capitalize on.

16'[ -- A cross off the bar for them, stays in play on the left side. Apriliyanto gets there first, heads to the near post, Aditya is there for them but so are Kombo and Syarif ... somehow the ball squirts in, and they strike first on their first 'shot' of the game. It's going to be charged to Saragih as an own goal, apparently it richocheted in off him somehow. What I said before is not valid, they technically have not shot yet. But still scored.

I'm starting to get the feeling we are cursed this year. 0-1

19' -- Kombo's cross is mishandled, another jump ball in front with Sutanto going for it but they had two defenders there and one of them made the header.

20' -- They try to lead into the area but Saragih clears it, corner. Nobody home, somebody should have gotten that in front at the edge of the box.

25' -- Rifle shot by Yogi, didn't have much of a window from the edge to get it through traffic, good reflexes by Adrian to turn it away. We're nowhere near making a play on the corner.

We're gradually taking more and more control, but have nothing for it.

33' -- Why do I always say that right before something happens? Lead centering pass on a counter, three players probably could have gotten a shot off but Pradana is the guy on the run and in rhythm, beats Adrian easily on the right side and we're even! 1-1!


HT -- Even score, but we've been better for the majority. Akbar on for Yogi and we'll go with the slightly more aggressive 4-3-1-2. Sitanggang on for Kirivutharo who has made a lot of mistakes and is definitely looking the weak link an otherwhise strong midfield.


46' -- They counter right away but a key header by Saragih breaks it up. Definitely they are looking sharper than us out of the intermission. They move it on again, Aditya is in on the left and Muda can't quite cut him off, Syarif stays with it nicely and makes the save on a pretty good chance. That's their first official shot of the game.

50' -- Scramble play just outside their area, bodies everywhere, and Sutanto steps into a shot that beats Adrian but is off the bar. Who will get to the rebound first? It's Pradana, open net but he just takes too much time!! Shoot the ball! Volley it! Stick out your gut!! Whatever, get it moving towards the goal!! Sutanto blasts the rebound from 12 yards, that's blocked by traffic and they clear.

We should have scored twice there. We get nothing. It's still even.

53' -- Nice passing, Akbar loose at the edge is the result and he goes high, Adrian's reflexes are good and it's a skyball out for a corner. We hold it in, decent opportunity for Muda who turns and fires from mid-area, off the left post! Cleared for a corner. Adrian grabs it.

Hey, I have an idea ... let's hit everything but the back of the net! Oh wait ...

62' -- Point blank header for Muda on a corner, they are right with him and block it away. Sitanggang gets a bold header high from further out on the second attempt.

64' -- Angled shot by Sutanto, blocked by Adrian, he gets another from close but the angle was too much, he was almost out of bounds for that one. I don't know if there are more ways we can find to fail to score. Shots are now 18-1.

71' -- A prayer from 35 is almost answered for them as the crossangle shot is off the post and we're fortunate to merely surrender a corner. They start to push forward and attack more, and we're not getting any play for a while

93' -- Pradana gets a good look from just inside the area, high and wide left. That was probably our last chance.


FT -- Yep. We outshoot them 20-2, control most of the match, and draw 1-1. I don't know what we have to do to get back in the win column, but we'd better figure it out soon.

I give Saragih a large piece of my mind, after which he sulks. The own goal was just unlucky, but he really went in the tank the last 20 minutes or so.

[Brian Swartz]

10.30 vs. Persida(1-0-2) Narrow 5-4 favorites at home, the standard line once again. This is really a must-win for us if we want to attain my lofty goals for the year. We've split our two meetings, one up and one down.

GK: Syarif
D: Kombo/Muda/Saragih/Syawindra
M: Wahyono/Kirivutharo/Pradana
A: Bayhaqi/Akbar/Bayu

I really need to get Kiwak in this game if at all possible.

3' -- Misjudged header by Muda, [/b]Drajad[/b]'s mid-area shot is a bit open but enough of a crowd to cut down the angle and Syarif blocks it. The start could hardly have gone worse outside of a goal.

10' -- Wahyono takes a bad inbounds, Bayhaqi's shot from well out is far wide.

11' -- One of the most ridiculous curling long-range shots I've ever seen from Akbar. Almost hit the corner cone with it.

13' -- Pradana's close freekick goes just over.

23' -- Corner for us, I switch to counter as they are dominating the ball. Bayhaqi delivers to Saragih, deep at the far post, he gets his head to it but puts it away from the goal. That really didn't help. A minute later, Pradana is hurt in a three-player collision. I didn't need that. Truly I didnt. Sitanggang comes on.

31' -- They stop Syawindra's run down the right side by running into him, yellow and a freekick just outside the area. Not a bad shot by Wahyono except their keeper didn't have to move an inch.

36' -- We're finally fighting back in midfield, more than a half-hour late. Bayhaqi to Bayu on the counter, left-footed chip from the edge is way right.

42' -- Akbar pounces on a clearance and puts an angled volley off the bar.

44' -- Bayhaqi leads Bayu in on the left, angled shot that should score but not the right direction on that, blocked out for a corner. Two corners, no love, and a ridiculous shot by them from almost out of bounds that troubles nobody.

47' -- Turnover at midfield, that's Wahyono again, Akbar from a bit outside, sliding tackle blocks it. Corner.


HT -- 10-2 shots, 5-0 corners, nothing. Same movie, different day. Kiwak in for Kombo who has been unimpressive, so why not. Back to a neutral stance for us.


48' -- Three defenders follow Achmad at the edge, leaving Drajad alone behind them. First-time shot inside the left post. 0-1. I'm so frustrated at this team right now.

49' -- Bayu goes wide, centers for Sitanggang, open from the spot and a weak shot easily saved. Better chance there than they just scored on. Just sayin' He gets another decent look within the minute, volley from inside is high.

50' -- Kiwak up the left to Wahyono, centers for Bayu, mid-area look and he blasts it into the roof with his left! 1-1! I thought he was taking too long there, then it looked like the shot was high. He knew what he was doing, thankfully.

51' -- Achmad to Drajad again, in alone just outside the box on the right. Should have scored, blocked by Syarif as it was drilled into his body.

We start a good run of controlling the ball and putting pressure on them.

64' -- A couple of dangerous plays that we just barely clear. Doesn't appear we'll get anything out of that run of strong play.

68' -- Bayhaqi from 30 ... rifles it but high.

77' -- Corner for them, they head it in to Achmad at the corner of the box, he's covered there ... and calmly kicks it out for a goal kick. Thank you for not even trying to score less than ten yards from the goal. We'll pay you later ... you do accept fluke, right?

84' -- Long, impulsive, STUPID shot by Akbar. Didn't even keep it within the box, what a surprise.

86' -- Bayhaqi leads for Akbar, complete horseradish offsides call but it doesn't matter as he just grounded it into the keeper's body. You don't score by hitting it the one place where they are.

90' -- They miss an angled rocket.

92' -- Last rush, Bayu fires a perfect pass to their leftback. We had three players in the vicinity.

FT -- We outplay them and don't win. Again. 1-1 draw.

[Brian Swartz]

NOVEMBER

Disappointing opening month. It's very simple -- we aren't putting the ball in the net. 5 goals allowed from four matches isn't terrible, especially when three came in one of them. 6 goals scored isn't enough though, we're barely on the positive side and have just five points. The frustrating part about it is nobody's come out and kicked our butts. We've kicked other teams most of the time and not gotten the results, and we're in the middle of the pack to start, three points back of the leaders.

Training Positives -- Sitanggang(Attacking), Rosadi(fitness)
Negatives -- Muda(fitness), Hermawan(Attacking)

Board is satisfied, due to their investments a negligible profit(5.7M) last month. As usual we have only two matches this month, but we need to get back in the winning column and start scoring more.

[Brian Swartz]

11.6 @ Perseba Super(1-3-0) PS are even-money favorites, and last year we did pretty well with a win and draw that should have been a win. We've had plenty of experience with the latter, and I'm hoping for better today.

GK: Syarif
D: Kombo/Muda/Saragih/Syawindra
M: Wahyono/Sitanggang/Pradana
A: Yogi/Sutanto/Yendra

The youngster Sitanggang has been a bright spot and Kirivutharo has been disappointing. They are going to platoon now until I am confident in one or the other.

7' -- Yendra gets a crack but is called offside. We look good early.

17' -- Wicked low curling freekick for Ahmad, but Syarif anticipated it and blocks easily. Perseba Super has been a lot better the last ten minutes.

18' -- They get a shot we should have never allowed, Saputra from mid-area, a lot of traffic and Syarif makes the save.

23' -- Volley by Pradana is way right.

36' -- Floater from 30, they put it just over.

45' -- Saputra angles in on the right, Kombo recovers just enough to get a piece of it at the corner of the box. As it starts to rain, they put in the corner, Saputra at the short post, it's cleared off the line by Kombo ... no, it's off him and in! 0-1

We worked all week on defending set pieces. Fat lot of good it did.


HT -- Well, they've been in control since about ten minutes in. We can't do anything, and now we're behind. I tell them they need to do better. Everybody responds well except for the sulking Kombo. Oh go grow up, mr. Captain.

Kiwak in for him.


51' -- Jump ball cross, cleared by Saragih, Rizal is on it and shoots to the open goal. 0-2

66' -- I told them to push forward more but got nothing out of it as expected. Another scramble in front of our goal and we're lucky we didn't give up another.

72' -- Yendra up on the right to Yogi, a bit of pressure but an open shot and it's ... almost right at the keeper. Sticks out his hand and deflects.

74' -- Syawindra centers ahead to Sutanto a bit wide right, he picks his nose, takes a few pictures, and has it tackled out for a corner. What in the world is wrong with us??

89' -- What the hell?? Angle chip by Ahmad, Syarif is right there and just plain misses it. I've never seen him give up that ... heck, I never saw Ferminus give up that kind of goal. 0-3


FT -- Ok then. We generated nothing. Two shots. I scream at the team, then take the time to go on another tirade with each and every individual as well. Anything worth doing .... Mixed results, but more negative than positive. Like I give a crap right now. We got our butts handed to us 0-3, and right now I'm not concerned about promotion, that ship is quickly sailing. I'm worried about not getting relegated.

[Brian Swartz]

11.13 -- Fabian Yogi suffers a thigh strain during a friendly as we have a two-week break. A month for him.

11.20 vs. PSBK(2-1-2, 5th) Tight 6-4 favorites, but my confidence is shot and the team's morale is doing well to stay decent. We did make one change, putting more training time into match preparation on the advice of Sitanggang We have been doing less of that than past years ... but other than our last match I don't think it's been an issue, the issue is we haven't put the ball in the net. Last year we split the meetings with PSBK, one win and one loss.

GK: Syarif
D: Kiwak/Muda/Saragih/Syawindra
M: Wahyono/Pradana/Saputra ** First start of the year for Saputra
A: Bayhaqi/Yendra/Bayu

4' -- Very sloppy start, an angled shot is rolled in to Syarif and I'm glad that's all we gave up. Back the other way, Wahyono finds an open Bayu in the area and I expect an offside call ... none comes and he left-foots it just inside the post, we take the lead 1-0! They don't complain but I still think he was offside ... oh wait there's the call. Wow that was a late one.

Disallowed. Too good to be true.

10' -- Bayhaqi's kick from 30 is just high. He's looking frustrated already.

18' -- Two misjudged balls and Muda has to clear one off the line, barely getting it out.

21' -- I switch to counter, they're on the ball too much. They gift Muda a header with a bad clearance, he puts it into traffic with the left side of the goal temptingly open, and it doesn't work.

25' -- After an overpassing clinic Bayu is clear from about 17 just inside, places it but wide right.

27' -- They make a couple bad clearances and we get a couple of shots right in front, Saragih the best but too many bodies in the way.

29' -- Long shot for Bayu is off the bar, they get to it first.

30' -- Bayhaqi from just inside, saved by Junianto, decent attempt there.

31' -- They push it down the right, reverse, and Umam floats one from just inside the area. Perfect placed into the top crossangle horsecrap what the heck score. Of course. 0-1

33' -- Hideously off-target long shot for Bayu.

34' -- Interception by Saragih starts another break, Bayhaqi floats a pass over their defense to Yendra, soft header has the perfect angle into the left side! One of the better-looking scoring plays I've seen, probably our best this year. We tie it up, 1-1!

35' -- Long shot by Bayu, just saved. Nice attempt. Apparently we're the threat-a-minute crew now.

[b]44'[b/] -- Long secondary header by Saputra on a corner, saved.


HT -- 10-2 shots, 4-2 on target. We need another one though. We need to win. Akbar for Bayu, Kombo for Kiwak.


46' -- Arifin catches Muda sleeping ... the one defender who's been good today, then hits a criminally soft shot from just inside that's easily saved.

49' -- Second corner of the half, sixth of the day(we've surrendered none). Zilch.

51' -- Bayhaqi just misses right on a good freekick chance.

55' -- They feed it into the area, absolute crowd, Rama somehow uncorks a rocket from 16, Syarif deflects it but not enough. How do we DO these things??? 1-2

59' -- Whole team is frustrated, which might be why Akbar the Airhead launches one from 35. No. Don't. Just don't. Don't think about ... just no. Stop. Please?!?

62' -- Umam crosses for Arfani, quick cross strong header just wide left. Nearly got us again there.

64' -- Bayhaqi to Yendra, don't know how that pass got through, he has a crack just inside the area ... but waits and slides it left to Akbar, who chips it just inside the left post! He had a better one, and we tie it up at 2-all!

66' -- Bayhaqi finds Akbar for a long-ish angled volley on the left, it's high.

68' -- Heck of a long shot by Sobari, just a bit too far inside and Syarif dives to make the play.

69' -- Completely moronic header by Saragih trying to clear, gives Arifin a wide-open volley from inside the area with Syarif out of position. 2-3

I think that's the single dumbest thing I've ever seen a defender of mine do. Against stiff competition, I might add.

72' -- Syawindra crosses for Bayhaqi, his ten-yard header never even makes it to the goal, nearly parallel to it.

74' -- Decent chance for Bayhaqi, gets nothing on it. Saved.

81' -- Sliding interception by Saragih beats out two men, Yendra has lots of options but goes full retard, long left-footed shot that still almost scores but is just high. What happened to getting a better shot on that one?

86' -- This match is ridiculous. Wahyono to Akbar on the left side, he crosses to Yendra who is double-teamed but still manages a shot ... off the post. Beats both defenders to the rebound and scores to the open net. 3-3. I need a sedative.

93' -- Syawindra to the trailingSaputra, crack at a shot from a bit of an angle ... wide left.


FT -- Yep, that's it. Do I compliment the team on their fight-back, or be pissed that we outshot them 21-7 and won most of the small battles yet barely managed a draw at home? I go with the unlucky speech, it's true and seemed fairly effective.

Only 294 watched -- attendance going in the wrong direction.

Kiwak wants to know why he was taken out, Bob is recommending caution. I tell Kiwak he needs to respect that I need to make decisions like that from time to time, and it ends with him wanting out. We will see how much he likes sitting on the bench personally, I'm not putting up with this crap from a guy who has been either injured or done nothing in the limited time at the club.

If he hasn't changed his tune(which I don't expect him to), he'll be transfer listed for the February window. But that's a couple of months out, so he's here whether I want him to be or not for a while. He'll only get time when it suits me.

[Brian Swartz]

11.21 -- Indonesia starts of the AFF Championship with a 2-2 draw with Myanmar.

11.23 -- A 2-0 win over Brunei gives Indonesia a good chance of making the semis.

11.25 -- Indonesia is flying after beating Laos 2-0. With one match left to go, they have all but clinched their spot. They'd have to lose against the Phillipines, Myanmar would have to win, and a total difference of at least four goals in order to lose qualification.

11.27 -- Another 1.1B invested by the board. Their deep pockets apparently have no end, which is at least one blessing.

A 1-0 loss to the Phillipines is disappointing, but Indonesia still qualifies from Group B and will make the AFF semifinal.

DECEMBER

Training Positives: Wahyono(Tactics)
Negatives: Prasetyo(Fitness)

The board is satisfied, saying they are convinced the team has tried their best so far this year. I'm not, on either count. They also like the signing of Wahyono, who I would agree has been our bright spot, and everyone's upset at how Saragih is performing.

We are winless in our last five, 1-3-2 overall on the year which puts us in 10th place. We're only one point clear of relegation, six behind the pace of qualifying for Second Phase. It's pretty obvious at this point that it's time to adjust our goals. We've got four to play in December, and right now it'd be a successful month if we can move up to the middle of the pack.