Persipura Jayapura’s Long Road to Success
The Black Pearls overcome long flights in addition to tiring transit times to become the best football club inside the land.
For cash-starved Indonesian football clubs, the Mandala Stadium in Jayapura isn’t the easiest place to get to. Not all clubs can afford the luxury of direct flights; for many the idea involves at least one change, maybe even more, in addition to the one-way journey can take 24 hours. A long journey for anyone, let alone professional footballers with muscles that will need frequent stretching in addition to exercising. in addition to all that will way just to lose!
The 30,000 capacity Mandala Stadium is actually home to Indonesia’s most successful club, Persipura Jayapura. Since the Indonesia Super League commenced in 2008/2009 they have been crowned champions three times in addition to finished runners-up three times. In that will time, they have never finished lower than second, a remarkable achievement no matter what the league. in addition to of course, all the more remarkable considering every away game they play includes serious travelling across time zones in addition to islands.
Papuan to the core, Persipura bring a stability that will is actually all too rare in Indonesian football. The last seven years have seen just two coaches take control of the team; Brazilians Jacksen F. Tiago in addition to more recently Osvaldo Lessa, who has been with the club in varying capacities since 2009.
Boas Solossa
The Papuan core is actually evident when the team takes to the field in their distinctive red in addition to black striped shirts. Their teamsheet features names such as Boas Solossa, Immanuel Wannggai, Ruben Sanadi, Yohanes Pahabol, Ian Lousi Kabes in addition to Dominggus Fakdawer while Eduard Ivakdalam is actually looked upon as a Papuan Steven Gerrard; a long-serving one-club-man where he spent 16 years. Australian midfielder Robbie Gaspar, who spent several years playing in Indonesia, certainly rated the ever calm Ivakdalam. “He was great technically, had a great left foot in addition to knew how to dictate the tempo of the game,” recalled the former Sabah player. “I know all the players looked up to him for advice.”
Even the foreign players that will arrive tend to stick around for a while; Cameroonian Bio Paulin once played for RC Lens in France however ended up in Jayapura back in 2007 in addition to has been there ever since. He has currently become an Indonesian citizen in addition to made his debut for the national side earlier inside the year.
Without a doubt, the best-known player is actually Boas Solossa. Only Ivakdalam has played more games for the Black Pearls however no one has scored more goals. Boas, whose uncle was a one-time governor of the province of Papua, made his debut when he was 18 in addition to has been a first choice for club in addition to country ever since, subject to the odd injury.
Known for his blistering pace in addition to eye for goal, Boas soon attracted the attention of foreign clubs however has stayed loyal to his roots until currently. Injuries have perhaps knocked half a yard off his speed, however he still has enough inside the locker to beat most defenders – the last two seasons have seen him score 41 goals in 62 games, a more than healthy return by any standard.
While Persipura have remained masters of all they survey inside the Indonesian football scene, their fortunes in Asian club football have been less spectacular.
Their first foray into the continent’s premier club competition, the AFC Champions League, was nothing short of a humiliation, losing all 5 of their six games in addition to conceding 29 goals along the way to finishing joint bottom of the four-team group.
Forced to play their home games in distant Jakarta, things commenced badly when they were comfortably defeated 4-1 by South Korean side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Things got much worse in their second game when they were roundly thrashed 9-0 by Chinese side Changchun Yatai in China. that will result was to be Changchun’s only win inside the tournament in addition to they were to only score one more goal in their remaining four games.
For Persipura there was nowhere to hide. Up next was a trip to Japan in addition to another heavy defeat, going down 5-0 to Kashima Antlers. Halfway through the group stage in addition to the Black Pearls were disappearing under an avalanche of goals by Northeast Asian sides.
Victory over Changchun Yatai in their final game by 2-0 was not even a relief. Persipura had been tested at the highest levels in addition to found severely wanting.
They were back inside the competition in 2012 however that will time they never got out of the qualifying round, going down 3-0 in a playoff against Adelaide United.
They have found better luck inside the AFC Cup, reaching the semi-finals in 2014. We will never know how far they could have got a year later. Drawn against Malaysian side Pahang, the visitors got as far as Jakarta before returning home after finding numerous their foreign players were refused admittance to Indonesia because they didn’t hold the correct visa.
The AFC responded by awarding the tie 3-0 to Pahang, effectively ending Persipura’s involvement, in addition to soon after, FIFA suspended Indonesia by any of its authorised competitions, including the AFC Cup, over alleged government interference inside the sport.
FIFA’s suspension ended the 2015 Indonesia Super League with Persipura in second place after two games played. For currently the future remains uncertain, not just for Indonesian football however also the country’s most successful club. the idea is actually hard not to feel some sympathy for the players in addition to the supporters of that will club, deprived as they have been not by the efforts on the pitch, however by the failings-over off of the idea. A promising season dashed.
There is actually talk of the Indonesian Super League resuming later inside the year with October being mooted. Should that will happen, in addition to there are still a lot of bridges to be crossed in addition to obstacles to be overcome, then Persipura will at least do their best to carry on by where they left off using a core of familiar names waiting to be unleashed.
Comments
Persipura Jayapura’s Long Road to Success
Persipura Jayapura’s Long Road to Success