Tuesday, July 02, 2024
Without Fans, Football Is Nothing - Or Is It?
I've gotta say, these crowd figures aren't the best, are they? Just Persija and Persib averaged more than 10,000 per home game.
There were some mitigating factors - there are always mitigating factors aren't there?
A number of clubs, including Persib and Bali United suffered from fan boycotts, ostensibly due to admission prices but it's funny how the stay-aways return when the team is winning.
The Kanjuruhan Tragedy continues to cast a long shadow over the domestic game. Arema, who once took 60,000 to Jakarta to see them win the league, averaged around 130 at their home games some of which were played in Bali. And in the wake of the tragedy where innocent fans were killed trying to escape tear gas, away fans continue to be banned.
Reigning champions PSM played their home games initially in Pare Pare, about three hours north of Makassar, before ending the season on a different island in Balikpapan where they ground shared a while with Borneo.
RANS Nusantara, one of a new breed of vanity clubs, averaged 54 per home game while another, Dewa United, managed 606! Hardly surprising, the game I was at, I saw nowhere selling tickets! Relegated Bhayangkara will grace Liga 2 with their 300+ fans - hard to believe they were Liga 1 champions in 2017!
Undoubtedly clubs like Persis, Persebaya, PSS and PSIS can pull in much bigger numbers as can Bali United, Persita and a settled PSM.
But recent years have seen so called die hard fans quick to call for boycotts at perceived slights rather than getting behind their team at every home game.
God knows, Indonesian clubs struggle with cash flow at the best of times. Surely fans need to be filling the stadium, if it's local(!) and doing their bit to support their team rather than calling for people to stay away for flimsy reasons?
And clubs of course need to do more to engage with supporters and persuade them to come week in, week out. It's daft that a professional league has clubs than genuinely don't care if anyone watches them or not!
Chonburi Sign Canadian Hotshot From Cambodia
Once I got my South East Asian football back, I started hitting the websites, and yes Wiki, to familiarise myself with what's going on now.
Looking at the Cambodian Premier League, one name leapt out - Marcus Haber.
The veteran Canadian international had certainly found his mojo there.
For a player who boasts a number of English and Scottish clubs on his CV, it may have come as a surprise to see him land in Cambodia but maybe that also speaks volumes for the clubs and their ambitions.
Haber signed for Visakha in 2021 and scored 17 goals in 17 games as his side finished 3rd.
For 2022 he moved to Preah Khan Reach Svay where he hit 25 goals in 27 games, sadly not enough to win the title.
With the calender switched to a European style one, Haber and his team mates had better luck in 2023/24 as PKR won the CPL and the Canuck scored 31 goals in 29 games.
That kind of consistent scoring was sure to make other clubs in the region sit up and take note and it hasn't taken long for Haber to find a new side, moving across the border to sign for Chonburi, now in Thailand's second tier.
I'm sure no one is expecting him to repeat his goalscoring average with his new side but his arrival could well give a boost to the Sharks' and their bid for a speedy return to the top flight.
As for the picture attached to this post - back in 2014 Haber was with Crewe Alexandra and I got to see him play in a League Cup tie at Barnsley, another of his former clubs. I can't admit to any special insight on his ability though. He only came on as a sub in the 87th minute in a game which has no stick out memory for me.
Monday, July 01, 2024
Weekend 28/29/30 Results
Malaysia FA Cup
Penang v Kedah Darul Aman 0-1 (Hasbullah Abu Bakar) 6,102
Terengganu v Sabah 4-0 (Manuel Ott, Ishmael Akinade 2, Marin Pilj) 15,677
Kuching City v Selangor 2-1 (James Okuwosa, Jordan Mintah; Ronnie Fernandez) 3,338
Malaysian University v Johor Darul Ta'zim 0-5 (La'Vere Corbin-Ong, Francisco Geraldes 2, Shahrul Saad, Romel Morales) 6,490
Second leg ties will be played weekend 5/6 July. Malaysian University 'hosted' JDT at their latter's home ground
Singapore Premier League
Geylang International v Lion City Sailors 1-1 (Vincent Bezecourt; Maxime Lestienne)
Tanjong Pagar United v Brunei DPMM 3-2 (Salif Cisse, Anaqi Ismit, Syahadat Masnawi; Miguel Oliveira, Julio Cesar Cruz Gonzales)
Balestier Khalsa v Young Lions 3-2 (Alen Kozar 2, Masahiro Sugita; Itsuki Enomoto 2)
BG Tampines Rovers v Hougang United 5-1 (Glenn Kweh, Faris Ramli, Irfan Najeeb 2, Boris Kopitovic; Dejan Racic)
1 - Lion City Sailors 5 4 1 0 17-4 13
2 - BG Tampines Rovers 5 4 1 0 19-8 13
3 - Geylang International 6 2 4 0 23-13 11
9 - Tomayuki Doi (Geylang International), Kodai Tanaka (Balestier Khalsa)
5 - Itsuki Enamoto (Young Lions), Boris Kopitovic)
A thrilling start to the season in Singapore with plenty of goals. Just a shame the website doesn't mention attendances!
Jakarta Casual
