Jakarta Casual

Sriwijaya's fine start to the season has seen they share top spot of the ISC with Mitra Kukar and Persija. This weekend Widodo Cahyo Putro's men go toe to toe with Mitra Kukar and the club are hoping to cash in at the gate by increasing ticket prices.

Their last last home against Madura United, which Laskar Wong Kito won 5-0, was seen by 14,555 and Sriwijaya are expecting more than 20,000 for this weekend's game.

VVIP - Rp 100,000 increase to Rp 120,000
VIP - Rp 50,000 increase to Rp 75,000
West - Rp 40,000 increase to Rp 50,000
East - Rp 25,000 increase to Rp 30,000

I hope the club know what they are doing! They have started the season well but they have won nothing yet.

Labels: Laskar Wong Kito, Mitra Kukar, Palembang, Sriiwijaya

Keith Kayamba Gumbs is back in Indonesia, he is back with Sriwijaya and he is excited about the coming campaign. With Laskar Wong Kito having started the Indonesian Soccer Championship season unbeaten I asked Keith about his return and his thoughts about Sriwijaya.

Keith Kayamba scoring for Sriwijaya against Pelita Jaya

Now aged 43, the former St Kitts and Nevis international enjoyed a lengthy career including stints with Oldham, Hull City and Sturm Graz before arriving in Hong Kong in 2001 where he played for Happy Valley. He spent some time in Malaysia playing for Sabah before returning to Hong Kong were he played for Kitchee at a time when Persib's Dejan Antonic was coaching them.

In 2007 he joined Sriwijaya and the rest, as they say, is history. He was part of the team that dominated Indonesian football for a couple years winning Liga Indonesia, Indonesia Cup (three times), Community Shield, Inter Island Cup and the Indonesia Super League. Seven trophies provided a glittering twilight to his career and after a cameo season with Arema he hung up his boots in 2013 and headed to Australia.

Ever since his name has often been linked with a return to Palembang.Finally he is back and he is loving it. 'Good to be back in the atmosphere and for a bit of experience coaching and not having to play.'

As for the rumours? 'The links to come back to Sriwijaya FC were mostly rumour because since I left the club after the 2012 season I hadn't talk to the management about coming back. I was in touch with the club and keeping up to date with football in Indonesia but weren't very keen to come back. One of my reasons for coming back now is, because I am now venturing into the coaching circles and looking for some much needed experience. So when this opportunity came along I thought about it for a while and decided it would be a good start for me. '

Pre season Sriwijaya's recruitment policy seemed to revolve around players in their 30s and if they had played for Persib all the better but Kayamba, as befitting an old hand who played into his 40s, doesn't see age as a handicap. 'They say where I came from age is just a number. Remember I played here in 2013 and I was 41 years old. The thing is with good soccer conditioning training, good dieting, staying away from alcohol, cigarettes and maximising your rest time. This can prolong the life of a footballer's career for well over 30. '

Sriwijaya have started the season well. Vital points were picked up on the road at Persib and Persiba, tough places to play at the best of times, while Madura United were put to the sword last weekend, Sriwijaya hitting five without reply. And while the old hands like Beto Goncalves, Hilton Moreira and Firman Utina draw the plaudits it is two younger players who have caught the eye of more seasoned observers. 

Teja Paku Alam has been in fine form between the sticks this season, conceding just one goal but playing with a maturity and confidence beyond his years. Former international Hendro Kartiko is the goalkeeping coach and no doubt he would have been aware another one time international, Markus Horison, was available but the management team opted for youth. 'At first there was to some extent a desire to bring in an experienced goalkeeper. But I think with the competition being as it is, now similar to the tournaments held before but this being a longer format. I thought it would be better to bring in the younger, fresh blood for some much needed game time experience which bodes well for SFC and the future of Indonesian football. '

And then there is Ichsan Kurniawan. He too did a good job against Madura United, scoring an impressive goal to add shine to his outing and coach Kayamba is excited by what he sees. 'I have heard so much about Ichsan and have read the newspapers. But when I got here, I saw firsthand the raw talent that he is and the hunger he shows in training day in day out is remarkable. It is no surprise to me he is doing well. He just needs to learn and keep understanding the game more and this will come with increased playing time.'

After three rounds Sriwijaya sit two points off leaders Arema and Persija. This weekend they face a tricky away trip their third of the season, when they travel to East Java to take on Bhayangkara Surabaya United. The Cops were comfortably defeated last time out 3-0 by Arema and have one win from their first three games. They drew their last home game v PS TNI but Kayamba has been around long enough to know there are no easy games in Indonesia and BS Uniited away will be no different.

Still, Kayamba has a good feeling about the squad Sriwijaya coach Widodo Cahyo Putro has assembled and thinks this could be an exciting campaign for the fans. have learnt that the potential in the squad is endless and all of the players are still willing to learn more. There's a family vibe amongst the group and it reminds me of our championship winning team of 2011-2012. So I have a good feeling for this season. '

Labels: Keith Kayamber Jerome Gumbs St Kitts Nevis Sriwijaya Palembang, Laskar Wong Kito, Sriwijaya

Sriwijaya don't do youth. At least not at first glance. Pre ISC they recurited heavily with the focus on experience, adding players like Alberto Goncalves, Hilton Moreira, Firman Utina, TA Mushafri, M Ridwan. Put it this way. If I played for them the average age wouldn't increase that much!

Which makes their choice of goalkeeper all themore remarkable. They allowed international Dian Agus Prasetyo to join Pusamania leaving their options between the sticks and I like many others wondered which experienced keeper they would opt for.

But coach Widodo Cayho Putro, perhaps guided by goalkeeper coach Hendro Kartiko, bided his time. He didn't seem in a rush to recruit and with good reason. Rookie Teja Paku Alam has started the season and earned plenty of plaudits for his fine form with one website even going as far as naming him in their Team of the Week for Match Day 2.

I think they were a bit premature in their rush to praise him, One dive in particular looked good on the camera but the ball was going wide and anyway the Sriwijaya defence did an excellent job of marshalling what liitle threat there was from Persiba. But at a time when it looks like Indonesian football could well be readmitted to FIFA he has certainly done his reputation no harm, especially when keepers like Arrema's Meiga Kurnia and Persija's Andritany have also made a good impression early on.

Should we be surprised though? Hendro Kartiko has been goalkeeping coach at Sriwijaya since 2014 and would have seen the progress Alam had been making in the Under 21s. Kartiko is a legend in Indonesia, boasting 60 international caps and a career that saw him play for some of the biggest clubs in the country, including Sriwijaya.

Alam cut his teeth in the PSSI project iin Uruguay, unfortunately called SAD, and on his return to Indonesia in 2012 Sriwijaya swooped without hesitation for the young keeper.

Pre season another former Indonesian national team keeper Marus Horison was available. It says much for Kartiko, and WCP's, faith in Alam they passed on the opportunity to sign the experienced Horison and turned trusted instead in youth.

Mark the name. If he carries on with this fine form he could be one special keeper in years to come.

Labels: Hendro Kartiko, Laskar Wong Kito, Sriwijaya, Teja Paku Alam