An off beat look at Indonesian and South East Asian football from the terraces or the pub
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Persebaya Target Premium Market
Persebaya are one of the biggest football clubs in Indonesia and by extension South East Asia. They are the full package with history, tradition and a large fan base in Indonesia's second-largest city. They are also run relatively well.
The owners aren't one for needlessly spunking cash on big name players. Instead, they try to keep within their budgets, which may frustrate their passionate supporters but does mean after years of instability, they are now in a comfortable position.
Funding for football clubs has been an issue ever since the tap for local government and tobacco cash was turned off. Ticket prices are low and a poor run is soon felt at the gate.
This helps explain why we are seeing a number of newer clubs like Dewa United and Garaudayaksa on the scene, clubs with wealthy owners
Savvy clubs therefore, have had to look elsewhere for money and in a way look to what their peers do in other countries. It's a fine balance though, because the 'typical' Indonesian football fan isn't the wealthiest, often preferring knock-off shirts or cheap merchandise, rather than the official gear.
Fair play then to Persebaya for thinking out-of-the box. The Green Force have introduced VVIP Suites offering the minted supporter a free car parking space, exclusive access, access to the players' warm-up, special food and merchandise.
I'm not sure how much fans are being expected to pay for all this luxury. If you wanna ticket, you're gonna have to call a number.
That it's Persebaya trialling this does tickle me, though. Traditionally, there is an element of their fan base which doesn't take well to buying even the cheapest tickets to a game. Pictured above are Persebaya fans climbing over the wall at Sultan Agung Stadium to see their heroes.
There is also the legendary trip to Bandung when their train trip across Java was covered by TV news crews to an audience of millions
Once upon a time, there was Nong Jork United. No one knew much about them, and no one really cared. Then, a private company bought their professional licence and rebranded their club Muang Thong United. This was unknown territory in Thailand, where clubs traditionally were extensions of government-owned industries, ministries, or banks.
A typical fixture list would see SET v KTB, TFB v PEA and PAT v RTAF, all in Bangkok. Funnily enough, people weren't interested.
Then along came private clubs, and leading the push were Muang Thong United. They looked and smelled like a professional football club. They had branding, albeit with a strong Manchester United influence, and they developed a tidy stadium to the north of Bangkok.
They even bought in Robbie Fowler as player-coach at one stage!
All the while, the owners kept putting money in things were good. They were Thai champions in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2016. Even as recently as 2017, they won the Kor Cup, League Cup and the Mekong Cup. But in the major competitions, they finished runners-up in the League and semi-finalists in the FA Cup.
They've won nothing since, not finishing higher than 4th. This season, they are firmly in the relegation places, and Thai League 2 beckons
What happened? From afar, the answer looks simple enough. The moment a powerful, provincial politician, Newin Chidchob, bought an electric company, which happened to be Thai champions, and relocated them to the north east of the country. Buriram United was born.
Newin worked from the Muang Thong playbook. Branding was important, the club crest featured an important temple complex, and a stadium was developed. Newin had one advantage that the Muang Thing owners didn't. As a scion of a provincial political dynasty, he wasn't distracted by annoying things like shareholders, dividends or profits.
From initially copying Muang Thong, he then looked further afield to build his football club. Much like the US under Ronald Reagan in the Cold War, Newin was able to outspend everyone to the extent that anyone trying to keep up risked bankruptcy.
Much like Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia, one man's money has dramatically changed the domestic football landscape to the extent his riches have built a massively successful behemoth, but at what cost to the rest of the league?
There is, of course, an irony of one rich entity outspending another rich entity. Chelsea did it to Manchester United. Manchester City did it to Chelsea. In the case of Muang Thong United, should we mourn the loss of a once mighty football club or should we take delight in the karma that has befallen them?
With the eight quarter finalists now known, what happens to the eight losers? Well, the FAM knocked up a new competition for them a few years back just so they can have a few more games, and, truth be told, I actually quite like the idea even though recent editions have done little but highlight how weak the league is. But at least it offers teams other than JDT the opportunity to win something.
Immigration Penang
Kelantan Red Warrior Kelantan The Real Warriors
PDRM Perak
Sabah UM Damansara United
This is the fifth time the MFL Challenge Cup has been held and each season has seen a different team win the trophy
2018 - Terengganu II v UKM 2-2, 2-0 (Terengganu II won 4-2 on aggregate)
2019 - Johor Darul Ta'zim II v UKM 1-0, 0-1 (UKM won 6-5 on penalties)
2023 - PDRM v Kuching City 3-0, 1-1(PDRM won 4-1 on aggregate)
2024/25* - Selangor v PDRM 3-0, 4-0 (Selangor won 7-0 on aggregate)
The format has changed since the early editions, hence we no longer see reserve sides involved and where UKM are is anyone's guess. At least now, without the second teams involved it looks and smells like a proper football competition.
With the Super League, FA Cup, Malaysia Cup, and now this, Malaysian football has a pretty busy calendar for all its clubs.
If the above graphic represents the draw for the quarter finals, we are potentially looking at a blockbuster semi-final between Kelantan Red Warrior and Kelantan The Real Warriors. I understand all police leave will be cancelled in Kota Bahru should that game go ahead!
* The change in dates reflects the change in the football season calendar
In an ideal world, Selangor would be attracting massive crowds and challenging for titles in Malaysia on a regular basis. They are a giant but in the era of Johor Darul Ta'zim and their financial muscle they are dwarfed by the team from the south.
And while JDT are just counting the days to being crowned again, it's easy to forget or ignore other clubs and their efforts to keep going and remain relevant.
I'm not one really to focus on a club's commercial arrangements but the recent announcement Selangor have teamed up with English terrace clobber company Peaceful Hooligan did attract my attention.
No idea how the deal came about or what it entails beyond a few t shirts but it is the kind of out of the box thinking I like.
It may not change the football landscape in Malaysia but it does show there are other clubs out there chugging along in the JDT slipstream and as long as they are, I will continue to try and highlight their efforts both on and off the field
What next? Immigration and CP Company or PDRM and Stone Island?!
PSIM v Persebaya 0-3 (Gali Freitas, Bruno Pereira, Rachmat Irianto) 7,405
Persib v PSBS 1-0 (Berguinho) 28,682
No away fans were allowed, supposedly, but Persebaya didn't seem to miss them as they brushed aside PSIM in Bantul. They left it late, though with all the goals coming in the final quarter but Rachmat's was worth the wait!
Meanwhile, Persib returned to the top of the table but they were made to work hard for the points against a dogged PSBS. After a second half spent peppering the visitors' goal with long-range efforts, Berguinho finally scored the goal that secured the win, bundling home from a couple of yards out. As for Teja in the Persib goal, rumour has it he spent the second half at home doing the gardening!
To cap a busy day, Persib announced two new defensive signings after the game, Layvin Kurzawa (once of PSG) and Dion Markx from NEC Nijmegen.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Garudayaksa v PSMS 2-1 (Everton Mendonca, Taufik Hidayat; Cadenazzi) 500
Deltras v Persipal 3-1 (Neville Tengeg, M Imran 2; Darmawan) 2,062
Tornado Kendal v Persiku 0-0 100
Garudayaksa may have rich, powerful backers but only 500 turned up at the Patriot Stadium in Bekasi to see them go top of the Championship Group A ahead of Adhyaksa and Sumsel United.
MALAYSIA CUP
KL City v Perak 3-0 (Safawi, Josue, Dumitru) (KL 3-2 on aggregate)
Negeri Sembilan v Immigration 1-0 (Luqman Hakim) (N9 1-0 on aggregate)
SINGAPORE PREMIER LEAGUE
Balestier Khalsa v Albirex Niigata 0-4 (Shingo 2, Kim, Yoshioka)
Nothing on the SPL website or X account about this game. Maybe they don't work Sundays?! The win boosts Albirex's goal difference but they are still eight points behind leaders Lion City Sailors with a game in hand
Malut United v Persik 4-0 (Ciro Alves, Yakob Sayuri, David da Silva, Tyronne Piro) 1,081
Bali United v Semen Padang 3-3 (Jens Raven, Mirza Mustafic, Thijmen Goppel; Jaime Ocapo, Angelo Meneses, Ripal Wahyudi) 4,195
Persita v Bhayangkara 1-1 (Matheus Alves; Privat Mbarga) 3,099
Persijap v PSM 2-0 (Carlos Freires, Iker Vallejo) 4,156
Ex-Arsenal midfielder Jon Toral came on as a late substitute but was unable to change anything. Persik had been playing with 10 men since the 20th minute and Malut ambled to a comfortable win keeping them in touch with the top three check out some of the goals!
At the other end of the table, both Semen Padang and Persijap picked up useful points. The Cement Men were involved in a six-goal thriller on the Isle of Gods, initially taking a 2 goal lead before being pegged back
Sriwijaya v Sumsel United 0-5 (Rachmat Hhidayat 2, Jacinto3) 4,317
Persekat v Persiraja 0-0 1,030
PSIS v Persela 1-0 (Otavio Dutra) 9,571
Persiba v Barito Putera 1-0 (Abdul Rahman)
Impressive crowd in Jayapura witnessing 3rd v 2nd while a Borneo Derby (500 kilometres apart!) saw leaders Baarito Puter surprisingly go down 0-1 v Persiba, A more realistic Derby in Palembang saw Sumsel grab bragging rights as sorry Sriwijaya slipped to another heavy defeat
SINGAPORE PREMIER LEAGUE
Hougang United v Lion City Sailors 1-5 (Settawt Wongsai; Shawal Anuar, OG, Lennart Thy, Bart Ramselaar 2)
Reigning champions Lion City Sailors won. Not really news, is it? They're still top. Not really news, is it?
After scoring six in the first leg, Teto continued his battle against the Cops by scoring the only goal in an irrelevant second leg. Rumours he has 1312 or ACAB tattooed on his inner lip are unfounded!
Paulo Ricardo found himself sitting on the bench watching his Finnish side KuPS take on Crystal Palace in the UEFA Conference League. The 31-year-old Brazilian defender came on as a second-half substitute with his team leading 2-1 and heading for an unlikely victory. Sadly, it wasn't to be as Palace equalised and the game ended 2-2*.
You wonder, don't you, as he sat there in a chilly South London night, whether Ricardo had half an eye on his future. Would he stay in Finland, or would he move on when the transfer window opened a few days later?
With KuPS in with a chance of reaching the play-off stages of the UEFA competition and looking forward to a tie against Polish side Lech Poznan, Ricardo has already packed his toothbrush and signed for Persija.
There is little chance of KuPS winning the Conference League. Persija though do stand a chance of winning the Super League as they sit in 3rd place three points behind Persib.
Ricardo will have little problem settling into life at his new club. Apart from Brazilian coach Maurico Souza he will be sharing the changing room with a good number of fellow Brazilian players. According to Wikipedia, there are nine Brazilians in the squad. And Ricardo makes 10. Oh, even the translator is Brazilian!
With the second-best defence and the second-best attack in the league, Persija are doing everything they can to make sure they don't end up second best behind Persib in the title race!
* - Another defender facing an uncertain future that night on the bench was Marc Guehi whose transfer attracted rather more headlines than Ricardo's!
The 2025/26 Singapore Cup may have ended in controversy, but the whole tournament hasn't been without its question marks.
After just five initial rounds, the Premier League effectively took a three-month break to hold this year's competition for starters. Next up, Young Lions didn't enter; they prioritised the SEA Games (they lost both their group stage games and were home in time for Christmas) and, just to add to the sense of farce, Lion City Sailors and Tampines Rovers were given byes to the semi-final.
Yep, that's right. Nearly 25% of the teams sat out the early round.
So, the Cup kicked off with a league format (?!) as the remaining five sides played each other once. Albirex Niigata and Balestier Khalsa qualified for the semi-finals where of course, they were drawn against Tampines and LCS respectively.
To sum up, the scheduling was a shambles, the format was a shambles, in keeping with that theme, it was more than appropriate the final too was a shambles.
Perhaps some out of the box thinking could save the Singapore Cup from just being a rehash of the same old clubs playing each other ad infinitum.
The Singapore FA Cup ran from September through to November 2025 and featured clubs from the Singapore Football League and the Island Wide League with ties played out in the heartlands which used to host SLeague games before the current nonsense of ground sharing was introduced.
Why not invite the eight quarter finalists to enter the Singapore Cup? This season, for example,e would have seen such exotic names as Geylang Serai, Police SA, Starlight Soccerites, Singapore Khalsa Association, Jungfrau Ponggol, Singapore Cricket Club, GDT Circuit and Warwick Knights.
Have the cup kick off with a Round of 16 which could even be over two legs, before proceeding as a normal cup competition. Gelang Serai v Geylang International or Young Lions v Jungfrau (!) would be interesting ties for starters.
By opening up the Cup to teams beyond the suffocating SPL and playing ties across the island may go some way to adding some spice to what is currently little more than an extension to the SPL.
JDT - Money Doesn't Buy Quality, It Buys Brutal Efficiency
On the back of Johor Darul Ta’zim’s 10-1 win over PDRM in what was supposed to be the away leg of a round of 16 match in the 2026 Malaysia Cup – but was actually played in Johor - it is very, very easy to be cynical about Malaysian domestic football, and to ask, “Why bother?”
Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) are the 11-time in-a-row Champions of Malaysia, are a perfect 15 wins from 15 in the current Malaysia Super League season; have already won the Malaysian FA Cup for a 4th straight time (with a 5-0 victory in the Final); and with a 9 goal advantage to take into the second leg, are slight favourites to progress to the Quarter finals as they bid to retain the ‘prestigious’ Malaysia Cup for a 4th straight season.
They’re Malaysia’s ‘Man United’ (of old). Plus-plus. They’re the big-spending Man City of the current day. Very few football fans outside of Johor really like them, and it wouldn’t surprise me to hear that many in Malaysia even hope they fail in their AFC Champions Elite campaign.
But, there’s a grudging respect mixed in with massive envy and frustration that no one can get close to them on the domestic stage.
The envy / dislike stems predominantly from the money poured into the club over the club’s (accurately) self-described “Decade of Domination”, and the idea their success has been “bought”. There’s also a reaction to the “in-your-face” approach of the Tunku Makhota of Johor (TMJ) – the man who has driven and financed the development of JDT - in challenging the rest of Malaysia’s football leaders to come to JDT’s levels, rather than complain about JDT’s spending.
The finance has, over the years, helped buy most of the best players Malaysia has to offer, plus a veritable bevvy of (mainly) Spanish, Argentine and Brazilian foreign signings to ensure success on the field of play. Current Coach Xisco Munoz has Watford, Sheffield Wednesday and Dynamo Tbilisi on his Coaching CV and was brought in despite Johor’s treble win last year. For TMJ, success isn’t judged on domestic success, but on progress in (especially) the Asian Champions league Elite.
On top of that, Johor boast a first-class made-for-football stadium, state-of-the-art training facilities, and top care and salaries (which are always paid promptly) for their playing and club personnel. They even hire the best Ground staff in the world to look after all of their playing pitches at all of their venues. There’s plenty to be envious about.
Domestically, there’s not much left for Johor to achieve. They’re hoping for a 4th consecutive Treble (Super League, FA Cup, Malaysia Cup); are unbeaten (domestically) at their 40,000 capacity Sultan Ibrahim Stadium since April 2021; and their last three League titles were all achieved without a single defeat.
What Johor haven’t done is:
Progress to the Quarter Finals in the AFC Champions League Elite competition
Had involvement in the ASEAN Club Championship (Shopee Cup)
Domestically, posted a PERFECT season.
Turning focus on the last of these:
While it is easy to say that JDT are bound to win because of the money invested in players, there’s no doubting that Johor Darul Ta’zim play the game in great style, are a LOT of fun to watch, and have an indefatigable spirit.
Take their last 3 League games, which, arguably, were the most difficult fixtures JDT will face in the rest of the 24-match league season. All three offered a real challenge but, spoiler alert, JDT came through all three with their perfect record intact.
4th Jan 2026: Selangor 0-2 JDT:
Selangor, after a shaky spell in mid-season changed Coach with Christophe Gamel (now succeeded by Kim Pan-Gon) steadying the ship to the extent that the team had gone seven unbeaten in the League. Selangor’s Brazilian-striker, Chrigor Moraes, was in great goal-scoring form and Mamadou Diarra’s introduction at centre back had helped tighten things defensively. The Red Giants of Selangor were quietly confident of denting JDT’s perfect record, or at least giving them a proper game.
It wasn’t to be.
Despite a healthy 8,000++ crowd in Petaling Jaya, JDT produced a professional taking apart of Selangor. An early goal from Spanish-born and soon to be Malaysia-eligible Nacho Mendez (officially an own-goal deflected in by Richard Ankrah), followed by almost complete control of the game until a late volley from Bergson da Silva secured win number 13 of the season.
The key? Professional Control.
9th Jan 2026: Negeri Sembilan 0-1 JDT:
Negeri Sembilan’s fortunes have improved immeasurably since the nadir of their twelfth-placed finish in the 2024-25 season. Finance was secured for the new campaign, and highly-rated Coach Nidzam Jamil had used his resources well in a season that included a statement home win against Selangor in front of a 40,000 crowd.
Negeri’s Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi is one of the more atmospheric stadia in Malaysia when there’s a decent crowd. Some 16,000++ were present for the visit of JDT. And what a contest they saw.
A controversial non-decision by referee Logeswaran (one of my favourite Malaysian refs, btw) at the end of the first half saw JDT’s normally impeccable Eddy Israfilov escape punishment for a high-arm that stopped Negeri Sembilan’s Joseph Esso in full stride. The home team, parading Palestinian midfielder Oday Kharroub for an impressive debut, had gone toe-to-toe with JDT. This was a proper game.
Second half, JDT turned the screw. Azri Ghani in “The Deers” goal made a series of excellent stops, including one astonishing save from his own defender Khuzaimee Piee. He blocked one-on-one from Johor’s Spanish-born Teto Martin, and was relieved when Feroz Baharuddin headed over from inside the 6-yard box. The Southern Tigers’ pressure was relentless with Oscar Arribas operating as a regular crossing source from the right, but it looked as though Negeri were going to frustrate JDT.
Slowing the game down, The Deers held the ball deep in JDT territory at the corner flag for a good 4 minutes of seven added on. The crowd were celebrating; the “Sehati Sejiwa” chant echoed; the phone lights were being waved and the atmosphere was buoyant. An stoppage for an injury meant that we would go beyond the “minimum of seven minutes” time added on.
One last attack for JDT and you can guess what happened next. Of course you can.
98 minutes had been played when Arribas got the ball on the right and crossed for one last time. Eight yards from goal, Manuel Hidalgo – literally the smallest man on the pitch – escaped from the fatigued Kharroub and stretched to his full height to loop a header up and over Azri’s despairing dive. Azri got a touch, but the ball found the side of the net.
Bloody Johor. The visitors bench exploded with joy. Negeri Sembilan’s players slumped to the floor. It was a deserved win for JDT, but so, so, cruel on Negeri Sembilan.
The key words? Relentless, Indefatigable. 14 from 14.
9th Jan 2026: JDT 2-1 Kuching City:
Kuching City have quietly gone about their business since the Kuching FA decided to properly support football a decade ago. What started as the FA supporting an Amateur league in the Kuching region of Sarawak has now grown to include a tightly run professional team who have worked their way through the (now-defunct) FAM League, into M3 (now the AFL), and thence into the (now-defunct) Malaysia Premier League until they won promotion to the Super League for the 2023 season.
Under the organised, sensible coaching of Singaporean Aidil Shahrin (an FA Cup winner with Kedah in 2019), Kuching City survived a torrid debut season at the top level before securing a respectable 4th place in 2024-25. They are a club who don’t overspend, who pay their bills on time, who put football people in charge of football matters, and who work within their means (While that is, globally, a low bar, in the Malaysian context, it’s worthy of note).
Aidil has put together a neat and tidy side. Malaysia International Haziq Nadzli – a success story from the (now-defunct) Frenz Academy - in goal; defensive solidity from Nigerian James Okwuosa and Japanese Yuki Tanagawa; internationally capped Scott Woods and Jimmy Raymond as attacking full-backs; The lovely to watch Petrus Shitembi in midfield alongside Bahrain International Moses Atede, with width provided by Ramadhan Saifullah and Danial Asri, and recent signing Ronald Ngah up front already into double digit goals scored for his new employers.
This season, Kuching City had pushed JDT close in a couple of games. In August, only a goal by Brazilian import Jairo scored after Kuching had been reduced to 10-men earned JDT a 1-0 League win in Sarawak. And when the teams met in the FA Cup semi-final first leg, Kuching stretched JDT again – the Southern Tigers winning 2-1 with Bergson da Silva on target with a brace. JDT won the 2nd leg comfortably at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium 2-0, but they knew that Kuching would not be a “push-over”.
In this game, Jairo thought he had scored inside 10-minutes for JDT only for VAR to confirm referee Razlan Jofri Ali’s decision of a foul in the build-up. Late in the first half, left-back, Scott Woods, turned up at centre forward to turn home a Ramadhan cross. Ramadhan – a former Johor player - looked offside but VAR showed a narrow (and correct) onside verdict in favour of Kuching. 1-0 at half time with Goalkeeper Haziq (another former JDT recruit) looking secure and impressive.
Second half; Bergson da Silva went down after a challenge in the Kuching penalty area and referee Jofri was advised to go to the VAR monitor. He saw contact, but minimal, and not enough to award a foul and so a third VAR decision went (correctly, according to this correspondent) against JDT.
And a fourth would follow. Natxo Insa squared up to a Kuching player and Jofri was again “advised” by VAR to view a possible red card offence. He decided that this very 2025 confrontation was worthy of a red card and so JDT were down to 10. A goal-down and down to 10 men.
Surely, THIS time, Johor couldn’t “Up” their game? You know, by now, what the answer was.
The 10-men responded. Nacho Mendez scored a peach from 25 yards to equalise within three minutes of JDT going down to 10-men. Five minutes after that, Hidalgo set up Bergson for a stunning volley for 2-1. JDT’s 10-men then had the majority of the ball and regularly strung together 30-40 passes without Kuching laying a foot on the ball.
The keyword: Resilient,
They may not be liked, but games involving JDT invariably get you emotionally involved either for or against them. And they can play. They can also rough it if needed. They’re fabulous and horrible at the same time; they are merciless as showcased by two 10-goal wins over PDRM this season; they thrill and annoy with equal measure; and a little bit of genuine sporting invincibility is in their grasp – and it’s not JUST about money.
There aren’t too many teams that have won ALL their League matches in a season.
In the 19th Century, Preston North End and Glasgow Rangers (twice) were 100%;
Last century, Ferencvaros in Hungary, Racing Club in Argentina and Penarol of Uruguay were ‘perfect’.
This century, only the Guam league’s Quality Distributors and Turkmenistan’s Arkadag (with an asterisk) have won every game.
JDT’s remaining fixtures:
February: Imigresen (h), Sabah (a), Penang (a),
March: DPMM Brunei (a), PDRM Police (h),
April: Terengganu (h), Melaka (a)
May: Kuala Lumpur City (h), Kelantan The Real Warriors (a)
In 2025-26, Johor Darul Ta’zim have a chance of joining an elite club.
Jakarta Casual
