Friday, March 06, 2026
New Coach And Striker Change PSIS Fortunes
Founded in 1932, PSIS are one of Indonesia's oldest clubs. Located in Semarang, one of the 10 largest cities in the country, PSIS have everything in place to be big football club. A large fanbase on their doorstep. A reasonable history. But it hasn't worked out for them for whatever reason.
Apart from a couple of seasons inspired by the likes of M Ridwan, GH Ortiz and Emmanuel de Porras, they briefly flickered 20 years ago, challenging for the title but ultimately falling short.
The last two decades have seen them flit between the top two divisions without really making an impression but now further ignominy beckons.
With 21 games gone, PSIS sit second bottom of Championship Group 2, 9th in the 10-team division and firmly in the relegation play-off place. Only six games, and a perfectly hapless Persipal is keeping them off the bottom of the table.
The season can not end soon enough for the players who face further humiliation were they to drop to the third tier and oblivion.
A team packed with experienced names like Esteban Vizcarra (39 years old), Beto Goncalves (45), Otavio Dutra (42) but they have only managed 11 goals all season. In fact, a look at the player profiles shows a squad rammed with players around 30 years old. Youth definitely isn't being given a chance in this part of Central Java.
If the squad has you scratching your head, look at the coaches they've had this season.
The 2025/26 season began with local legend M Ridwan as caretaker but he was replaced by Kahudi Wahyu, someone I am totally unfamiliar with.
Kahudi lasted three months before Ega Raka Ghalih took over as caretaker at the end of September. After a few weeks, Eka was given the job permanently. Well, I say permanent, he lasted 17 days before he was gone!
In came Jafri Sastra for his second spell at the club and his 17th appointment since he first made his name at Semen Padang back in 2012-2015.
If you're expecting the experienced Jafri was going to bring stability, think again. He was sacked on 31st January and PSIS waited a couple of weeks before announcing their new coach, Andri Ramawi Putra on Valentine's Day.
As far as I'm aware, Andri is still with the club. PSIS are also unbeaten under his stewardship which probably guarantees his job until the end of the month - when games start after the Ramadhan break!
PSIS v Persela 1-0 (Rafael De Sa Rodrigues 90) 5,103
Deltras v PSIS 0-1 (Rafael De Sa Rodrigues 27) 1,197
Persiba v PSIS 0-0 534
Five points from three games after 11 from their previous 18 is a marked improvement. Now on their fifth coach, but with Andri providing the tactical nous on the training ground and new signing Rafinha finding the net, who's to say PSIS won't escape the dreaded drop at the end of an eventful season?!
