The Wisdom behind the Persipura Fiasco

ANTARA/ROY RATUMAKIN

Persipura Jayapura players celebrate a goal scored by Boaz Solossa (three left) in the last eight of the AFC Cup competition, in Papua, Tuesday (26/8/2014).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Persipura Jayapura's relegation from Liga 1 in the 2021-2022 season does not need to be lamented for too long. The lowest point of the “Black Pearl” performance in the highest competitive arena of national soccer should be an opportunity to improve, from a club management perspective to become more professional.

Papua is one of the regions in Indonesia that consistently gives birth to the best talent for soccer players. However, natural talent and ability have been proven to be no longer enough to support achievements in the era of modern soccer. This is evidenced by the performance of Persipura, which plunged in the BRI Liga 1 2021-2022.

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Persipura's reputation as the most successful team in the Indonesian League, which has been ongoing since the 1994-1995 season, has finally been tarnished. Even though Persipura had collected four championship trophies, there have been no prominent achievements since the Liga 1 era in 2017.

Persipura's best achievement in the Liga 1 era was in the 2019 season when it took third place. However, this season, Persipura was only ranked 16th in Liga 1 so that the Black Pearl was thrown out of the highest competition for the first time.

The decline cannot be separated from the financial problems experienced in preparation for the 2021-2022 season. Persipura had difficulty gathering the team's operational funds because it only depended on its main sponsor, PT Freeport Indonesia.

Persipura also failed to bring in quality foreign players and the best coaching staff to improve the quality of the team.

This left Persipura dependent on the majority of young players under the age of 25 years. Persipura also failed to bring in quality foreign players and the best coaching staff to improve the quality of the team.

Fernando Fairyo, a Persipura legend, said that being relegated to Liga 2 was an opportunity for comprehensive reforms for the Persipura squad and management.

“I hope that Persipura's relegation will be a valuable experience for the management. They have to manage the club professionally and no longer be managed by the local government," Fernando said in Jayapura, on Friday (1/4/2022).

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

Persipura Jayapura striker Marinus Mariyanto Wanewar (red and black) was tackled by PS TNI defender Andy Styo Nugroho in the 33rd week match of Go-Jek Traveloka Liga 1 at Patriot Candrabhaga Stadium, Bekasi, Saturday (4/11/2017).

As an illustration, general chairperson of Persipura Benhur Tomi Mano also serves as mayor of Jayapura.

Apart from Persipura, two other teams that also experienced financial problems at the beginning of the season, namely Persiraja Banda Aceh and Persela Lamongan, also cannot compete in Liga 1 2021-2022. The three teams failed to bring about innovation on the commercial side to attract funding from sponsors.

As a result, Persiraja and Persela will accompany Persipura into Liga 2 next season.

Trusting the local potential

According to Fernando, Persipura must rebuild the team for Liga 2 next season with the main strength material being the National Sports Week soccer team, which won the 2021 Papua National Games (PON) gold medal. He said that Persipura had appeared in Division Two during the United era in the 1988 season. Persipura only returned to the First Division in 1993.

According to him, Persipura's main recipe for promotion after struggling for five seasons in the United Second Division was to recruit players who helped Papua bring home soccer gold at the 1993 Jakarta PON.

“I felt that we were able to excel because we had played together for a long time and were compact in the PON team. Therefore, to help Persipura return to excellence, the management needs to trust Eduard Ivakdalam who has been proven to have won PON gold for Papua," said Fernando.

If he passes the licensing exam, Eduard is qualified to handle professional teams in Liga 1 and Liga 2.

Eduard has been participating in the Asian Soccer Confederation A (AFC) coach license program organized by the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) in Bali since the end of March. If he passes the licensing exam, Eduard is qualified to handle professional teams in Liga 1 and Liga 2.

"As a son of Papua and also a former Persipura player I’m ready to give the best for the club. It all depends on the management to trust me to coach the team,” said Eduard, who won the 2005 and 2008-2009 Indonesian League trophies when he was still active as Persipura captain.

Yustinus Pae, Persipura's senior defender, admitted that being relegated to Liga 2 was his worst experience since defending for Persipura in 2007.

This season also feels like an anomaly for Justinus. He had won promotion for Dewa United from Liga 2 to Liga 1, but the 38-year-old failed to keep Persipura's place in Liga 1 in the next season.

"We still don't believe it [relegation], but that's the reality in soccer that we have to accept. We are determined to bounce back next season," he said.

KOMPAS/B JOSIE SUSILO HARDIANTO

The people of Jayapura City, Saturday (7/9/2013) welcomed the Indonesian Super League champion, Persipura Jayapura in Jayapura City.

Persipura's failure to survive in Liga 1 has caused sadness for Persipura players and supporters, as well as Papuans. Other national soccer players also regret losing Persipura, one of the traditional powers, in Liga 1 in the next season.

"Persipura is a team that has given birth to many young players. I hope they can quickly return to Liga 1 because they have good players," said Persita coach Widodo C Putro. (FLO/SAN)

(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo)