Targeting Promotion To League 1 Next Season, The PSIM Squad Is Almost Complete And Ready To Fight

JAKARTA - PSIM Yogyakarta is in Group 2 of Liga 2 2024/2025. They will compete for three tickets to the Championship round with eight other teams.

Laskar Mataram is very serious about preparing the team to carry the promotion target to Liga 1 next season. No wonder, they have immediately strengthened the coaching ranks first once Liga 2 2023/2024 is completed.

"Our target is definitely to League 1 (next season). We will strengthen the team manager first, then the head coach, assistant, analyst, physical trainer, and sports science team. Finally, strengthen the first team," said Liana Tasno, CEO of PSIM, while visiting VOI.id's office.

Head coach Seto Nurdiantoro became the initial target. The well-known coach was awarded in May 2024.

The next stage, Seto immediately worked to strengthen the coaching staff. Erwan Hendarwanto and Didik Wisnu were recruited to fill the assistant coach post and goalkeeping coach.

They will be assisted by Asep Ardiansyah as physical coach and Ivan Wirajaya (analis) who complements PSIM coaching staff for Liga 2 2024/2025.

After completing the coaching staff, PSIM immediately strengthened the first team. A number of old names are maintained.

Call it Khairu Fikri (goalkeeper), Savio Sheva, Yudha Alkanza, Sugiyanto Rohman, and Gulam Fatkur (gulandang).

Not only that, two loan players last season were also permanent. They are Samuel Simanjuntak (bek) and Arya Gerryan (the midfielder).

Then the foreign player sector did not escape the attention. Liga 2 2024/2025 regulations allow to recruit a maximum of three foreign troops.

PSIM also fulfilled the quota after signing Yusaku Yamadera (Japan/bek), Rafinha (Brazil/attacker), and Pedrinho (Brazil/gelandang).

Furthermore, Seto focused on fulfilling the number of his main team to 23 players. Therefore, PSIM landed names such as Adittia Gigis, Muammar Gaddafi, Saldi Amiruddin, Roken Tampubolon, and Rendra Teddy in the midfielder sector.

Meanwhile, the defense is inhabited by new players such as Sunni Hezbollah, Rio Herdiawan, Asyra Gufron, Lucky Oktavianto, and Edgard Amping.

It did not stop there, Laskar Mataram also completed the quota of three goalkeepers by presenting Riki Pambudi and Harlan Suardi.

PSIM is also not playing games to strengthen the attack line. Unmitigated, Irvan Yunus Mofu was brought in with the fourth status of the 2023/2024 Liga 2 top scorer along with Persipal Palu.

Irvan scored 10 goals last season and was under Alexandro (PSBS Biak/19), Matheus Silva (Nusantara United/14), and Kenneth Ngwoke (Semen Padang/13)

"We've been prepared for a long time. We've been working on the important thing, step by step."

"The squad is 90 percent complete, containing senior and foreign players. We are one of the most mature clubs in preparation compared to others. Now we just have to meet the regulations of U-21 players," said Liana Tasno again.

Especially for the Under-21 players, PSIM has just inaugurated several names. Muhammad Fariz became the first young player to be sued on loan from PSS Sleman.

Most recently, on Monday, August 12, 2024, Laskar Mataram borrowed two more young players from Persija Jakarta, namely Arlyansyah Abdulmanan and Figo Dennis.

Judging from this composition, PSIM is clearly ready to fight even to comply with the 2024/2025 Liga 2 regulations. As is known, each team is required to play for 45 minutes, two U-21 players in the competition.

Apart from that, PSIM has held its first exercise in early July 2024. A number of programs have also been implemented, including physical training and match tests.

The 2024/2025 Liga 2 Regular Round will kick off on September 7, 2024.