Bhayangkara Presisi Indonesia F.C. Explained

Clubname:Bhayangkara Presisi Indonesia
Fullname:Bhayangkara Presisi Indonesia Football Club
Short Name:BFC
Nickname:The Guardians
Founded:, as Persebaya (DU)[1]
, as Bhayangkara FC
, as Bhayangkara Presisi Indonesia FC
Ground:PTIK Stadium
Capacity:3,000
Owner:Indonesian National Police
Chrtitle:CEO
Chairman:Sumardji
Manager:Arief Kurniawan
Coach:Gomes de Oliveira
League:Liga 2
Season:2023–24
Position:Liga 1, 17th of 18 (Relegated)
Website:https://bhayangkarafc.id/
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Current:2023–24 Liga 1 (Indonesia)

Bhayangkara Presisi Indonesia Football Club, simply known as Bhayangkara, is an Indonesian professional football club based in South Jakarta, Indonesia. The club are linked to the Indonesian National Police, with many of their players serving as policemen. Even the name of the club is based on a police rank. They have won the Liga 1 title only once in 2017. However, they will play in Liga 2 for the 2024–25 season following a relegation in the 2023–24 Liga 1.[2]

History

A Persebaya offspring (2010–2016)

Bhayangkara FC has a complicated history as it was a by-product of internal conflict in one of Indonesia's oldest clubs, Persebaya Surabaya. As the conflict was peaking in 2010, a rebel faction in Persebaya acquired Persikubar West Kutai, a second-tier club based in West Kutai on Borneo island, following the decision of the main faction to pull Persebaya out of the Indonesian Super League (ISL) and register it for the inaugural season of the Indonesian Premier League (IPL). The competition schism itself derived from a rift between the ISL organizers and the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI). The rebel faction renamed Persikubar into Persebaya and moved its base to Surabaya so that the latter could still have a representation in the 2011 season of ISL, albeit in its second-tier.

When the Persebaya DU team managed to win promotion into the top-tier of ISL in 2013, the naming issue became a legal battle as another Persebaya was playing in the top-tier of IPL. In a span of a year (August 2015 to September 2016), this team changed names four times in order to circumvent legal challenges from different parties, including the notorious Persebaya ultras, known as Bonek. In April 2016, this team, known at that time as Surabaya United, merged with PS Polri, the amateur club of the Indonesian National Police, to obtain legal backing and create Bhayangkara Surabaya United.[3] [4]

A police team (2016–present)

On 10 September 2016, the Indonesian National Police became the main operator of the club and renamed it into its current identification, Bhayangkara FC, which no longer has any visible link to Persebaya Surabaya. Bhayangkara itself is a nickname for the Indonesian police, deriving from the name of the guardians of the ancient kingdom of Majapahit. That is why the club from 2016 onward was known as the Guardians. In November 2020, the club moved its base from Jakarta to Surakarta after failing to win support from football fans in the national capital who are already loyal to one of the most popular club in the country, Persija Jakarta, and planned to change its name to Bhayangkara Solo. However, the renaming plan was canceled according to PSSI in its 2021 annual congress.[5]

First National Trophy

In 2017, Bhayangkara FC won the 2017 Liga 1 championship on a head-to-head decision, which was seen as controversial by football fans nationwide who preferred the runner-up Bali United, which had collected the same number of points. While the procedure was legal and both teams were made out of controversial mergers, fans considered Bhayangkara as an elitist creation of the police with no popular support while Bali United had won the hearts of the people in Bali.[6] Despite the championship, Bhayangkara FC was unable to compete in the 2018 AFC Champions League as it was unable to obtain an AFC license; the AFC Champions League spot went to Bali United.[7]

Decline and Relegation to Liga 2

After winning the 2017 season, Bhayangkara had managed to finish mostly in the top five of the league table for three consecutive seasons. However, in the 2022–23 season, they only managed to finish seventh.

During the 2023–24 season, the team suffered from a winless run which lasted for 16 matches, forcing the team to make extensive player transfers, including the recruit of former Belgium national football team player, Radja Nainggolan.

Unfortunately, their rescue mission went short in Matchday 32 as relegation contender, Persita Tangerang drew 1–1 against Persik Kediri. The result ensured Bhayangkara to be unable to break out of relegation. Their fate was sealed further after a 1–2 loss in their own match of the fixture against Bali United.[8]

Colours and badges

Bhayangkara FC's main colour is gold, which is associated with the golden badge of police officers. The golden badge is also clearly included at the top section of its logo.

Kit history

Year(s) Manufacturer(s)
2010–2011Nike
2011–2012Vilour
2012–2013Warrior
2014Specs
2015Mitre
2016Vision Superior (SU)
2017Vilour
2018Umbro
2019Lotto
2020Specs
2021Mills

Stadium

Bhayangkara FC played their home matches in stadiums in the Greater Jakarta conurbation and trained at the PTIK Stadium, a small stadium inside the Indonesian National Police higher learning centre in South Jakarta, for the 2017–2020 seasons.[9] When they won the 2017 Liga 1 season, they used the Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium in Bekasi, which is part of Greater Jakarta, along with Persija Jakarta.[10] For 2022–23 season, they use Wibawa Mukti Stadium as their homebase.[11]

Supporters

Bhayangkara's supporters are called Bhara Mania and the majority of them are linked to the Indonesian National Police. While the club has collected the best players in the league, it lacks loyal grassroots supporters who are uncomfortable with the police connections. The November 2020 plan to move to Surakarta. which is also known as Solo, was an attempt to win supporters. However, that plan was cancelled before the 2021 Liga 1 season after lukewarm reception from football fans in that city.[12] [13]

Sponsorship

The club is financially supported by a company owned by the police's traffic division. Sometimes, it can win external sponsorship but from state-owned enterprises, such as Bank BNI.[14]

Players

Current squad

[15]

Staff

PositionName
Manager Arief Kurniawan
Head coach Gomes de Oliveira
Assistant coach Agus Sugeng Riyanto
Assistant coach Hanim Sugiarto
Assistant coach Agus Indra Kurniawan
Fitness coach Robson Gomes
Goalkeeper coachvacant
Analyst Regi Yonathan
Team Doctor Septia Mandala
Team Physiotherapist Fahmi Fahriza
Team Physiotherapist Ilham Setyo Putra
Masseur Muhammad Toha
Masseur Syefrina Salsabila
Media Officer Angga Bratama Putra
Kitman Taufik Usup
Under-20's Head Coach Yusuf Ekodono
Under-18's Head Coach Hartono
Under-16's Head Coach Aulia Tri Hartanto

Head coach history

Head coach by years (2010–present)

NameFromTo
Suwandi HS20102011
Subangkit20112012
Freddy Mulli20112012
Yusuf Ekodono20122012
Miroslav Janu20132013
Tony Ho20132013
Rahmad Darmawan20142014
Ibnu Grahan20152016
Simon McMenemy20172018
Paul Munster20192022
Agus Sugeng20232023
Widodo C. Putro20232023
Mario Gómez20232023
Agus Sugeng20232023
Emral Abus2023Incumbent

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Misteri Hari Lahir Bhayangkara FC, Google Tak Tahu, dan Tiba-tiba 10 September. 10 September 2020. 6 June 2021. 6 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210606024539/https://www.skor.id/nusantara/misteri-hari-lahir-bhayangkara-fc-google-tak-tahu-tiba-tiba-10-september-01351010. dead.
  2. Web site: 20 April 2024 . Bhayangkara Degradasi dari Liga 1 . 20 April 2024 . CNN Indonesia.
  3. Web site: Bhayangkara FC: Dari Kutai Barat, Surabaya, Hingga Juara. Jun. Mahares. cnnindonesia.com. 8 December 2017.
  4. Web site: Sejarah Terbentuknya Bhayangkara FC Yang Penuh Polemik. panditfootball.com. 6 June 2021.
  5. Web site: Bhayangkara Batal Ganti Nama, Tetap di Solo atau Balik ke Jakarta?. detik.com. 6 June 2021.
  6. Web site: Bhayangkara FC Resmi Juara Liga 1 2017 - Goal.com. goal.com. 8 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171114081019/http://www.goal.com/id/berita/bhayangkara-fc-resmi-juara-liga-1-2017/spnr4gsuwyv4133iva8gqfrps. 14 November 2017. dead.
  7. Web site: Lima Klub Liga 1 Indonesia Telah Mendapatkan Lisensi AFC, Tapi.... FourFourTwo. 4 November 2017. id-ID. 27 October 2017.
  8. Web site: 20 April 2024 . Perjalanan Bhayangkara FC dari Persikubar, Merger dengan PS Polri, Juara, Lalu Degradasi dari Liga 1 . 20 April 2024 . Viva.co.id.
  9. Web site: Resmi, Stadion PTIK Home Base Bhayangkara FC di Liga 1, Serasa Klub Juventus. Tribun Jateng. 2 May 2018. 2 June 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180509030054/http://jateng.tribunnews.com/2018/05/02/resmi-stadion-ptik-home-base-bhayangkara-fc-diliga-1-serasa-klub-juventus. 9 May 2018. live.
  10. News: Persija Berbagi Kandang dengan Bhayangkara FC. Nuralam. Cakrayuri. Jakarta. Liputan6.com. 2018-11-08.
  11. Web site: Pemkab Bekasi Siapkan Stadion Wibawa Mukti Jadi Homebase Bhayangkara FC . Republika Online . 24 July 2022 . id . 20 July 2022.
  12. Web site: Riuh Bhara Mania Beri Dukungan Bhayangkara FC Hadapi Perseru - Tribunnews.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20170425032758/http://video.tribunnews.com/view/23848/riuh-bhara-mania-beri-dukungan-bhayangkara-fc-hadapi-perseru. 25 April 2017. live.
  13. Web site: Masih Pro dan Kontra Ini Klarifikasi Soal Dukungan Pasoepati Untuk Bhayangkara. BolaSport.com. 7 June 2021.
  14. Web site: Bhayangkara FC Dapat Sponsor Rp10 Miliar - Goal.com. 8 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170410074622/http://www.goal.com/id-ID/news/1387/nasional/2017/04/08/34411532/bhayangkara-fc-dapat-sponsor-rp10-miliar. 10 April 2017. dead.
  15. Web site: Squad Bhayangkara Liga 1. ligaindonesiabaru.com. 18 August 2021.