Shin Tae-yong: 'Persija Have Not Hosted Persib in Jakarta for Seven Years, It's Unfair'

On Tuesday afternoon, at a press conference before the second round of the 2026/2027 Super League, Persija Jakarta coach Shin Tae-yong was surprised when the organizers confirmed that his team had not hosted Persib Bandung at home for seven years. The last time Persija hosted their biggest Indonesian derby was at SUGBK in 2026. Since then, every meeting between the two teams has taken place elsewhere, forcing Jakarta fans to keep waiting for a homecoming. The South Korean coach did not hide his confusion. He said directly: "I just learned about this. Seven years is too long. Football must always be fair. If Persija have been forced to play away from home for many years, why can't Persib also be moved when it is their turn to be hosts?" The statement immediately sparked a wave of debate across Southeast Asian football forums, because it touches on a sensitive issue of scheduling and fairness between two traditional giants. The Persija - Persib derby in round two is considered a special event of the season, not only because of the rivalry but also because it carries the meaning of homecoming. The fact that a big club like Persija has not hosted their eternal rival in the capital for seven years is not normal. It affects the emotions of players, the support of fans and the commercial value of the whole match. From a professional perspective, this is not a tactical issue. There is no lineup, no formation, no pressing data or xG to analyze. Shin Tae-yong is not talking about how Persija press or how Persib defend. He is talking about the playing environment. Having to play at a neutral venue or away for a long period can strip away home advantage, affect travel, familiarity with the pitch and pressure from the stands. These are sports science factors, not tactics. I have followed many Asian leagues and seen clearly: a team that goes many years without playing a key match at home has to deal with a lack of familiarity. Physical statistics may look good, but touch, confidence in front of home fans and the ability to handle pressure will be different. When Persija finally return to SUGBK, they will have the chance to enjoy support they have waited seven years for. But on the other hand, it also creates a huge pressure: if they perform poorly, the fairness narrative will become an excuse. From a financial perspective, a Persija - Persib match in Jakarta is always one of the highest commercially valuable match days in Indonesian football. Tickets, advertising, broadcasting rights and surrounding activities all surge. Seven years without a derby in the capital means Persija have lost an important source of revenue from this match. When Shin Tae-yong suggested that Persib should also play elsewhere, he indirectly referred to the unfair distribution of benefits. Persib, if stripped of home advantage in the return leg, would also lose revenue from home fans. But there is one thing few people mention: Shin Tae-yong speaking before the match, rather than after, is a shrewd calculation. When a head coach loudly speaks about injustice, he is not only protecting his team but also creating a story to unite the dressing room. Persija players may feel they are fighting against a system that has treated them unfairly. This can turn into strong motivational energy. Conversely, it can also be a double-edged sword: if Persija lose, fans will ask why they let off-field talk overtake professionalism. A blind spot in the story raised by Shin Tae-yong is the changing context after the pandemic. From 2026 to 2026, many leagues had to play at neutral venues or in restricted conditions, breaking the traditional home-away rule. When the pandemic closed stadiums, I re-read the entire market operation and realized we were wrong all along. No one can fully blame the fixtures when the whole world faced unprecedented disruption. Persija's seven years could be divided into different phases, and combining them all into one story of injustice may be an oversimplified view. I have said many times: the transfer window is just the tip; the hidden cash flow is the real control panel. But in this case, the fixture schedule is also like hidden cash flow. It determines resources, emotions and advantages before teams even step onto the pitch. A derby held in Jakarta or elsewhere can completely change the outcome, even the fate of a season. Looking at the whole system, I see Persija's problem is not simply home or away performance. The problem lies in the fact that a big club like Persija has been placed in a cycle of matches where they cannot optimize their advantages. Shin Tae-yong, a coach who has led the U23 national team and many Asian clubs, knows this very well. He does not need to talk about tactics to question fairness. He is questioning how the league is organized. The question now is not whether Persija or Persib are stronger. Both teams have good player quality, good coaches and strong financial resources. The round two match will be a clash between people influenced by a history stretching back seven years. Persija may be revived by home fans, or they may collapse under the weight of expectation. Persib, as the away team, may choose to defend tightly and wait for the opponent's desperation. At 59 years old, I have learned one thing: every summer has a truth buried under hundreds of headlines. Fixture schedules are one of the least scrutinized things, but they create the biggest unfairness. Seven years without hosting a rival at home is an anomaly that organizers cannot explain with a coherent reason. Shin Tae-yong has every right to speak out, and he chose the right moment to turn it into pressure on the schedulers. It would be more interesting to see the match as a test. Persija return home after seven years, facing Persib with a double advantage: home ground, fans, and the fairness story. How will they perform? If they win, it will prove that returning home truly matters. If they lose, Shin Tae-yong will face harder questions about his team's competence. I have witnessed many big derbies in many countries, and I realize that complaints about fixture schedules often arise when a team is looking for a psychological edge. But for Persija, this story has real groundwork. Seven years is too long to be seen as coincidence. If the organizers truly want to put fairness first, they should listen to Shin Tae-yong and reconsider how matches are allocated among big clubs. From another angle, Persija's coach speaking out shows he is managing his team in a very modern way. He does not only work on the training ground, but also builds a story to motivate his players. When players feel they are being treated unfairly, they will fight with uncompromising spirit. That may push Persija beyond their limits in the upcoming derby. Finally, I want to emphasize that football is not just 90 minutes on the pitch. Football is a story of history, rivalry, fairness and quiet injustices. Persija and Persib have created one of the most classic pairings in Southeast Asia, and this round two match will be a new chapter in that story. Shin Tae-yong has opened with a difficult question. Now, let us wait and see whether his players will answer with their performance on the field.