PSS Sleman Cut Holiday Short to Fix Early Super League Woes

PSS Sleman chose to move quickly during the competition break. Instead of giving players a long rest, the team management immediately held a training session just two days after their last defeat to Dewa United on 20 September 2026. The decision was made after Super Elja suffered three straight losses at the start of the 2026/2027 BRI Super League, a start that contrasted with the expectations for the club nicknamed Laskar Sembada.

The poor run of results left PSS at the bottom of the provisional standings, specifically 15th place with no points at all. From three matches, Cleberson and his teammates have scored only three goals and conceded seven. The first defeat came against Bali United with a 1-2 score, followed by a 1-3 loss to Madura United, and closed with a 1-2 defeat at home to Dewa United. A fragile back line and blunt finishing were the main focus of the team's internal evaluation.

Coach Pieter Huistra said his players were not mentally affected by the results. According to him, the squad instead showed eagerness to get back to work immediately. "Most other teams got a week off, but we only took two days. We started training again on Wednesday," said the Dutch coach in an official statement on Saturday (26/9/2026). The statement underlined that the management wants to use every available day to fix the team's foundations.

The three-week FIFA Matchday break is a hidden blessing for PSS. Huistra plans to make the most of this period to improve player fitness while strengthening tactical understanding, especially for those who had a short preseason. "We have three weeks to make sure the new players are more familiar with the way we want to play," he added. This approach aligns with the team's need to still find chemistry between the lines early in the season.

Despite the slump, Huistra refused to call his team's overall performance poor. He argued that the three opponents PSS faced were strong teams with the potential to compete at the top. Two of the three matches were also played away. "Our confidence remains high. We know the quality of this team. In terms of play, we did not perform as badly as the results suggest," he stressed. The argument implies that the evaluation is focused more on non-technical aspects, such as mentality and tactical adaptation, rather than the individual quality of the players.

"We still have a lot of confidence to keep growing throughout the competition and this season. We believe we can perform well with this team." — Pieter Huistra, PSS Sleman Coach

For the Indonesian football public, PSS Sleman's situation reflects how tight the competition is in the BRI Super League this season. Clubs that cannot adapt quickly to the competition's rhythm risk getting stuck in the lower zone from the early weeks. PSS is not just any team; they have a large supporter base and a long history on the national stage. However, the pressure to bounce back is real, especially because the next fixture is already waiting.

In the fourth week, Super Elja will host PSM Makassar at Maguwoharjo Stadium, Sleman, on 11 October 2026. The match is both a test and an opportunity to break the negative trend. A win would lift the players' morale and give Huistra breathing room to continue his project. Conversely, a poor result could trigger greater pressure from management and supporters. The question is whether the short preparation PSS chose will bear fruit, or instead extend the list of defeats.