Football club Persija Jakarta has officially appointed Shin Tae-yong (STY) as its new head coach starting next season in the 2026/2027 Super League, with a three-year contract.
STY, who replaces Mauricio Souza as head coach, is no stranger to Indonesia, having previously coached the Indonesian national team for five years, from 2020 to 2025. Persija Jakarta Club President Mohamad Prapanca revealed that the recruitment process began as the BRI Super League season entered its final 10 weeks.
At that time, Persija, still on track to win the title, was on a three-match winless run, consisting of two draws against Borneo FC (2-2) and Dewa United (1-1), and a loss to Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC (2-3).
These three winless matches ultimately resulted in Persija Jakarta finishing in third place with 71 points, eight points behind champions Persib Bandung and runners-up Borneo FC.
“Our coach at the time, Coach Mauricio, had given his best, but we had higher targets,” said Prapanca at a press conference introducing STY at the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), North Jakarta, on Monday, the 8th of June.
After his contract with the Indonesian national team was terminated by the Indonesian Football Association in early January last year, STY served as Vice President of the South Korea Football Association for 11 months. He then served as Director of Football at Seongnam FC for four months before taking charge of Ulsan HD for two months, where he recorded two wins, four draws, and four losses in 10 matches.
“Hopefully, this choice will be a turning point for Persija’s future,” said Prapanca.
Prapanca hopes that all club stakeholders, including the club’s fans and supporters collectively known as Jakmania, will provide their full support so that Persija can compete at the highest level next season.
“We are confident that all club elements, including Jakmania, can unite and provide full support for the team’s efforts next season. Persija and Shin Tae-yong will work hard to build a solid, resilient team capable of ending the season with pride,” he continued.
Additionally, STY emphasised that his main target is to lead Persija to the highest possible achievements while delivering performances that make the supporters proud.
“My target is to achieve the best performance. I will try my best so that Persija supporters can see the best game. With the togetherness that exists among the players, I hope we can bring Persija to the best position,” he said.