Before the Go-Jek Liga 1 2018 starts after Eid Mubarak break, Madura United and Persipura Jayapura is reportedly doing the evaluation to improve their performance. Both clubs sacked their coach and re-assigned their former coach.
Madura United re-assigned Gomes de Olivera as the new coach, replacing Milomir Seslija. Gomes was Madura United coach in Torabika Soccer Championship (TSC) 2016 and Go-Jek Traveloka Liga 1 2017. He was fired in the early season of Go-Jek Liga 1 2018, although it’s only bad results in pre-season.
Gomes then comes back to Madura United this season, because Milomir Seslija failed to do better than Gomes. Madura United in Gomes guidance finishes the TSC 2016 half-season in the first rank, also in Go-Jek Liga 1 2017 half-season. But this season from 13 matches, Madura United still stuck in the seventh position.
Meanwhile, in Persipura, Peter Butler, in fact, did very well to bring Persipura as one of title contender this season, despite massive exodus in the transfer window. But in the last 4 games before Eid Mubarak break, the Mutiara Hitam are winless.
And then Peter Butler sacked, as the replacement, they re-assigned their former coach in 2015, Oswaldo Lessa. The Brazilian started his managerial career as Persipura fitness coach in 2009-2015. After leaving Persipura, he worked as Madura United fitness coach in 2016-2017 then signed by Sriwijaya FC as head coach in Go-Jek Traveloka Liga 1 2017.
Madura United and Persipura are now knocked off the championship ladder, and they hoped the former coach could bring the victory back.