Who are PSM Makassar

Home United may have already crashed out of this year's Asian Champions League but on the 27th of February they get another chance of continental glory in the AFC cup. For the second time this season Home will host a team from the Indonesian Liga 1 when they welcome PSM Makassar to the Jalan Besar Stadium.

PSM are the oldest and one of the most successful teams in Indonesia. The only Liga 1 team with their base on the island of Sulawesi helps them attract impressive average crowds of 14,000 fans and they are likely to bring a large and vocal group with them to the Jalan Besar Stadium. However, despite being well known in Indonesia the team's lack of continental competition for the last 13 years means that they are less well known around the wider region. The Red Fish fans will be hoping to address this by going on a run in this year's AFC Cup. PSM's preparations for this season have already been hit hard by the shock resignation of former manager Robert Alberts who had recently committed himself long term to the club. Alberts previously managed Home United and guided them to the league title in 1999 and was no doubt looking forward to returning to the Lion City.

PSM secured their place in this year's AFC cup by finishing second in Indonesia's top league last year, only 1 point behind Home's Champions League vanquishers Persija Jakarta. The team netted 57 times over the season with much of their play coming through their two Dutch midfielders, Marc Klock and club captain Wiljan Pluim. Klock, who has had spells in England and Scotland, plays just in front of the defence and holds the dubious honour of the worst disciplinary record in Indonesia's top flight having picked up 12 yellow cards last season. Pluim is the more attacking of the pair and has found the net 21 times in his 76 league appearances for the club.

However, without doubt the biggest threat to Home United is likely to be the 1.97m Finnish International Eero Markkanen. The 27 year old former Real Madrid player certainly raised a few eyebrows when it was announced in January that he would be leaving Europe and moving to South Sulawesi. The striker's power and strength is obvious for all to see but Home should not underestimate his pace and dribbling, he is more than just a target man. Eero has already been on target for the Red Fish in the Indonesian Cup and the PSM fans clearly have high hopes for their new striker who looks set to stamp his mark on Asian continental competition this season.

Home United will be looking to get their AFC cup campaign off to a good start against PSM but should be wary of the threat that the Red Fish pose. I'd love to know more about PSM so please leave comments here or on my Twitter page.

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