Persib Bandung coach Bojan Hodak has candidly admitted that Teja Paku Alam is currently an irreplaceable figure in goal, a situation that necessitates Welsh foreign goalkeeper Adam Przybek to bide his time.
This season, Persib brought in Welsh goalkeeper Adam Przybek, hoping he would fill the void left by Kevin Mendoza, who chose to part ways with the team. However, despite the Super League 2025/2026 now being in its 12th week, Adam Przybek is yet to make an appearance in the league competition.
Przybek did, in fact, make his debut for Persib during the Piala Presiden 2025 pre-season tournament. Nonetheless, his Super League debut for Persib remains elusive to this day. This extended absence is primarily due to an ankle injury Adam sustained at the beginning of the season. Consequently, the player initially slated to become the primary goalkeeper has been sidelined.
This unfortunate turn of events prompted Bojan Hodak to instate Teja Paku Alam as the first-choice goalkeeper. Teja Paku Alam has since repaid that trust with stellar performances, maintaining remarkable consistency throughout the season. Indeed, Teja Paku Alam has become indispensable, featuring prominently in both the Super League and the AFC Champions League Two 2025/2026 without fail.
Bojan Hodak has openly addressed the situation, speaking frankly about Teja Paku Alam’s enduring presence as the undisputed number one. He also elaborated on how the Welsh goalkeeper, Adam Przybek, has been sidelined and is yet to feature in the Super League. “Adam (Przybek) played well during pre-season; he performed his duties admirably in the pre-season test matches,” Bojan Hodak stated, as quoted by BolaSport.com from the official I.League website on Monday, November 10, 2025. “But it was unlucky for him because he suffered an injury, and Teja (Paku Alam) had to step in,” he added.
The Croatian coach admitted honestly that it is indeed challenging for him to replace Teja with either Adam or Fitrah Maulana at this juncture. This is primarily because Teja Paku Alam’s current performance statistics are undeniably impressive. Previously, Persib maintained a clean sheet in four consecutive matches, though this impressive run eventually ended in the fifth game.
According to Hodak, Teja is currently in the form of his life, and he is reluctant to disrupt this exceptional momentum. The former PSM Makassar coach believes that when a player is in their prime, only an injury or a costly blunder could warrant a goalkeeper being rested or benched. “Teja seized the opportunity; this might be the best phase of his career,” Bojan Hodak remarked. “Goalkeeper competition within a team naturally plays out this way.” “When Teja earns two Man of the Match awards, I certainly cannot replace him, and Adam understands that,” he clarified.
Bojan Hodak’s praise, however, isn’t limited to just these two goalkeepers; he believes Persib possesses another equally talented player. The Maung Bandung squad also includes young goalkeeper Fitrah Maulana, who serves as the third-choice custodian. The former Kuala Lumpur City coach stated that Fitrah is a good player who continues to develop impressively. Therefore, he remains unconcerned about the goalkeeping position, as Persib’s players have consistently showcased their best performances. “Ideally, every team should have two good goalkeepers; we are fortunate enough to have three, as Fitrah (Maulana) has developed significantly,” Bojan revealed. “In training sessions, whoever is chosen performs admirably. Fitrah is also starting to push both of them,” he concluded.
Summary
Persib Bandung coach Bojan Hodak menyatakan bahwa Teja Paku Alam saat ini tidak tergantikan di posisi kiper, membuat kiper asing asal Wales, Adam Przybek, harus bersabar. Przybek, yang didatangkan untuk menggantikan Kevin Mendoza, belum tampil di Super League karena cedera pergelangan kaki yang dialaminya di awal musim, meskipun sempat melakukan debut di pramusim. Akibatnya, Teja Paku Alam mengambil alih posisi utama dan menunjukkan performa konsisten serta gemilang, menjadikannya sosok yang tak terpisahkan dari tim.
Hodak menjelaskan bahwa Teja sedang berada dalam “fase terbaik dalam kariernya,” yang menyulitkan untuk menggantikannya, terutama dengan statistik mengesankan dan dua penghargaan Man of the Match. Ia menegaskan bahwa hanya cedera atau kesalahan fatal yang akan membuat Teja diistirahatkan, dan Przybek memahami hal ini. Hodak juga memuji kiper ketiga, Fitrah Maulana, menyoroti bahwa Persib memiliki kedalaman penjaga gawang yang kuat dengan tiga pemain yang mumpuni.
