Indonesian media reacts unexpectedly to the new World Cup-level head coach

John Herdman is expected to be appointed as the new head coach of Indonesia's national team, yet the response from the audience and press is less favorable than PSSI had predicted.

Indonesian football is buzzing with news that John Herdman is likely to be officially announced soon as the head coach for both the senior and U23 Indonesian teams. Contract details have even been revealed, indicating the former Canadian coach will sign a two-year deal with an option to extend until 2029.

However, contrary to the expectations of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), the reaction from fans and media is mixed. While some supporters feel proud and excited, a portion of the public remains concerned and skeptical.

Recently, Bola Sports published an article titled: “Historically, Indonesia’s national team has often been unlucky under foreign coaches”. The article was released amid a surge of news about Herdman across Indonesian media.

“For many years, Indonesia’s national team has frequently ‘taken a gamble’ by hiring foreign coaches. The hope was that their experience and discipline, inspired by European or Latin American styles, would bring great success to the Indonesian squad. However, results often fell short of expectations. Championship trophies frequently appeared when the team was led by local coaches.”, Bola commented.

“Among the many foreign coaches who have managed Indonesia’s national team, only one, Anatoli Polosin, secured a championship title. The others failed to meet fans’ hopes. In contrast, two local coaches made significant marks by leading Indonesia to gold medals at the SEA Games.”, the reputable Indonesian sports newspaper added.

“This suggests that local coaches better understand the character, mentality, and playing style of Indonesian players. They can build a united team with strong fighting spirit rather than relying solely on theoretical tactics. This model has been proven effective by the success of three coaches at the SEA Games.”, Bola concluded.

Indonesia has long been regarded as a football powerhouse in Southeast Asia, yet its national team rarely wins major titles.

The three rare coaches who led Indonesia to glory are Bertje Matulapelwa (SEA Games gold 1987), Anatoli Polosin (SEA Games gold 1991), and Indra Sjafri (SEA Games gold 2023). Each had a different journey but all brought Indonesia to the top of Southeast Asian football at the SEA Games.

Among them, only Polosin was a foreigner. He came from the Soviet Union and worked with Indonesian football from 1987 to 1991. Now, Herdman appears as the coach with the most impressive record to date.

John Herdman made a significant impact with the Canadian national team between 2018 and 2023. Under his leadership, 'Les Rouges' made history by qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, ending a 36-year absence since their last appearance in 1986.

PSSI hopes Herdman will create a similar miracle in Indonesia. However, so far, Indonesian public opinion remains cautious about the coach’s ability to adapt to the country’s football environment.