English coach openly explains his reason for accepting the role of leading Indonesia's national team

Coach John Herdman openly discussed his decision to take charge of Indonesia's national squad.

The newly appointed head coach of Indonesia's national team, John Herdman, finally revealed why he accepted the invitation from the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) to lead the national team. He highlighted the local players' talent and the potential of naturalized players.

This was conveyed by John Herdman in an interview with Canadian Press. The Canadian news agency published the report on the same day Herdman was announced as the new head coach of Indonesia's national team, Saturday (January 3, 2026).

The English tactician explained his reasons for accepting this position. Previously, he was unemployed after resigning as head coach of Toronto FC in November 2025. According to Herdman, he had been searching for a suitable job for over a year. The main reason he accepted the challenge of leading the Garuda team was the passion of the fans and supporters.

"The key is finding the right project, one that ignites the passion and enthusiasm of the supporters and fans," Herdman told Canadian Press, as quoted by the Toronto Star, Saturday (1/3/2026).

Herdman mentioned another reason that motivated him to take the job was the commitment from PSSI, an organization seeking someone with a track record of leading teams to the World Cup. According to the 50-year-old coach, Indonesia is not very different from Canada. He explained that Indonesia has a wealth of local talent that can be combined with naturalized players.

"What I see there is talent. It feels very similar to Canada. It’s a large country with a lot of local player potential, but also the ability to recruit dual-nationality players, which they have already begun doing," Herdman said.

The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) officially announced the appointment of John Herdman as the new head coach of Indonesia's national team on Saturday (January 3, 2026). The association described Herdman's appointment as "marking the beginning of a new era for national football."