January 13, 2026 | 05:59 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - John Herdman, the newly appointed head coach of the Indonesian national football team, has refrained from disclosing strategies for the AFF Cup or specific targets for the 2027 Asian Cup. His priority is ensuring players, including new diaspora talent, experience tournament atmospheres and formats. This exposure remains crucial for building team experience and discipline.
"For some of the new diaspora players, the naturalized players, they will need to experience a tournament format," Herdman said after his introduction at Hotel Mulia, Jakarta, on Tuesday, January 13, 2025.
Herdman views the AFF Cup and the Asian Cup as opportunities to elevate Indonesian football and make history. He acknowledges the difficulty of securing top players for the 2026 AFF Cup because the tournament falls outside the FIFA calendar.
"So this is why it's important to have a wider pool of players," he said. PSSI recruited the 50-year-old coach to manage both the senior and U-23 national teams. For Herdman, these two tournaments present an intriguing challenge and a genuine evaluation for his squad.
PSSI recruited the 50-year-old coach to manage both the senior and U-23 national teams. For Herdman, these two tournaments present an intriguing challenge and a real evaluation for his squad.
The AFF Cup and Asian Cup will provide new experiences for diaspora players who have never participated in these events. Herdman remains optimistic that Indonesia can compete, particularly at the Asian level.
"I genuinely believe, particularly in the AFC tournament, we can be competitive, and with the talent pool that we have with the experience we'll put around the team of tournament formats, we have a good opportunity to uh to push our levels and create some history with our achievements," said the former Canada coach.
According to Herdman, the key lies in readiness and identifying the squad's true potential. Strong leadership and major tournament experience will drive player development.
The 2026 AFF Cup is scheduled for July 24 to August 26. Meanwhile, the 2027 Asian Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia from January 15 to February 8, 2027.
Herdman reiterated that club commitments make it impossible to bring every first-tier player to the AFF Cup. "They have their club commitments. It's outside of a FIFA window," Herdman said.
He views the AFF Cup as an ideal event to measure squad depth. Following that, Herdman will prepare players for the FIFA Series in March 2026 and offer more opportunities to youth. "But on a much larger scale," he added.
Herdman compares this experience to his time in the CONCACAF region. He often relied on local players and a wider pool due to limited access to stars. "We never had access to Alfonso Davis or Jonathan David for those tournaments. You had to use local players and use your wider pool. And you learned you get to see players in that situation," he said.
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