The youngest Indonesian team in history
The preliminary list of the Indonesian team for the AFF Cup 2024 is creating controversy. Because if excluding the two names Asnawi Mangkualam and Arhan Pratama, the force that Mr. Shin Tae-yong brings to the Southeast Asian playground is the Indonesian U.21 team.
Most of the players are only 20 or 21 years old (born in 2003 and 2004), with an age base younger than the U.23 Indonesia team that participated in the previous SEA Games 32 or 31.
Indonesia team sends U.21 team to play AFF Cup
Achmad Maulana (2003), Kadek Arel Priyatna (2005), Alfan Suaib (2004), Ronaldo Kwateh (2004) or Rivaldo Eneiro (2003)... are all on the list for the AFF Cup 2024. The most promising young talent on this list is Marcelino Ferdinan, who is only 20 years old this year.
Even Indonesia’s naturalized trio in this tournament are all very young. Justin Hubner and Rafael Struick are only 21 years old, while Ivar Jenner is 20. These three names are very familiar to Vietnamese football, having faced the Vietnamese team in the 2023 Asian Cup and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
"I will join the Indonesian team in the AFF Cup with the U.21 squad. With this force, Indonesia will find it difficult to ensure competitiveness compared to other teams," Mr. Shin Tae-yong shared in early November.
There are many reasons why Indonesia cannot summon a strong force like in the third qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.
Firstly, the AFF Cup is not part of the FIFA competition system. Therefore, foreign clubs are not obliged to release players for this tournament. In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Indonesia's key players are English and Dutch stars who are currently playing in the US and Europe. Negotiating for these players to participate in the AFF Cup is a difficult problem.
Star Thom Haye (number 19) unlikely to attend AFF Cup
Second, the Indonesian national championship is still taking place, with extremely high frequency in December. This means that clubs have the right to refuse to release players to the national team. This is the reality that Thailand and Malaysia have been facing. If the conflict of interests between clubs and national teams cannot be resolved, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) will find it difficult to summon talent.
Finally, coach Shin Tae-yong wants to take advantage of the AFF Cup to hone young players. When he first took over as Indonesia's coach (January 2020), coach Shin had eliminated many veterans to give opportunities to young players. In the 2022 World Cup qualifiers or the 2020 AFF Cup, Indonesia played with a young squad. It was not until the 2022 AFF Cup, when the pressure to perform increased, that Mr. Shin used veterans more.
The influx of many naturalized stars has made coach Shin Tae-yong even more determined to give young players a chance at the 2024 AFF Cup. Because Indonesia cannot live solely on "borrowed" resources. Football in this country still needs young talent and the AFF Cup is a golden opportunity for Ronaldo Kwateh or Rivaldo Eneiro to step into the light.
Pressure on coach Shin Tae-yong's shoulders
Coach Shin Tae-yong affirmed that he wants Indonesia to think further about the Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers, instead of narrowing their vision to the AFF Cup.
The 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers has cooled down the heat on Mr. Shin's chair. The Indonesian team is currently in third place, with a chance to enter the next qualifying round.
Coach Shin Tae-yong under pressure
This achievement gives Mr. Shin more reason not to put too much emphasis on the AFF Cup 2024. However, Indonesian media believes that the national team still needs to fight seriously for the title.
"The Indonesian team has finished second in the AFF Cup six times. We have never won the championship, that is a curse. When Mr. Shin first arrived, Indonesia reached the final of the AFF Cup 2020, but then only went to the semi-finals of the AFF Cup 2022. The AFF Cup is still a playground for Indonesia to affirm its class. Moreover, coach Shin Tae-yong has not brought any titles to Indonesia after nearly 5 years of working. It is true that Indonesia is playing well in the World Cup qualifiers, but needs to win the AFF Cup to complete it," the Indonesian press commented.
Mr. Shin also understood the pressure when he admitted: "The Indonesian team needs to reach the final. Then, the chance of winning the championship will be clearer."
There is no sign that the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has agreed to let coach Shin Tae-yong "let go" of the AFF Cup. With a young force, it will not be easy for Mr. Shin and his students to surpass Thailand or Vietnam.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cu-doi-u21-da-aff-cup-indonesia-co-an-y-gi-185241125173712392.htm
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