Shin Tae-yong is also normal, Indonesia don't miss him

Shin Tae-yong is remembered by Indonesians at this time.

The 0-1 loss to Iraq on the evening of October 11 in Group B of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia officially ended the dream of Indonesian football. After nearly two years of fighting, the team of the archipelago stopped at the fourth qualifying round, leaving millions of fans with endless sadness.

Kluivert was made a "scapegoat"

But more than the failure on the field, what has made Indonesian public opinion boil is the disappointment towards coach Patrick Kluivert - the man who was once expected to open the "Dutch era" for football in this country.

The domestic media unanimously criticized the former Dutch player. Suara newspaper called Kluivert’s tactics “lack of vitality and completely deadlocked” in breaking through Iraq’s disciplined defense. The article emphasized: “He is loyal to the 4-2-3-1 formation, which has repeatedly proven unsuitable for the Indonesian team in both attack and defense.”

Kluivert’s substitution decisions were also judged as “lifeless and without significant impact”. That stalemate caused Indonesia to end the qualifying campaign with a modest record: eight losses, only three wins, and many heavy defeats against top continental opponents such as Japan (0-6) or Australia (1-5).

Immediately after the defeat, Indonesian social media was in an uproar. More than 33,000 posts with the hashtag #KluivertOut appeared on the morning of October 12 alone. Many even called for the resignation of the President of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), Erick Thohir. The sight of thousands of fans at King Abdullah Stadium chanting the name of Shin Tae-yong – Kluivert’s predecessor – said it all: disappointment, regret and lost faith.

Kluivert is being scapegoated for Indonesia's failure.

Kluivert, the famous former striker who won the 1995 Champions League with Ajax and scored 40 goals for the Netherlands, seemed unable to adapt to the Southeast Asian football environment. Bola newspaper described the moment he sat alone after the match, head down in despair - an image that symbolized the collapse of the "Dutchification" project that PSSI had once called for.

Shin Tae-yong is the lost fish

However, the fact that Indonesian fans are collectively regretting coach Shin Tae-yong reflects the mentality of “the lost fish is the bigger fish” rather than a realistic assessment. Under coach Shin, the Indonesian team achieved a number of historic milestones - such as reaching the semi-finals of the 2024 AFC U23 Championship, passing the group stage of the 2023 Asian Cup, or creating a launching pad for the archipelago team to enter the third qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup. But overall, it was President Thohir who brought in a group of naturalized players.

In fact, in the direct confrontations with the Vietnamese team of Coach Park Hang-seo, Coach Shin has not won once when leading domestic players. In the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Indonesia lost 1-3 and then 0-4 to Vietnam. At the 2024 AFF Cup, domestic players of Indonesia were eliminated from the group stage when losing to Vietnam and the Philippines. Those failures show that the ability of the Korean coach is also limited, when possessing a force not superior to the opponent.

Even in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, when he was still in charge, Shin Tae-yong also experienced a bitter defeat against Iraq - the team that Kluivert had just lost to. In the two matches against each other, coach Shin's Indonesia lost by a bigger margin, including a 0-2 loss at home. In addition, in a match at a neutral venue at the 2024 Asian Cup, Indonesia also lost 1-3 to Iraq. His only notable victory was against Saudi Arabia, but that was during a period when the West Asian team was in internal turmoil.

Shin is not the only one who can turn Indonesian football into gold.

In other words, Shin Tae-yong is a suitable strategist, but not a “miracle” for Indonesian football. Coach Shin was recently fired by Ulsan in the Korean league, proving that this coach is not a magician, not a Midas touch for Indonesian football.

Don't carve a plow in the middle of the road, don't have false illusions.

Indonesian football currently has a squad of naturalized players with high quality and outstanding physical strength. However, without a coach who knows how to exploit their abilities and unite them into a team with identity, all potential will remain just potential. Changing the coach midway, especially in a long campaign like the World Cup qualifiers, is no different than cutting off one's own development path.

The failure in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers is a wake-up call for PSSI and Indonesian football as a whole. The first lesson is: don’t give up halfway. To reach the continental level, Indonesia needs to stick to a long-term philosophy from building its squad to defining its identity. And the second lesson is to find the right coach – not the most “famous” person in the media.

Patrick Kluivert, despite being one of the best strikers in Europe, has almost no experience in coaching at the national team level. The difference between a football star and a strategic coach is too big. What he showed in Indonesia only proves that past glory cannot replace a deep understanding of regional football.

The failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup was painful, but if viewed correctly, it could have been a turning point. When the shouts of “Shin Tae-yong” rang out in the Riyadh night, it was not just a cry of regret for a man who had passed away, but also a reminder to PSSI: football does not need flashy names, it needs the right people.

Shin is certainly more suitable than Kluivert, but he is not the best. Success is easier to find when the team is led by coaches who are both good at coaching and knowledgeable about Asian culture and football - those who know how to balance European discipline with Eastern spirit. Guus Hiddink, who took South Korea to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup, or Dick Advocaat, an experienced coach who has led many Asian and European teams, are typical examples of the type of coach Indonesia should aim for.

Source: https://znews.vn/shin-tae-yong-cung-thuong-thoi-indonesia-dung-tiec-nho-post1593272.html