"The average age of our players is 20 years old. But I endured it well. It's going to be better in the future."
Shin Tae-yong, head coach of the Indonesian national team, said this after losing 0-1 to manager Kim Sang-sik's Vietnam at the AFF Mitsubishi Cup on the 15th of last month. Coach Shin, who pledged to advance to the World Cup finals for the first time in Indonesian soccer history, made the AFF tournament a stage for the growth of young players. He planned to grow his players through the actual experience of the tournament, which is more tense than his immediate performance, to make the squad thicker and prepare for the 2025 SEA game. After Indonesia failed to qualify with one win, one draw and two losses in the group stage, coach Shin also wrote on social media, "Compared to the fact that other national teams have senior teams, our team is so grateful for young players with an average age of only 20.5 years to play as best they can. We were eliminated from the preliminary round, but I believe we will go much higher next year." "Even though I didn't get to the top, I think the players did their best. We will do our best to help our senior national team advance to the World Cup next year."
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| AFP Yonhap News |
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However, immediately after the tournament, the Indonesian Football Association replaced head coach Shin Tae-yong on the 6th using this performance as an excuse. In just 51 hours, he announced the appointment of Dutch coach Patric Clawibert. The Indonesian fandom, which has been enthusiastic about the sudden change of director 'Shinta-yong', was in chaos like a pre-written script. Since taking office in December 2019, coach Shin has made an unusual move to the semifinals by beating South Korea in the second place in the Mitsubishi Cup, advancing to the AFC finals tournament, and advancing to the third round of the FIFA World Cup Asian qualifying round for the first time, beating Saudi Arabia in the group stage and ranking third among the six teams in Group C after Japan and Australia with the first win in history. The dream of going to the 2026 North Korea-China World Cup finals is no longer a dream. Fans are protesting against the association, including chairman Eric Tohir, for abandoning the feat of the past four years.
While Shin did not make an official position, Shin Jae-won, who recently renewed his contract with Seongnam FC, posted a message on SNS containing his father's sincerity toward Indonesian soccer. 'It's a pity that Dad is stepping down as the coach of the Indonesian national team. In the meantime, I could feel how much my dad loved and thought of Indonesia while watching right next to me. I always thought about how I could do better and make Indonesian fans happy' he said. He also listed the first history that Shin has written in Indonesian soccer history since his appointment in 2020, including the first entry into the 20-year-old Asian Cup, the first entry into the round of 23 Asian Cup +16, the first entry into the third qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup (currently ranked third), the first entry into the 2027 Asian Cup Direct, and the 127th since his appointment in the FIFA ranking of 173 before his appointment in 2020. "Other countries also participated in the AFF Cup, and I understand that Indonesia has reached an agreement with the association to have 22-year-old players participate to prepare for the 23-year-old Asian Cup and SEA games later this year. However, unlike the association's saying that they wouldn't care about the results, I don't understand that they will be dismissed for poor performance." As many as 394,000 people clicked 'Like' under Shin Jae-won's post, and Indonesian fans are posting comments that 'Indonesia loves director Shin Tae-yong'Please tell your father that you are sorry'We will miss you'
Coach Shin has worked hard to develop Indonesian soccer over the past four years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Shin expressed his affection for Indonesian soccer by donating $20,000 of 'Covid Donation' to Indonesia despite the dangerous situation, such as using a private plane to return home in an urgent situation where his lungs are filled with water.He took care of young Indonesian players with his unique pleasant leadership, and he also visited the game sites of Indonesian K Leaguers such as Asnawi and Arhan to give encouragement.
According to the Indonesian media Bola, the ostensible reason for the replacement by the Indonesian Football Association is the conflict with Indonesian naturalized players from the Netherlands. It is claimed that he appointed 'Dutchman'Claubert, who can easily lead Dutch players, as Shin's replacement. In a situation where there are many naturalized players from the Netherlands, communication problems such as interpretation are used as the reason for the dismissal, and for Shin, who has been more active and open in naturalizing Dutch players since taking office, this is the result of the conclusion of 'Dok'.
Fans are expressing anger and disappointment at a time when the Indonesian Football Association's unilateral contract was broken for coach Shin, who signed a contract until 2027 last July and was guaranteed a term until 2026 after advancing to the North-China World Cup, and the performance of the tournament in which U-22 players were replaced. Some Indonesian fans are protesting with hashtags such as #STYSTAY (Shin Tae-yong Stay) Clawibbert Out' through SNS.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
