Elkan Baggot Rumored To Be Absent From Defending The U-23 Indonesian National Team Due To Injury, This Is The Explanation Of The Head Of BTN

Head of the National Team Agency (BTN), Sumardji. (Photo: Ulfa Gusti Utami/VOI)

Chairman of the National Team Agency (BTN), Sumardji confirmed that Elkan Baggott was still projected to defend the U-23 Indonesian national team in the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup Qualification event.

"Until this moment, until today I checked (Elkan Baggott's information), there was no news and there was no confirmation (resigning due to injury). Everything is still running smoothly," said Sumardji when met at Senayan, Thursday, August 31 evening.

This was said by Sumardji as a confirmation regarding the news circulating about Elkan Baggott's condition. The Ipswich Town player reportedly suffered an injury while defending his team in the 2023/2024 Premier League Cup.

Whereas before that, Elkan Baggott had been announced to be one of the names of the players called the national team coach, Shin Tae-yong.

The event will take place on September 6-12 2023 at Manahan Stadium, Solo. For the preparation of this event, Indonesia U-23 will conduct a training camp starting September 4.

After confirming the news of Elkan Baggott, on the same occasion Sumardji also gave news about the Senior National Team. He said all players who were called up for the FIFA Matchday agenda could attend Surabaya.

"For the Senior National Team, we will gather on the 4th in Surabaya. On the first day, Coach Shin Tae-yong will lead his first training," said Sumardji explaining.

"Continue, later coach Shin will go to Solo on the 5th, then on the 7th night will return to Surabaya, because the 8th match (FIFA Matchday) is in Surabaya," he explained.

At the beginning of September, Shin Tae-yong's schedule was fairly tight, and even almost clashed. As the head of coach, he oversees two national team groups at once, namely the U-23 national team and the senior national team.

The two teams that are his responsibility will even appear in the near future. The U-23 national team will start a training camp (TC) in Solo on September 4. This was done in preparation for the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup Qualification which will be held at Manahan Stadium from 6 to 12 September 2023.

Meanwhile, the senior Indonesian national team will also hold a TC in Surabaya on September 4, 2023 to prepare for the match against Turkmenistan on FIFA matchday. The match is scheduled to take place at Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium, Surabaya on September 8, 2023.