Technical Dismantling Of The Replacement Of Indonesian National Team Coaches

JAKARTA "Quality without results is pointless, but results without quality are boring (quality without results is useless, but results without quality are boring)."

That's the advice the Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff has ever made.

The Dutchman of Dutch football is known as the bearer of the philosophy of beautiful football. Not only winning, but also playing well. For him football must entertain the audience.

In contrast to Cruyff, in Italy the quality of the game is not very important. There, the most important thing is the final result.

The principle that is in line with the philosopher's thoughts from Florence, Niccolo Machiavelli, namely "the end justify the means (the final result is everything)".

Winning no matter how. If you want to survive for a total of 90 minutes, you will be played. That's the principle of Italy.

Although the philosophy is different, there is a common thread between the philosophy of beautiful Cruyff football and Italian pragmatism. The common thread is consistency in tactics.

Perhaps this kind of critical point should be addressed to Shin Tae-yong when he coached the Garuda Squad.

Indonesian football observer, Arman Saputra, said that for more than four years dealing with the Indonesian national team, the South Korean coach did not have a composition of tactics and playing philosophy that was consistent and clear. The Indonesian national team has no strong character in playing.

"It's unclear whether you want to play beautifully or focus on the final result. This is what causes the inconsistency of the results."

"The inconsistency of the results is in line with the inconsistency of the line-up," he said.

The argument could refer to the 2026 World Cup Qualification match against China. At that time, Shin Tae-yong experimented with holding Thom Haye and even decided to move the captain's armband from Jay Idzes to Asnawi Mangkualam.

Then in the 2024 AFF Cup, Shin Tae-yong also seemed to be experimenting with lowering Pratama Arhan and Asnawi on both sides.

However, Arhan, who is usually on the left, was placed on the right and on the other hand, Asnawi was on the left.

Arman explained that besides that Shin Tae-yong was also not very adaptive in formulating tactics even though he often dismantled players.

This can be seen in the formation of the three defenders who continue to be used. In fact, the majority of Indonesian national team players who play in Europe often play with a composition of four defenders on par.

"Curilitatively we can digest carefully that the Indonesian national team's game is far from optimal."

"The Indonesian national team plays defensively more often and relies more on sporadic attacks."

"When fighting Japan and Australia, the weakness of the Indonesian national team's playing system looks so visible. So, for 90 minutes the national team can only survive and not threaten much," he said.

Arman said that Shin Tae-yong could not deny having recorded a positive episode with the Indonesian national team.

However, in terms of actual play, Shin Tae-yong has not provided a strong foundation. The achievements of the Garuda Squad are still just inconsistent explosions. Therefore, changing coaches can be an alternative.

"If you want to go up to a higher level, the Indonesian national team needs a coach who understands tactics more deeply. A coach who has a philosophy and consistency in playing."

"This is done so that the achievements of the Indonesian national team are built with a clear tactical foundation. Thus, the achievements of the Garuda Squad are not just a temporary eruption, but have clear sustainability," he said.

Arman further said that if it was analogized as a business organization, Shin Tae-yong was considered to be running the Indonesian national team at the start-up level. Start-up levels that allow various innovations and experiments.

"However, when the organization has grown and become a mature, then what more mechanistic system is needed is no longer organic."

"When the company becomes big, then it is no longer the time to experiment to explore opportunities, but the system is clear to exploit results," he said.

He continued that the same analogy applies also in football. The small teams focused on experimenting with tactics and formation is a natural thing.

On the other hand, the established teams already have clear formations and tactics. No longer trying it every week.

Arman assessed that currently the Indonesian national team has explored a higher level so that consistency in the foundation of the game system is vital.

He admitted that the appointment of Patrick Kluivert did not guarantee the answer to the issue of the Indonesian national team after Shin Tae-yong's death.

"However, Kluivert's experience as an assistant coach who has a strong philosophy like Louis van Gaal is a valuable provision. You see, now what the Indonesian national team needs is stability, tactics, composition, and philosophical clarity," he said.

It is like a strategy theory that good results will always start from input and a good process so that input, process, plus output is a unified strategic system that is complete and consistent.

"This is homework during the Shin Tae-yong era where the Indonesian national team did not have a clear and consistent strategic system."

"However, Shin needs to admit that he has put a good positive impression, his commitment to the Indonesian national team must also be recognized."

"Cited from the words of Hollywood actor, Denzel Washington, that what is needed to achieve results is not just commitment, but consistency, without commitment you never start but without consistency you'll never finish," he concluded.

Meanwhile, PSSI has officially appointed Patrick Kluivert as Shin Tae-yong's replacement for the Indonesian national team.

The announcement of the agreement with Kluivert was shared on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, through an official upload on the PSSI website.

The 48-year-old coach will be introduced to the public on January 12, 2025, a day after he arrives in Indonesia.