Indra Sjafri Allows Shin Tae-yong To Take Players For The Indonesian National Team In The 2024 U-23 Asian Cup

Indra Sjafri supports Shin Tae-yong's decision (doc. PSSI).

JAKARTA - Indra Sjafri as the coach of the U-20 Indonesian national team admitted that he was happy to release his players for the needs of Shin Tae-yong's troops to compete in the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup.

Several names, according to Indra, deserve to defend Indonesia U-23. One of them is Kadek Arel Priyatna who performed well during the training camp and two Indonesian U-20 test matches.

Kadek is not a new name for the U-23 Indonesian squad. Previously he had four caps with Shin Tae-yong's team.

"If the question is that there are players who are called up in (Indonesia) U-23, yes, I will be happy. I am the coach of Indonesia U-20, if there are players called up even to the senior (Indonesian National Team) I will definitely support it," said Indra Sjafri.

The availability of Indra Sjafri to release his players to a higher level of the national team because he understands very well the goal of coaching young players is to strengthen the senior national team.

"That's why, between senior coaches, U-23, U-20, U-17, we are all in line. There is no problem. Indeed, the goal of coaching is for the senior team," said the coach.

"If he (a player) is 16 years old, according to senior coach, he has capacity and needs to be called (to the national team), yes, we will let him go. There is no problem there," he said.

Currently, the U-20 Indonesian national team is undergoing a training camp (TC) agenda for final preparations for the 2025 U-20 World Cup in Chile, 2024 AFF U-19 Cup, and 2025 U-20 Asian Cup Qualification. On the TC agenda, Garuda Muda has also undergone two test matches.

The two matches have not yielded sweet results. Indonesia U-20 lost against Thailand U-20 (1-2) on January 26, 2024 and lost to Uzbekistan U-20 (2-3) on January 30, 2024.

Even though he lost twice, the score was not the main thing. Indra Sjafri said the trial was indeed focused on seeing the performance of the players.