Bring Young Players In The 2024 AFF Cup, Shin Tae-yong Banks Worried

Shin Tae-yong is not worried about bringing young players to the 2024 AFF Cup (VOI/Ferry Tri Adi Sasono).

JAKARTA - The Indonesian national team coach, Shin Tae-yong, has prepared a squad to appear in the 2024 AFF Cup, dominated by young players.

Although aware that he would fight a team dominated by senior players, the coach admitted that his team's situation did not worry at all.

The Indonesian national team will undergo an agenda in the 2024 AFF Cup from December 8, 2024 to January 5, 2025. Looking at this tournament, Shin Tae-yong has called 33 players to undergo a training camp (TC) in Bali starting November 27, 2024.

Of the total players who were called to fill the Indonesian national team squad, the majority were indeed U-22 players. However, he is not worried about the quality of his team which will fight the big teams of Southeast Asia.

The feeling of calm and confidence shown by Shin Tae-yong is not without reason. He said that the players he chose this time were those who had potential.

In addition, Shin also mentioned the long-term plan in which the players are indeed prepared for a big agenda in the future.

"As discussed with Mr. Erick (Thohir), the AFF Cup is a fairly large tournament and the players here are prepared for the SEA Games (2025)," Shin Tae-yong said in his official statement quoted Friday, November 29, 2024.

"These young players (who were chosen to appear in the 2024 AFF Cup) are those who have the potential to be developed."

"They can continue to be formed to help the future of Indonesian football," continued the coach in response to concerns about the age of the player.

Apart from believing in the potential of the player of choice, on the other hand Shin Tae-yong did not want to fight with his bare hands. As an effort to maximize the players' abilities, he has scheduled a match test in the TC schedule.

Before going directly to the 2024 AFF Cup, the Indonesian national team will first face Bali United in a trial on December 3, 2024.

This is clearly a way for the coach to see carefully how the performance and potential of players who will enter the first team in the 2024 AFF Cup.

"Here (Bali) we will stay until December 4, 2024, but on December 3, 2024 we will (match) against Bali United. After that the team will return to Jakarta and depart (to Myanmar) on December 5, 2024," he said.