JAKARTA - John Herdman immediately drafted a work plan related to his new duties as coach of the Indonesian National Team. He opened wide opportunities to recruit new naturalized players.
The 50-year-old coach said he would monitor the diaspora players to see the performance of his students. Taking advantage of the opportunity to visit Europe, he will also look for other talents.
"At the end of January or early February (2026), I will go to Europe to see their training environment (diaspora players), listen to them directly, and look for other players who may be ready to join," Herdman said during an introduction session with PSSI quoted Thursday, January 14, 2026.
The search for new players will not only be carried out by Herdman, but also by people at PSSI for the purpose of raising the level of the Indonesian National Team.
"So, I will spend my time with the others at PSSI to work hard to find the best players and convince them to be part of this journey, which will be one of the biggest stories in world football," said Herdman.
John Herdman, who has a long track record of participating in the World Cup, both for the women's and men's teams, is even optimistic about the competitiveness of the Indonesian National Team in the continental event.
"For the AFC (Asian Cup 2027), we can be competitive with the talent we have. We have the opportunity to shake up our level. We have to be ready because this team is very talented," said Herdman.
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