Dutch-origin naturalized player 'undermines' Coach Shin Tae Yong

An Indonesian naturalized player is reportedly demanding that the country's football federation dismiss Coach Shin Tae Yong.

Recently, in a conversation with the Detiknews outlet, Indonesian Parliament member Andre Rosiade shared surprising information regarding Coach Shin Tae Yong's dismissal by the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) earlier this year.

According to Andre Rosiade, a Dutch-origin naturalized player exerted strong influence on the PSSI leadership, which led to the termination of Coach Shin Tae Yong's contract and the selection of Patrick Kluivert as his replacement.

Specifically, he stated: "This player told Team Leader Sumardji, 'Either Shin Tae-yong leaves or I do.' You can verify this with Mr. Sumardji or the national team doctor. So far, PSSI has rarely denied this."

Andre Rosiade revealed that the conflict between this player and the Korean coach began after Indonesia's 1-2 loss to China in the fourth match of Group C during the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in October 2024. At that time, Coach Shin tested a new tactic, but it failed to deliver the expected results.

Tensions escalated further when the Indonesian national team failed to advance past the group stage of the 2024 AFF Cup, after which Coach Shin Tae Yong was officially dismissed in early 2025.

PSSI then appointed Coach Patrick Kluivert with the goal of progressing through the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and securing a spot in the world's biggest football tournament next summer.

However, the Dutch coach disappointed by losing 1-5 to Australia in his debut match, though he managed to lead the Indonesian team into the fourth round thanks to two wins against Bahrain and China.

At this stage, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) aggressively strengthened the squad by recalling numerous Dutch-origin naturalized players, aiming to send the national team to the World Cup finals for the first time. Nevertheless, this dream was quickly shattered as Indonesia suffered consecutive defeats against Saudi Arabia and Iraq, officially ending their journey in the fourth round. This prompted PSSI to take decisive action by dismissing Kluivert along with the Dutch coaching staff.

Meanwhile, Andre Rosiade openly supports Coach Shin Tae Yong's return to lead the Indonesian national team. He believes the Korean strategist is deeply familiar with Indonesian football, including player characteristics, playing culture, and the federation's operational mechanisms, so he would require little time to readjust if he returns.

Currently, Coach Shin is free after parting ways with Ulsan HD club. According to Sports Chosun, he has not ruled out the possibility of returning to Indonesia, especially given the warm support from fans.

“I do not exclude the possibility of coming back to Indonesia. The fans here have shown me a lot of affection,” Shin Tae-yong expressed.

“If PSSI extends an offer, I am ready to return to lead the national team,” he confirmed.

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