Football in Indonesia: New generation provides new hope ahead of Asian Cup

For years, incompetence, corruption and violence have held Indonesian football back. Now, head coach Shin Tae-yong and a new generation of players are looking to revamp its image, starting with Asian Cup qualification.

New generation, new hope: Indonesia are looking to revampt their football image

With populations of over 1 billion but relative underachievement in football, India and China are often the first names on the list when it comes to Asia's sleeping giants in the sport.

But in truth, that label is better applied to Indonesia, a country with a smaller population (275 million) but with much greater passion for the game.

"Indonesia has never progressed beyond the group stage in the Asian Cup," laments Shin Tae-yong, Indonesia's South Korean head coach and the latest to try and unlock the nation's potential. "If we make it this time, it will have a huge meaning for the country."

Shin is one of Asia's best-known coaches, leading South Korean giants Seongnam FC to the 2010 Asian Champions League title. Beyond the Korean peninsula, however, he is probably most recognizable as the coach who oversaw South Korea's victory over Germany at the 2018 World Cup, sealing a calamitous tournament for Joachim Löw's side.

Shin's next challenge is qualification for the 2023 Asian Cup, the third round of which gets underway on Wednesday.

It won't be easy with Indonesia, ranked 159th in the world, having been drawn in a difficult group. They will be expected to finish above Nepal, but Jordan, ranked 91, and Kuwait ranked 146, will provide tougher opposition — especially as the games will take place in Kuwait.

"We know that Jordan and Kuwait are seen as the two strongest teams in the group," Shin tells DW. "But our team is getting stable and confident and I'm sure we can get through and qualify."

Stability and improvement: Indonesia's South Korean head coach Shin Tae-yong has big plans

Match-fixing, hooliganism and cooking oil

In the past, issues off the pitch have held Indonesia back, with the country's love for the game often attracting less desirable elements that have sought to exploit that passion for their own ends.

Nurdin Halid is the poster boy in Asia for all that is wrong with football governance in Indonesia.

The politician was president of the country's football federation, known locally as PSSI, from 2003 to 2011 but was imprisoned in 2004 after being accused of being involved in a cooking oil distribution scandal. Despite being behind bars, Nurdin continued to run football in the country.

After his eventual removal in 2011, Indonesian football descended into civil war with two rival federations, leagues and national teams. FIFA banned the country from international football from 2014 to 2016.

"It was obviously a very bad time for PSSI and Indonesian football," one PSSI official admits. "There were too many people involved in the running of the game who had their own agendas. There are still issues but the situation has improved and the focus is now on football."

It needs to be but there are other issues that still need addressing. Home to vibrant fan culture and ultra scene, Indonesia also has the highest incidence of football hooliganism in Asia. According to Save Our Soccer, a watchdog organization in the country, 74 fans have died as a result of football-related violence since 1994.

Match-fixing has been a long-running issue also, with six players suspended for attempting to rig results as recently as November 2021. In 2019, several PSSI officials, including the body's temporary chairman, Joko Driyono, were arrested. 

Football is massively popular in Indonesia - but the game has been plagued by 

corruption, incompetence and violence

New generation, new mentality, new hope

But now there is a new regime in charge.

"We are getting lots of support from the PSSI," says head coach Shin. "Since I've joined, we have already shifted our focus to the younger generation."

In December the national team reached the final of the AFF Suzuki Cup, Southeast Asia's biennial tournament, equaling their best-ever performance. And they did so with a squad with an average age of just 23, more than three years younger than that of the winners, Thailand.

"The average age of players in the national team is approximately seven years younger than before," explains Shin. "Each of the players have good skills and they enjoy playing but they need a stronger mentality."

Shin's assistant coach Dzenan Radoncic believes that importing a stronger mentality into Indonesian football is key.

"Indonesian players are calm and have laid-back personalities," the Serbian opines. "I believe it comes from the climate and culture. I keep asking them for endurance and aggression for 90 minutes and not to step back during games, even if they are losing.

"We are trying to change the mindset. The players need to be pushed. They are comfortable playing in Indonesia, but we want to make them more international."

One way to do that is to look for European players who are eligible to play for Indonesia through family ties.

Elkan Baggott, for example, was born in Bangkok to an English father and Chinese-Indonesian mother. The 19-year-old defender grew up in Jakarta but moved to England when he was nine, and currently plays for Ipswich Town in the third division. He chose to represent Indonesia internationally and is now preparing for the Asian qualifiers after arriving back in Jakarta at the end of a long European season.

"I only had a little rest before coming here," says Baggot. "But my condition is getting better."

Indonesia are also looking to naturalize Spanish player Jordi Amat and former Netherlands youth international Sandy Walsh. 

"They are both very good players," says Shin, who has invited them to train with the national team while their naturalization papers are processed.

Head coach Shin Tae-yong oversaw South Korea's victory over Germany at the 2018 World Cup

Under-20 World Cup

A key stage in Indonesia's development will take place next year when the country hosts the Under-20 World Cup, the first ever global tournament to take place in the nation sometimes referred to as the "Brazil of Asia."

"It means we have a lot of games and training and there is more investment," says Radoncic, who is preparing the youth team and who welcomes the $28m earmarked for facilities and stadium upgrades ahead of the tournament.

"This is necessary as infrastructure is a problem. The pitches are not great and this needs to improve."

It also means that the U20 team will perform on the global stage for the first time since 1979. The senior team is still far away from that but if they can qualify for the Asian Cup then the mood really will be upbeat.

"We are looking forward to the challenge," says Shin. "We are improving and this is a chance to see by how much."

Edited by Matt Ford