"I want to use my tactics."

The Indonesian national football team, on the 20th (Korean time), at 6:10 p.m. in the Sydney Football Stadium located in Sydney, Australia, heavily utilized naturalized players in their 7th match in Group C of the 3rd qualifying round for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America, but suffered a 1-5 defeat, emphasizing the absence of coach Shin Tae-yong.

In the 3rd qualifying round to determine the teams that will advance to the World Cup finals, Indonesia was grouped in Group C with Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and China. With 1 win, 3 draws, and 2 losses, totaling 6 points after the 6th match, they ranked 3rd in the group but made the misstep of dismissing coach Shin Tae-yong and appointing Patrick Kluivert.

There was much debate over the surprising dismissal of coach Shin Tae-yong, who was achieving good results. Claims emerged of conflicts with the Indonesian Football Association, sparking various controversies. Some suggested that Indonesia, focusing on naturalized players, desired coach Kluivert, who had a reputation during his playing days.

It was an act close to betrayal, literally. After taking office as the head coach of Indonesia in 2020, he not only managed the senior team but also led age-group representative teams, contributing to the growth of Indonesian football. He had previously guided the team to a runner-up finish in the 2020 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup and reached the semifinals in the 2022 AFF Mitsubishi Cup.

Nevertheless, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) suddenly decided to dismiss coach Shin Tae-yong in January. At the time, the Indonesian Football Association stated, "This decision was made after long and careful consideration and evaluation regarding the national team's performance and the long-term goals the team aims to achieve. The PSSI thanks everyone who contributed to the development of the Indonesian national football team and wishes coach Shin Tae-yong all the best in his future endeavors."

With the appointment of coach Kluivert, Indonesia also welcomed Jordi Cruyff as a technical advisor last month. Jordi Cruyff is the son of legendary Dutch striker Johan Cruyff. Coach Shin Tae-yong has maintained a philosophy of balancing pure Indonesian players with naturalized players while leading the Indonesian national team.

However, recently the Indonesian national team has been shifting towards reliance on naturalized players of Dutch descent. The latest squad included a significant number of naturalized players, narrowing the space for existing pure players. Ultimately, the intention to actively recruit naturalized players led to the addition of famous figures from the Netherlands.

However, the lack of a team spirit directly resulted in a poor performance. Due to the heavy defeat, Indonesia fell behind in goal difference and hit rock bottom. Kluivert and the naturalized players were overwhelmed by Australia's offensive. They conceded the first goal to Boile in the 18th minute of the first half, followed by another goal to Bellufillay in the 20th minute, which caused them to collapse.

Additionally, they conceded a third goal to Irvin in the 34th minute of the first half, effectively sealing their fate in a short amount of time. In the 16th minute of the second half, Goodwin's cross was headed in by Miller for a decisive goal. Indonesia managed to score a consolation goal in the 33rd minute of the second half, with Romeni finding the net after receiving a pass from Dix, but that was it. In fact, they ended up conceding another goal late in stoppage time to Irvin, resulting in a 1-5 defeat for Indonesia.

Was it punishment for not understanding the situation that led to the dismissal of coach Shin Tae-yong? Indonesia had initially held Australia to a 0-0 draw at home under coach Shin, but with the naturalized players and new coach, they crumbled and found themselves in a grim situation from the start.

Indonesian 'Sindonews' reported, "After the 1-5 defeat, the name 'Shin Tae-yong' was echoed among the Indonesian away fans at Sydney Stadium," adding, "Even on Twitter, the name Shin Tae-yong trended at the top in Indonesia."

This media outlet emphasized, "This situation may be evidence that Indonesian football fans and the public still support coach Shin Tae-yong despite his disgraceful dismissal and the appointment of coach Kluivert. Although it was only the first defeat, fans continue to look for coach Shin Tae-yong on social media."

Indonesian 'Bola Sports' noted, "Kluivert followed coach Shin Tae-yong’s tactics exactly. The difference is that Kluivert positioned the defense line higher," adding, "The positive point is that they only conceded two goals in open play while giving away three from set-piece situations."

This media outlet pointed out, "Kluivert cannot make major changes to the tactics of previous Indonesia before the match starts. He suggested that he will likely maintain the overall framework," stating, "Perhaps that's why they raised the defense line and consequently allowed goals in succession."

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