Patrick Kluivert's shocking past as Indonesia's coach has been revealed.

Under Kluivert, Indonesia suffered a crushing 5-1 defeat to Australia in the 7th match of Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asia regional third qualifying round held at Sydney Football Stadium on the 20th. With 1 win, 3 draws, and 3 losses, Indonesia is in 4th place in the group.

It was a shocking defeat. The Football Association of Indonesia replaced coach Shin Tae-yong in January, stating that "Shin Tae-yong had issues with leadership and tactics," revealing an unclear reason.

According to Indonesian media, the reason for coach Shin's dismissal is reportedly due to conflicts with naturalized players from the Netherlands.

The Jakarta Post reported on the 11th that "the discord between the players and coach Shin Tae-yong began before the match in October last year, where Indonesia lost 1-2 to China. One of the naturalized players openly expressed dissatisfaction with coach Shin's tactics and approach to team management."

The Football Association of Indonesia appointed Dutch legend Kluivert, which was a signal of intent to control the naturalized players. In the match against Australia, a whopping 10 out of the starting 11 players were naturalized.

The result was disastrous. Indonesia conceded the first goal via a penalty kick in the 18th minute. They then conceded two more goals in the 20th and 34th minutes of the first half. After conceding three goals in the first half, Indonesia allowed two more goals to Miller in the 16th minute of the second half and Erwin in the 45th minute. Indonesia was only able to salvage one goal in the 33rd minute from Romeli.

After the match, Indonesian fans called for the return of coach Shin Tae-yong and demanded Kluivert's dismissal. They created a buzz with the hashtag "#KluivertOut." Fans expressed intense reactions such as, "Kluivert must be fired immediately," "Bring back coach Shin Tae-yong," "The incompetent Indonesian association has reached its end," and "Is this the Indonesian national team? It's not the Dutch national team, is it?"

In this context, coach Kluivert's shocking past is being revisited. Kluivert is known to have led the Curaçao national team to a 0-4 defeat in a friendly match against Bahrain in 2021.

Coincidentally, Indonesia's next opponent is Bahrain. After returning from a 1-5 defeat in Australia, Indonesia will face Bahrain in Jakarta on the 25th. During coach Shin's tenure, they drew 2-2 away against Bahrain.

Indonesian media, having learned about Kluivert's past, noted, "Kluivert is someone who suffered the most shocking defeat against Bahrain. This is certainly concerning. Bahrain is not a team to underestimate. Coach Kluivert is under pressure to win at home," urging for victory.

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