"Shin Tae-yong's tenure and the naturalization rush is a mess."

Bola Sports reported on the 23rd (Korea time) that "Dutch-born critics also expressed negative opinions about Indonesia's national team's naturalization rush," stating that "a critic named Vincent Schiltkamp asserted that a team with 10 naturalized players among the starting 11 cannot succeed."

The Indonesia team, led by coach Kluivert, suffered a shocking 1-5 defeat to Australia in the 7th match of Group C of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asian qualifiers, held on the 20th at Sydney Football Stadium. With 1 win, 3 draws, and 3 losses, Indonesia is in 4th place in the group.

It was a shocking defeat. The Indonesian Football Association suddenly dismissed coach Shin Tae-yong in January and appointed coach Kluivert. The association cited "issues with leadership and tactics" as unclear reasons. According to Indonesian media, it is reported that the reason for coach Shin's dismissal was 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 ahead of the match in which Indonesia lost 1-2 to China last October. One of the naturalized players openly expressed dissatisfaction with coach Shin's tactics and team management methods."

The Indonesian Football Association appointed Dutch legend Kluivert to control the naturalized players. In the match against Australia, a staggering 10 of the 11 starting players were naturalized players. The result was disastrous. Indonesia conceded the first goal from a penalty kick in the 18th minute of the first half, followed by two more goals in the 20th and 34th minutes. After conceding three goals in the first half, Indonesia suffered two more goals in the second half: one from Miller in the 16th minute and another from Erwin in the 45th minute. Indonesia managed to find the net once in the second half, with a goal from Romeni in the 33rd minute.

After the match, Indonesian fans expressed their desire for the return of coach Shin Tae-yong and called for the dismissal of Kluivert. The hashtag '#KluivertOut' has gained explosive traction. Fans have reacted passionately, stating, "Fire Kluivert immediately," "Bring back coach Shin Tae-yong," "The incompetent Indonesian Association is at the end of its undefeated streak," and "Is this the Indonesian national team? It's not the Dutch national team, is it?"

In the meantime, the shocking past of coach Kluivert is being reviewed. Kluivert is known to have led the Curaçao national team to a 0-4 defeat against Bahrain in a friendly match in 2021. Coincidentally, Indonesia's next opponent is Bahrain.

After suffering a 1-5 defeat in Australia, Indonesia will face Bahrain in Jakarta on the 25th. During Shin Tae-yong's tenure, they drew 2-2 against Bahrain in an away match. If Indonesia loses to Bahrain at home, it will effectively confirm their early exit from the World Cup.

In the recent match against Australia, coach Kluivert used 10 naturalized players among the starting 11 in his debut game. This clearly reflected the intentions of the Football Association. However, even with 10 naturalized players, they could not overcome organizational and various other issues, enduring a disastrous 1-5 defeat, leading to increased controversy surrounding the naturalization policy.

According to Bola Sports, Dutch critic Schiltkamp stated, "The naturalization policy of the Football Association is not helping the development of Indonesian football at all. Indonesia has issued nationality to 20 naturalized players. It is clearly excessive and jumps over the process of building a team."

Schiltkamp noted, "If this naturalization policy continues, fans will have every right to be even angrier. In the past, teams like China or Qatar have consecutively employed naturalization policies but failed all of them. This deprives local young talents of opportunities to grow. An excessive naturalization policy actually hinders the development of football."

Nevertheless, the Football Association strengthened its naturalization policy by dismissing coach Shin Tae-yong, who was forming a team centered around Indonesian young talents. Schiltkamp strongly criticized the Football Association's actions as "a ridiculous circus," expressing his disappointment.

The majority of the naturalized players are of Dutch mixed descent. Nevertheless, the naturalization rush has faced significant criticism, even to the extent that Dutch football experts have directly criticized it due to the neglect of developing Indonesian young talents. It is pointed out that it has gone far beyond acceptable limits.

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