It is earnest. Even in a situation where the coach changed due to the dominance of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), the hearts of the fans were united.

'Indonesia ID' reported on the 24th (Korean time), "While Shin Tae-yong is not currently leading the Indonesian national team, he still shows love for our football," adding, "Indonesian football fans strongly hope for his return."

Indonesia, led by coach Patrick Kluivert, suffered a disappointing defeat against Australia, losing 1-5 in the '2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup Asia Region Group C 3rd Qualifying Round 7th Match' held at Sydney Football Stadium on the 20th. With 1 win, 3 draws, and 3 losses, Indonesia is 4th in the group.

It was a shocking defeat. The Indonesian Football Association dismissed Shin Tae-yong as coach in January and appointed Kluivert. The association stated that "Shin Tae-yong had issues with leadership and tactics," providing unclear reasons. According to Indonesian media, the reason for Shin's dismissal was reported to be conflicts with naturalized players from the Netherlands.

'The Jakarta Post' revealed on the 11th, "The discord between the players and Coach Shin Tae-yong began before the match against China last October, which Indonesia lost 1-2. A naturalized player openly expressed dissatisfaction with Coach Shin's tactics and coaching style."

The Indonesian Football Association appointed the Dutch legend Kluivert, indicating an intention to control the naturalized players. In the match against Australia, an astonishing 10 out of the starting 11 players were naturalized. The result was the worst. Indonesia conceded its first goal from a penalty kick in the 18th minute, followed by two more goals in the 20th and 34th minutes. Having conceded three goals in the first half, Indonesia allowed two more goals to Miller in the 16th minute and Irvin in the 45th minute of the second half. Indonesia was only able to salvage one goal in the 33rd minute by Romeni.

After the match, Indonesian fans demanded the return of Coach Shin Tae-yong and called for the dismissal of Kluivert. They are reacting explosively to the hashtag '#KluivertOut.' Fans expressed strong sentiments, saying, "Kluivert, fire him 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 looks like the Dutch national team!"

In the meantime, Kluivert's shocking past is being revisited. It is known that Kluivert led the Curaçao national team in 2021 and suffered a 0-4 defeat against Bahrain in a friendly match. Coincidentally, Indonesia's next opponent is Bahrain.

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

In the last match against Australia, Coach Kluivert employed 10 naturalized players in his starting 11 in his debut. This was clearly a reflection of PSSI's intentions. However, even with 10 naturalized players, they could not overcome organizational issues and suffered a disastrous 1-5 loss, leading to increased controversy over the naturalization policy.

'Indonesia ID' emphasized, "Even after stepping down as the commander of Indonesia, Shin Tae-yong is still with the football fans. He personally observed the game against Australia alongside Indonesian fans. Despite the defeat, he showed a comforting presence towards Indonesian football fans."

The media noted, "By watching the match against Australia, Shin Tae-yong still demonstrated affection for Indonesian football. Furthermore, he has established the Shin Tae-yong Foundation in Indonesia to continue comprehensive social service," underscoring that "Shin Tae-yong truly has affection for Indonesia."

It was added, "Will Coach Shin Tae-yong's affection for Indonesian society and football lead to his return as coach? Honestly, there are currently no circumstances or evidence, but the way he has shown himself indicates he is a person our football urgently needs."

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