The 'storm naturalization' policy of Indonesian football shows no signs of stopping. This time, they are attempting to incorporate Tristan Hoyer (21, Zwolle), a 'Ajax youth product', into the national team.
'Okizon Bola' reported on Feb. 2 (Korean time) that 'the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has contacted Hoyer. They are trying to persuade him to play for the Indonesian national team led by coach Patrick Kluivert.'
Hoyer is a defender born in 2004 with Dutch nationality. He is a resource known for his versatility to play as a center-back and right-back, emerging from Ajax's youth academy, which is famous for producing talents like Christian Eriksen, Matthijs de Ligt, and Frenkie de Jong.
Hoyer has grown at the Ajax Academy since 2016, and in 2023, he stepped onto the first team stage. He has made appearances in 9 matches in the Eredivisie and has also played in the UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL).
However, Hoyer is currently on loan at Zwolle, a team in the same Dutch league, having temporarily left Ajax. He suffered a knee injury in his first match and is still recovering, but Ajax recently re-signed him until 2029, indicating a high regard for his growth potential.
Meanwhile, the possibility of Hoyer's naturalization in Indonesia has been raised. The Indonesian national team, eager for the naturalization of players of Dutch descent, is eyeing him as well.
Dutch 'Voetbal Premier' reported, 'The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has contacted Hoyer. They are trying to persuade him to play for the Indonesian national team led by Patrick Kluivert.' They added, 'Hoyer has played for various national teams in the Netherlands. However, since he is of Indonesian descent, he may have the possibility to change his international nationality.'
PSSI has already contacted Hoyer. The media reported, 'The first discussion with the president of the Indonesian Association has already taken place. Indonesia expects Hoyer to play for Kluivert's team in the future. The players who naturalized before him include Tom Heij, Meis Hilhers, Joy Pelufesi, Dean James, and Ole Romeni.'
Hoyer has also acknowledged the possibility of naturalization in Indonesia. He stated, 'I have great respect for Indonesian football culture. I am also watching the growth of the national team. I do not rule anything out regarding the future.'
Indonesia aims to build its national team entirely with naturalized players under the leadership of 'Dutch legend' coach Kluivert. They are particularly focused on gathering players of Dutch descent to qualify for the World Cup finals.
The shocking dismissal of coach Shin Tae-yong in January was due to the same context. At that time, the Shin Tae-yong team was in 3rd place in Group C with 1 win, 3 draws, and 2 losses in the World Cup 3rd qualifying round. Unlike Kluivert, who suffered a 1-5 defeat against Saudi Arabia, they even managed a 0-0 draw against Australia.
However, Erick Thohir, the PSSI president, dismissed coach Shin Tae-yong, who had dedicated five years, overnight and immediately appointed coach Kluivert. At the time, he claimed, 'We need a leader who can execute the agreed strategy better, communicate more effectively, and implement a better program for the whole national team.'
Under coach Kluivert, PSSI is speeding up its naturalization efforts. Goalkeeper Emil Audero (Palermo), who formerly played for Juventus, and Pelufesi (RSC Anderlecht), who played in Belgium, and James (Head Eagles), who is active in the Netherlands, have newly joined Indonesia. The squad has already changed significantly compared to the Shin Tae-yong era.
In fact, in last month's match against Australia, coach Kluivert fielded 10 naturalized players among the starting 11. As a result, there were complaints from other countries in the same group, such as Bahrain and China, about not being able to tell whether it was the Netherlands or Indonesia.
However, the result was a 1-5 defeat. Coach Kluivert bowed his head after a crushing defeat in his debut. However, they successfully changed the momentum with a 1-0 victory in a subsequent home match against Bahrain. If they can defeat China in the upcoming 9th qualifying match, they can maintain their chances of qualifying for the World Cup finals.
Indonesia is determined to bring in more naturalized players before the match against China in June. It is reported that, in addition to Hoyer, they are also pursuing the naturalization of Emiliano Jonathan (Utrecht), Jayden Osterwolder (Fenerbahçe), and Pascal Struijk (Leeds United).
'Okizon Bola' noted, 'Hoyer is expected to be the next naturalized player of PSSI. This comes after the news that Jonathan will join the Indonesian national team following his father's conversion to Islam.' They added, 'Jonathan is anticipated to strengthen Indonesia's capability in the match against China. His presence can fill the void left by Marcello Ferdinands, who is unavailable due to accumulated yellow cards.'
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Indonesian national team, Ajax social media.
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