Indonesia denies decision on reappointing coach Shin Tae Yong

The Indonesian Football Association's representative addressed the speculation about re-signing coach Shin Tae Yong.

In a recent interview cited by Antara, a member of the Executive Committee (Exco) of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), Ms. Vivin Cahyani Sungkono, spoke out about the rumors of reappointing coach Shin Tae Yong to the vacant head coach position.

Ms. Vivin denied the rumors that PSSI is reuniting with the Korean strategist, firmly stating that the information circulating about Shin replacing Patrick Kluivert is completely baseless and inaccurate.

Specifically, the PSSI leader shared: "We want to clarify that the news about coach Shin Tae Yong returning is unfounded and untrue. Currently, PSSI has no discussions involving Mr. Shin Tae Yong in its work agenda."

Regarding the vacant national team head coach position, Ms. Vivin stated that PSSI is actively searching for the most suitable candidate. “PSSI is working diligently to find an experienced coach who can lead the team long-term, aligning with the new vision and development roadmap of Indonesian football,” she added.

Previously, on October 16, 2025, just four days after the conclusion of the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, PSSI and Patrick Kluivert officially parted ways after mutually agreeing to terminate the contract. The Dutch strategist and his players suffered two defeats against Saudi Arabia and Iraq, ending their dream of participating in the world’s most prestigious tournament next summer.

Following Kluivert’s departure, several candidates were mentioned as potential next coaches of the Indonesian national team, including Louis van Gaal, Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, and notably Shin Tae Yong, who had successful years in the archipelago.

Coach Shin Tae Yong began his journey with the Indonesian national team in December 2019. After a challenging start, the Korean coach gradually made a significant impact on the development of Indonesian football.

Under his leadership, Indonesia’s U23 team reached the semifinals of the 2024 AFC U23 Championship for the first time, while the senior national team impressed by advancing to the round of 16 at the 2023 Asian Cup and becoming the only Southeast Asian representative to qualify for the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. However, internal conflicts and disappointing results at the 2024 AFF Cup led to the end of his tenure in Indonesia.

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