John Herdman Monitors Matches at Indomilk Arena, Opens Opportunities for Young Players to Enter the Indonesian National Team

Viralterkini.idTangerang – The Indonesian national team coach, John Herdman, has given an open signal for young players to enter the Garuda squad. This can be seen from Herdman’s activities, who are again directly monitoring the BRI Super League 2025/2026 matches, one of which is the Persita Tangerang match against Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC.

John Herdman was present directly at the Indomilk Arena Stadium, Tangerang, Saturday (24/1/2026), to watch Persita’s duel against Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC. In this match, a number of players appeared in his observations, including Persita’s young striker, Hokky Caraka, who was said to be one of the names that attracted attention.

Herdman emphasized that his presence at the stadium was not to rush into assessing the quality of the league, but rather to focus on monitoring as many Indonesian players as possible.

“I think I need to watch a few more games before giving an opinion about the league. However, what I’m doing here is seeing as many players as I can. That’s an important role of a coach, to be visible and let the players know you’re there,” said Herdman.

The British coach added that in the next two to three months he will intensely monitor domestic competitions. This cannot be separated from the busy agenda of the Indonesian National Team throughout 2026.

“We have a busy year. There is the FIFA Series in March, then the Hyundai Cup (AFF Cup). We need a big squad this season. So, it is important to see all the players who appear in the domestic league,” he continued.

Surprised by the Intensity of Indonesian Football
Herdman also admitted that he was impressed with the intensity of the game in the Indonesian Super League. Even though he realizes that climatic factors often influence the tempo of the game, he believes that the level of intensity shown by the players is quite high.

“I was a little surprised by the intensity here. When I watched the match until the end tonight and the previous Persija match, the intensity was good. That’s what I’m looking for as a coach,” he said.

According to Herdman, high intensity and a never-give-up mentality are the characters he wants to instill in the Indonesian National Team.

“I want to bring a tireless football mentality, high energy, to the national team,” he stressed.

Promise to Indonesian National Team Supporters
Not only technical matters, Herdman also conveyed a special message to Indonesian National Team supporters. He admitted that he understands the high expectations the public has for Garuda, including the dream of appearing in the World Cup.

“I love that passion. I grew up in Newcastle, a city with a lot of passion for football. As a coach, you have to be in the middle—not too high and not too low—and respect what the fans want,” he said.

Herdman emphasized that the qualifying journey is always full of dynamics, ups and downs, so it requires togetherness between the team and supporters.

“One thing we can promise, the coaches and players will always give everything for this country. If not, that’s where the fans have the right to be disappointed,” concluded Herdman. (ma)