New Era for Indonesian National Team: John Herdman Actively Monitoring Garuda Players in Europe
Source: Antara Photo/Dhemas Reviyanto
Indonesian National Team Coach John Herdman has begun monitoring several players on the Garuda Squad's radar. This move demonstrates his seriousness in building the Indonesian National Team.
Herdman met with Indonesian National Team Captain, Jay Idzes, during a Sassuolo training session at the Mapei Football Center.
Sassuolo's Instagram account shared a post featuring a photo of Herdman with Idzes. Sassuolo's upload received around 58 thousand likes and over 1,600 comments from Indonesian supporters.
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The visit was not merely symbolic. Sassuolo welcomed Herdman, who is traveling across Europe to directly monitor the progress of Garuda players.
"A special afternoon at the Mapei Football Center in Sassuolo, welcoming the visit of John Herdman, head coach of the Indonesian National Team," wrote Sassuolo on their official website.
On that occasion, Herdman toured the black and green training center facilities and observed the first team's training session up close.
After the training session, Herdman spoke with Jay Idzes and coach Fabio Grosso.
"A pleasant meeting dedicated to sharing and exchanging experiences, once again confirming Sassuolo Calcio's international focus and openness."
This season, Idzes has been a mainstay in Sassuolo's defense. He has only missed one of 23 matches, and that was in the season opener when Sassuolo lost 0-2 to Napoli.
Italy isn't Herdman's only destination. Previously, the English coach also monitored Kevin Diks and Dean James, as seen through his Instagram Story posts.
In the first upload, Herdman shared a moment watching Kevin Diks training with Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga.
The German club had just drawn 1-1 against Werder Bremen. Kevin Diks did not feature in that match due to injury.
Herdman then continued his monitoring to the Netherlands, watching Dean James in the Eredivisie match between Go Ahead Eagles vs FC Volendam, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
This series of monitoring trips is part of Herdman's larger strategy to expand the base of Indonesian National Team Players pursuing careers abroad.
Previously, he had also conducted observations at several BRI Super League clubs, including Bali United, Persija Jakarta, and Persita Tangerang.
Herdman will lead the Indonesian national team in the Fifa Series in March 2026. In that new tournament, the Garuda team is grouped with Bulgaria, Solomon Islands, and St Kitts and Nevis.
