Sweet Debut at GBK, Herdman Highlights Indonesian National Team's Emotional Connection with Supporters

The atmosphere at Stadion Utama Gelora Bung Karno delivered an emotionally resonant experience for John Herdman's debut with the Indonesian National Team. Amidst the roaring supporters and near-unbroken energy throughout the match, Herdman encountered something he'd never felt before. 

The English coach began his tenure with a convincing 4-0 victory over the Saint Kitts and Nevis National Team in the Fifa Series on Friday night, March 27. This result sent Indonesia to the final match against Bulgaria on Monday night, March 30. 

Yet beyond the final score, Herdman was captivated by the team's powerful connection with its supporters.

“As I said before, the atmosphere here is unique, very unique. The national anthem was so powerful, you could feel the connection there. And what happened at the end of the match – I've never seen that in my Football career, being able to connect with the fans in such a way, it was very special,” Herdman stated in the post-match press conference.

This emotional connection wasn't just a fleeting impression. Herdman views it as a crucial foundation for building a national team identity capable of uniting Indonesia geographically.

“And you have to be connected, you know. Our goal is to connect this country from every island, across the thousands of miles we need, and we will give everything for you,” he said.

Despite the smooth debut, Herdman acknowledged future challenges. He openly requested continued supporter backing, especially during difficult periods.

“I will tell you, we will give everything to the fans. And we only hope that the fans, in our toughest moments, they also give everything for us, because there will be tough times,” Herdman emphasized.

On the technical side, the win over Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved without several players including Marselino Ferdinan reduced the team's creativity,

However, Herdman noted compensation in other areas, including tactical flexibility and player work ethic.

“Going back to the player composition, I feel we lost a number of players – I'm thinking of Marselino (Ferdinan), Miliano (Jonathan) – we lost a bit of creativity. Kevin Diks played more forward and wide, an outstanding job, showed his professionalism tonight,” Herdman commented.

He stressed that squad competition will intensify as more players become available. No position is secure, and every player must continually prove themselves each match.

“So I'm happy with the composition, but there will be more players coming and competing. This group has to earn that jersey in every match, and hopefully they can maintain it and make other players who are usually starters earn the right to return,” he concluded.

Reporter: Syafira Salsa