Indonesia sack football coach Shin in search of FIFA World Cup 2026 spot
Al Jazeera
South Korean coach Shin Tae-yong is let go after four years as Indonesian football chief eyes World Cup qualification.
Indonesia have sacked their men’s football coach Shin Tae-yong with the country’s football chief saying the team needed stronger leadership as they battle for a place at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
“We need a leadership that implements strategies as agreed with the players, communicates better, and implements better programmes for our national team,” Erick Thohir, who heads the Indonesia Football Association (PSSI), told a news conference on Monday.
Thohir said Shin’s work with the team had “ended” and his replacement, whom he declined to name, would arrive in Indonesia on January 11.
The Southeast Asian nation has tens of millions of passionate football fans, but Indonesia’s sole World Cup appearance came during Dutch rule in 1938 and the country has rarely threatened a return since independence in 1945.
Indonesia are third in their World Cup group after six of 10 matches, one point behind Australia in the battle for the second automatic spot in the finals.
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