John Herdman Admits That the Indonesian National Team Has Not Fielded Their Best Squad.

Jakarta - Indonesia National Team Head Coach John Herdman has admitted he has not yet had the opportunity to field the full strongest Garuda Squad. This statement was delivered ahead of Indonesia's fixture against Malaysia at the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, hosted at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), Jakarta on Monday, 28 September 2026.

"We are in an ongoing, gradual process. We have not once been able to field Indonesia's complete ideal first team on the pitch," stated Herdman during a national team training session at PTIK Stadium, Jakarta on Sunday (27/9).

Herdman explained that the Indonesia national squad remains in an active development phase. Per his assessment, every player gathering for training camps presents the team with opportunities to grow and internalise the tactical playing system he is implementing.

The British head coach also highlighted the very limited working time he has accumulated with multiple players in the squad.

As an example, Herdman noted Dean James has only featured in 1 match and completed 3 training sessions under his leadership. For Jay Idzes, this cooperation only extends to 2 competitive matches and 3 training sessions.

"We have not yet given Miliano Jonathans match minutes, and Marselino has also not been fielded for the squad," Herdman added.

This comment confirms Herdman still identifies significant room for improvement in both the team's line-up composition and on-field performance. He confirmed additional eligible players remain under consideration for upcoming national team schedules, including pre-tournament preparations for the AFC Asian Cup.

Herdman Calls For Supporters To Remain Composed

Amid this ongoing development cycle, Herdman has requested Indonesia National Team Supporters to remain calm and maintain consistent backing for the squad.

Per Herdman, public supporter support forms a critical foundation for the Garuda squad's long term progress.

"This team operates at its peak when you all stand behind us. When you show us your support, we perform at our absolute best - this is true for every person," Herdman stated, as quoted by Antara News Agency.

This public message was issued in the lead-up to the high-stakes match against Malaysia. Both sides have opened their FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 campaigns with full victories.

Indonesia secured a 2-0 win over Singapore, while Malaysia defeated Bangladesh 3-0 in their respective opening Group A fixtures. As a result, this Jakarta clash will pit the two teams tied at the top of the group on 3 points against one another.

Indonesia Host Malaysia At GBK Stadium

Indonesia will face Malaysia at 19:30 WIB on Monday (28/9) at SUGBK, Jakarta. This fixture marks Indonesia's second match in FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 Division 1 Group A.

Division 1 Group A comprises Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Bangladesh. All teams will compete once against each other under a single round-robin format. The group winner will advance directly to the tournament final, while the two second placed teams across the division will contest the third place playoff.

The 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup is the inaugural edition of this FIFA sanctioned tournament. Matches are being held between 24 September and 5 October 2026 across Indonesia and Hong Kong, China, with all Division 1 fixtures hosted on Indonesian soil.

As host nation for Division 1, Indonesia will see every Group A match staged at SUGBK. Following fixtures against Singapore and Malaysia, the national team is scheduled to face Bangladesh on 1 October.

This meeting will also renew the historic long-running Southeast Asian Football rivalry between Indonesia and Malaysia. The last official competitive fixture between the two nations took place during the 2020 AFF Cup in December 2021, where Indonesia secured a 4-1 victory over Malaysia at Singapore National Stadium.

Now the two sides meet once again on a new international tournament stage. For Herdman, this clash against Malaysia forms another step in the long term process of building the Indonesia national team, with the Garuda squad still yet to integrate all available players for optimal on-field cohesion.

Against the backdrop of this famous regional rivalry, the central question for this fixture remains: how much tangible progress in the Indonesia national team's playing style will be visible when they face Malaysia in this second FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 match.