Indonesia National Team still has a number of outstanding priorities to strengthen its squad ahead of 2027 AFC Asian Cup. Challenges extend far beyond just securing quality friendly opponents: the side must also resolve the growing striker shortage crisis, maintain fitness of core players, and navigate the increasingly complicated process of scouting eligible diaspora footballers.
These three critical issues were analysed by football observers Ophan Lamara and Erwin Fitriansyah during the ITSMe podcast recording at Sentul Studio, Bogor on Monday (2/11/2026). Moderated by Gilang Respaty and Pudila, the discussion specifically reviewed what the Indonesia National Team requires to compete at the highest tier of Asian football under head coach John Herdman.
One immediate unresolved concern is Indonesia's friendly match lineup for the November 2026 FIFA Matchday window. This official international match period runs 9–17 November, but planned fixtures against Jordan and other potential opponents remain uncertain.
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Erwin explained that security conditions across the Middle East have severely complicated opponent arrangements. Jordan, originally scheduled to host Indonesia on 13 November in Amman, may also be forced to relocate the match. Kuwait meanwhile remains only an initial exploratory option with no formal confirmation.
This instability also affects Indonesian players based in Europe. Their respective clubs will prioritise player safety before granting travel clearance to regions with elevated security risks.
Ophan stressed that opponent quality must be treated as the top priority. Indonesia needs fixtures that will properly test the squad against Asia's elite sides including Japan, South Korea and Uzbekistan.
Ophan further noted that Uzbekistan currently fields an extremely well-rounded squad, making them an ideal performance benchmark for Garuda. Should Middle Eastern fixtures fall through, East Asian sides can be considered as alternative opponents.
Beyond opponent quality, playing away fixtures is also identified as a critical requirement. Herdman needs match experience in hostile stadiums to build squad mental resilience, character and the ability to perform under pressure from home crowds.
This preparation is non-negotiable, as Indonesia will face this exact high-pressure environment during continental level competition.
Ole Romeny and the Central Striker Crisis
The next major challenge relates to player availability, particularly in the attacking line. During the discussion, Gilang highlighted the fitness status of Ole Romeny, Dion Markx and Shayne Pattynama, all of which will impact team selection.
Recent updates have grown increasingly concerning. Ole Romeny suffered a repeat ankle injury shortly after making his comeback for Fortuna Sittard. He is expected to require several months of recovery, making his participation in the November FIFA Matchday extremely unlikely.
For both analysts, losing Romeny is a major blow. Indonesia currently has no other available player with a matching playing profile for the central striker role.
Both agreed that the lack of natural out-and-out strikers remains an unresolved critical problem. Taisei Marukawa, previously linked with naturalisation, is assessed to be better suited as a winger or second striker, not the leading attacking spearhead.
This same limitation applies to players including Irfan Jaya and Witan Sulaeman. While effective when cutting in from wide areas, they cannot directly replace the specific role Romeny occupies.
Meanwhile Jay Idzes' return from injury will add defensive depth. Dion Markx will face strong competition for squad places, while match minutes and current fitness levels for Shayne Pattynama will also be key selection considerations.
This situation makes clear: Indonesia's challenge is not just to find talented players, but to build proper squad depth for every position on the pitch.
Dutch Regulations Create Naturalisation Barriers
The urgent need for quality strikers has reignited debate around diaspora player naturalisation. However Erwin Fitriansyah explained that scouting eligible players from the Netherlands now faces significantly tighter regulatory barriers.
During the podcast Erwin highlighted work permit rules for non-EU professional footballers in the Netherlands. For the 2026/2027 season, the mandatory minimum annual salary threshold for players aged 21 and over stands at approximately 630,000 Euro.
This requirement forms part of residence and work permit rules for non-EU professional athletes, enforced jointly by Dutch immigration authorities IND and employment agency UWV. Clubs must meet these strict conditions before signing any player from outside the European Union.
As a result, Indonesian diaspora players without an existing EU passport now face far greater obstacles to secure professional contracts in the Netherlands.
Even so, Ophan cautioned that naturalisation can never be a permanent solution. Indonesia must invest in structured youth development to consistently produce homegrown talent through domestic competition pathways.
He also noted that Indonesia can learn from other nations who successfully scout diaspora talent across multiple European countries, rather than limiting searches only to the Netherlands.
Asian Cup Postponement Alters Preparation Timeline
A major official announcement was made shortly after this podcast was recorded. On 3 November 2026, the Asian Football Confederation confirmed the postponement of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Originally scheduled for 7 January – 5 February 2027, the tournament will now be held 23 December 2027 to 21 January 2028. This adjustment grants John Herdman a significantly extended preparation window.
This extra time must be used deliberately to build squad depth, identify viable central striker alternatives, and raise overall performance standards against Asia's top ranked national teams.
Ultimately, John Herdman's greatest challenge will not be selecting which players make the final squad, but constructing a balanced, cohesive team across every playing line.
Friendly opponent quality, striker availability and squad depth remain the core unanswered challenges. With the revised Asian Cup schedule Indonesia now has valuable extra time to address these weaknesses. The final question remains: can this window be used effectively to finally elevate Garuda to compete with Asia's elite?
