Patrick Kluivert to become new coach for Indonesia.
Source: http://richportaltv.com
Former Barcelona and Valencia forward Patrick Kluivert is set to become the head coach of Indonesia’s national team.
Kluivert (48) is reportedly in talks with the football association of the Asian country to succeed Shin Tae-yong, who was dismissed on Monday. “We are in discussions, but nothing has been signed yet,” his agent confirmed to ‘NOS’.
Since the beginning of 2020, Shin has served as the national coach, managing 57 games with a 26-win, 14-draw, and 17-loss record. Kluivert would remain in the position until the World Cup in 2026.
“We recognize the need for a leader who can better implement our plans, communicate effectively with the players, and develop the national team’s activities,” said association president Erick Thohir during a press conference.
Despite his lack of coaching experience, Kluivert was one of the three coaches the association had in mind to replace Shin, according to Thohir.
On January 12, the successor might be formally revealed. Indonesia still has a chance to play in the 2026 World Cup as they are currently in third place in Group C in the Asian World Cup qualifications.
During his playing career, Patrick Kluivert was a famous name, he played a total of 479 matches for clubs, scoring 206 goals.
For the Dutch national team, he played 79 matches and scored 40 goals. He participated in 3 EURO tournaments and the 1998 World Cup, and was the joint top scorer of EURO 2000 with 5 goals.
It is expected that after his debut on January 12.1, Mr. Patrick Kluivert will soon have to list the Indonesian team for the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in March.
In the third qualifying round of the 3 World Cup in Asia, the Indonesian team is ranked 26th in Group C with 3 points after 6 matches, equal to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and China, but ranked higher thanks to better goal difference and sub-index. Meanwhile, the Japanese team holds the top position with 6 points, followed by the Australian team (16 points).
The Indonesian team will play in the third qualifying round of the 3 World Cup in Asia next March after losing in the AFF Cup 2024. They will play the Australian team on March 2026 and the Bahraini team on March 3.