A member of the PSSI Executive Committee (Exco), Arya Sinulingga, explained the target for Shin Tae-yong after receiving a new contract. The contract of the South Korean coach has been extended until 2027. As is known, Shin Tae-yong’s contract expired at the end of June 2024.
Shin Tae-yong will next face a tough task with the Indonesian national team in the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in the Asian Zone.
Additionally, there is also the 2024 ASEAN Cup or AFF Cup 2024 at the end of the year. Regarding the target, Arya Sinulingga explained that PSSI hopes for the Indonesian national team to reach FIFA ranking 100.
“Well, if the target is for the coach, we hope to reach 100,” said Arya Sinulingga. As for the World Cup target, PSSI hopes the Indonesian national team will qualify.
However, the target to qualify for the World Cup is not included in Shin Tae-yong’s new contract.
He believes the competition in Group C is tough, so the Indonesian national team is expected to be burden-free and realistic, as they will be competing with teams that regularly qualify for the World Cup, such as Australia, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.
“For the World Cup, we definitely hope to qualify,” said Arya Sinulingga.
“Whether that target is included in our contract, it’s not, but if we want to get through round 3 or through the world selection, we hope not to reach the playoffs.
“We hope to be in round 4. There are 3-4 teams in the group that are regulars in the World Cup.
Three teams, while only two will qualify from round three. So even the regulars might not get through round three. One definitely won’t get through. It’s certain.
So, we understand that this group is very challenging.
“But we are nothing to lose. Don’t make it a heavy burden. Be realistic, but we fight with all our might,” he said.
He also reiterated when asked whether Shin Tae-yong’s new contract does not have a target to qualify for the World Cup.
“No,” said Arya Sinulingga.
The Indonesian national team in the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers is in Group C along with Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the Indonesian national team.
Only the top two teams will qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Meanwhile, the third and fourth-ranked teams will compete in the fourth round.
In the fourth round, there will be six teams divided into two groups.
Each group’s winner will earn qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
While the runners-up will compete in two legs in the fifth round to play in the inter-confederation play-offs.
Arya Sinulingga, a member of the PSSI Executive Committee, addressed the recruitment of new descent players for the Indonesian National Team.
The Indonesian national team is gearing up for the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in the Asian Zone, starting in September 2024.
PSSI, as the parent of Indonesian football, certainly still needs to prepare.
One of them is by adding descent players.
A member of the PSSI Executive Committee (Exco), Arya Sinulingga, spoke about this issue.
He admitted that he still wanted to increase the number of descent players willing to defend the Indonesian senior national team.
Adding quality players will benefit the Indonesian national team before the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
“This is also something, isn’t it? We also want, who doesn’t want to have new players again,” said Arya Sinulingga on Tuesday night (9/7/2024).
“From wherever, be it naturalization, be it local, when we get new stock, it is something beneficial for us.”
“Well, getting this new stock has its process, right? There are many, how is this, how is that, and many, and many,” he continued.
Arya asked the public to keep faith in PSSI regarding the addition of descent players in the Indonesian national team.
“People who talk, how is this process? Just trust us,” said Arya.
“After all, we’ve been taking different steps.”
“Even Verdonk can be done in one day. But if it can’t, it means it really can’t.”
“It’s not that we don’t try. We try. We have a team working on it. Some say this one is already certain.”
“Come on, friends, just trust us. That we will do our best. So it’s not about not doing our best. We will definitely do well. Asking Paes like this. It’s there,” he continued.
He admitted that he was seriously fighting so that Maarten Paes could defend the Indonesian National Team.
What is the process regarding the specific regulatory issues affecting Paes’ position? We are still fighting. Regarding CAS or whatever, we definitely have a process,” said Arya Sinulingga.
“At FIFA or whatever, we have a process. But the process is to fight once, then fight again. There are boundaries, there are boundaries after a scan, you can’t file a lawsuit anymore, for example, before that happens, we look for any step we can pursue until the process time runs out. Don’t just jump here, don’t just jump to conclusions. We have a time range after the first rejection, for example.”
“Okay, we fight again. There is still time. So we do everything. It has to be like this. Again, I think the chairman’s team has been working. Most naturalizations like this are during his tenure,” he continued.
He asked the public to keep faith in PSSI. PSSI is committed to moving quickly to process diaspora players in the Indonesian National Team.
“Not naturalization for those who live here, but those like this, the process, I think, is the most during his era. And the process is very fast too. Just trust us. Thank you for the input, but we have calculated everything,” said Arya.
“We calculate this and that. The process is really good.