Competing with U.22 Vietnam, Indonesian expert wants coach Patrick Kluivert to attend SEA Games 33

Coach Patrick Kluivert takes charge of 3 Indonesian teams?

The Indonesian U.20 team disappointed when they were eliminated early in the group stage of the U.20 Asian Cup currently taking place in China. This is a team with well-prepared core players who will participate in the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand in December this year, as well as set an ambitious goal of winning a ticket to the U.20 World Cup in Chile (September 2025).

The Indonesian U.22 team won the gold medal in men's football at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia in 2023, after a chaotic final match with the Thai team.

However, under the guidance of experienced coach Indra Sjafri, the young Indonesian team failed to achieve any goals after two lackluster performances at the U.20 Asian Cup, losing heavily to Iran 0-3 and Uzbekistan 1-3. The final group stage match against U.20 Yemen on February 19 was just a formality. In this tournament, the U.20 Thailand team was also eliminated early after losing to Japan 0-3 and South Korea 1-4.

According to expert Muhammad Yusuf Kurniawan: "Coach Indra Sjafri deserves to be recognized for his efforts in helping the Indonesian U.22 team win the gold medal in men's football at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia (2023), as well as with the previous U.19 or U.23 Indonesian youth teams that won the Southeast Asian championship.

But his coaching style is no longer suitable. Indonesian football has changed and has greater ambitions. The national team is currently led by coach Patrick Kluivert, while the U.23 team is being led by a coach in this coach's coaching staff, Mr. Gerald Vanenburg.

Therefore, the U.20 Indonesia team and the U.22 team when participating in the 33rd SEA Games at the end of this year, should also be led by another member of Patrick Kluivert's coaching staff, instead of choosing a domestic coach.

Indonesian fans are worried that the U.20 team with its core participating in SEA Games 33 is too weak and will lose to opponents like the Vietnamese youth team.

Muhammad Yusuf Kurniawan also said: "If the current U.20 Indonesia team has been invested to aim for important goals such as defending the SEA Games gold medal and further participating in the World Cup or Asian arena, then Patrick Kluivert and his colleagues must be part of the team. They will train, monitor and improve these players to the U.23 level to create the next generation for the team."

Indonesian press also predicts that, certainly right after the end of the U.20 Asian Cup campaign, the Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) will part ways with coach Indra Sjafri to choose another suitable coach. In particular, it is entirely possible that PSSI will assign coach Patrick Kluivert and his associates to lead the U.20 Indonesia team, including participating in the 33rd SEA Games.

In the current U.20 Indonesian team, there are many players of the right age and have been targeted to participate in the 33rd SEA Games in the U.22 team to defend the gold medal in men's football, such as captain Dony Tri Pamungkas, defender Kadek Arel, midfielders Toni Firmansyah, Welber Jardim, naturalized striker Jens Raven... These are players all aged 19 and 20 who have been trained in many tournaments throughout 2024, according to CNN Indonesia .

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/canh-tranh-u22-viet-nam-chuyen-gia-indonesia-muon-hlv-patrick-kluivert-tham-du-sea-games-33-185250218104622257.htm