Indonesian Football Team Hires Korean Coach

Jakarta. The Indonesian Football Association, or PSSI, introduced new national team manager Shin Tae-Yong on Saturday to help the ailing team make some recovery. The South Korean was hired for a four-year contract.

"The contract has been finalized and Shin Tae-Yong will lead a long-term project for four years,” newly elected PSSI chairman Mochamad Iriawan said at the Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, West Java.

The announcement came shortly after Shin and Iriawan signed the contract at the stadium. 

Iriawan couldn’t tell any specific target for Shin, only saying that the Korean was tasked with the best possible finish in the 2022 World Cup qualifications.

Indonesia is now at the bottom of Group G after losing all five matches.

Apart from the senior team, Shin will also “deliver advices” to the U-22 and U-19 teams, he said.

Shin, 50, said it came as a big challenge for him to manage the Indonesian football team, now sinks to 173rd in FIFA rankings.

"The weak point of Indonesian footballers is their stamina. I will invite a personal trainer from Korea," the former South Korean national team manager said.

Shin replaces Scottish Simon McMenemy, who was sacked after Indonesia’s disappointing run in the World Cup qualifications.