Indonesia U23 coach responds to comparison with Shin Tae-yong

Coach Vanenburg took over the Indonesia U23 team after the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) decided to end the cooperation journey with coach Shin Tae-yong. He was expected to continue the success, but the results have not met expectations.

Under Vanenburg's leadership, Indonesia U23 finished as runners-up at the 2025 AFF U23 Championship, but failed in the 2025 AFC U23 Championship qualifying campaign.

In Group J at home, U23 Indonesia started with a disappointing 0-0 draw against Laos, then won 6-0 against Macau, but fell 0-1 to direct competitor U23 Korea. This defeat left U23 Indonesia in second place in the group and officially missed out on the Final Round.

After the match, coach Vanenburg could not hide his disappointment and frankly pointed out the cause: "The biggest problem is the playing time of the players at the club. Many players do not get to play much, so when they join the national team, it is difficult for them to reach their best condition."

When asked about the difference with coach Shin Tae-yong, who led U23 Indonesia to the semi-finals of the 2024 AFC U23 Championship, coach Vanenburg replied: “There is indeed a difference. At that time, Mr. Shin had good players like Marselino Ferdinan, Rizky Ridho, Ivar Jenner, Rafael Struick, Justin Hubner..."

"Besides, they also have a long preparation period of 2-3 months. While we only concentrate for about 5 days. It is very difficult to compare," said Mr. Vanenburg.

Looking back at the 2024 journey, Shin Tae-yong's U23 Indonesia defeated U23 Turkmenistan and U23 Chinese Taipei to qualify for the Finals. At the tournament in Qatar, they made a splash by finishing second in Group A behind the hosts, then created an earthquake by defeating U23 Korea in the quarterfinals. Although they later lost 0-2 to U23 Uzbekistan in the semi-finals and 1-2 to Iraq in the third-place match, that performance is still considered a historic milestone.

That comparison puts even more pressure on Vanenburg’s shoulders. But the Dutch strategist insists he needs more time and support from the Indonesian football system, especially in developing the league and creating regular playing opportunities for young players.