Why John Herdman Dropped Persib Bandung Players from Indonesia National Team for FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026

Tactical Adjustments Dictate Roster Choices

The final squad selection for the regional tournament left out three prominent members of the club commonly known as Maung Bandung: Marc Klok, Beckham Putra, and Eliano Reijnders. All three players had featured regularly for the Merah Putih during the AFF Cup 2026.

Addressing reporters during a press conference at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta on Thursday, September 24, Herdman emphasized that squad composition is driven entirely by on-field requirements. He maintained that the omissions are strictly professional decisions.

“For the players who were not selected, the door is always open,” Herdman said. “As I have said to them, their performances at the club level and the trajectory of their careers will continue to speak for themselves.”

Tournament Calendars and Roster Strategy

The English manager explained that the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 presents different competitive dynamics than the AFF Cup 2026. As an inaugural FIFA-backed tournament for Southeast Asia, the competition falls within the official international match calendar, whereas the AFF Cup operates outside those designated windows.

This structural difference alters how the technical staff approaches player selection across different international breaks. Herdman noted that the national team setup involves balancing various player pools depending on the timing of international fixtures.

“The AFF Cup is very different from this tournament,” Herdman said. “This is a combined squad from the March and June international calendars. There is a team for the FIFA ASEAN Cup and a team for the AFF Cup. We simply see which ones shine brighter.”

Evaluating Player Profiles on Merit

Elaborating on his selection criteria, Herdman stressed that reputation holds less weight than functional utility during training sessions and matches. He outlined the specific attributes he seeks when building a competitive game model.

“The door is always open to any player. I do not look for players because of a profile, but for what they can do on the field,” he said, adding that decisions hinge on immediate performance and tactical fit.

“This is more about performance or whether we need a different profile for this tournament based on the combination of available players,” Herdman concluded.

Upcoming Group Stage Schedule

The Indonesian squad is preparing to open its Group A campaign in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 with a fixture against Singapore. The opening match is scheduled to take place at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta on Friday at 20.00 WIB.