Indonesian Coach Herdman Believes Vietnam's Coach Watched His Team

Indonesian national team coach John Herdman suggested that his Vietnamese counterpart, Kim Sang-sik, was closely monitoring the Indonesian squad during their recent match against Mozambique in Jakarta. Sang-sik's presence at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium was noted, particularly as Indonesia and Vietnam are grouped together for the upcoming ASEAN Cup.

Herdman commented during a post-match press conference that he believed the Vietnamese coach was assessing Indonesian players and the team's performance. Sang-sik himself acknowledged observing Indonesia's play, having been captured on camera in the VIP tribune during the second half of the match, which Indonesia led 1-0 at halftime.

“

I think the Vietnam coach tonight is doing some scouting of players and the team (Indonesia).

However, Herdman cautioned that the team Vietnam will face in the ASEAN Cup will likely be different from the one observed. He explained that the current squad heavily features players based in Europe, whereas the ASEAN Cup will showcase a team composed primarily of local players. Herdman expressed well wishes for Sang-sik and the Vietnamese team, acknowledging the strategic importance of the upcoming tournament where both nations will compete in Group A alongside Singapore, Cambodia, and Timor Leste.

“

The AFF will also be a different tournament. So hopefully he gets a chance to see some of our players tonight. And I wish him the best.