Indonesia coach stresses mindset ahead of Thailand final
John Herdman says Indonesia have advantages in height and player quality, but acknowledges Thailand's record of victories against his side.
Indonesia must approach the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 final with the right mindset to make their advantages count, coach John Herdman said before facing Thailand at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium on 5 October. He identified height and player quality as strengths for his team.
Herdman said several positions in Indonesia's line-up have a height advantage, while more of their players compete in higher-level leagues. He described his squad as younger than Thailand's, but said the Thai players were fresher. He also noted that Thailand had been able to rotate players.
Thailand's past successes against Indonesia would give them confidence, Herdman said, adding that his players needed to take the opportunity to reverse that pattern. He acknowledged the Thai players' greater familiarity with Asian football and their international match experience.
Indonesia have shown uneven form during the tournament, with their games against Singapore and Malaysia exposing the need for more work before the final. Herdman echoed Kevin Diks's warning that the team's strengths would count for nothing without the correct mindset.
