Shin Tae-yong Opens Up the Possibility of Bringing One of His Former Indonesia National Team Proteges to Persija

The arrival of Shin Tae-yong as New Head Coach of Persija Jakarta has sparked widespread speculation over the development direction for the Kemayoran Tigers squad. One key rumour is that the South Korean manager may recruit multiple players he previously trusted during his time leading the Indonesia National Team.

During his official introduction ceremony at Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) on Monday, the former Indonesia National Team Head Coach confirmed he holds the desire to work again with several players who developed under his guidance over the past five years.

Since taking charge of the Indonesia National Team in 2020, Shin Tae-yong built the foundational generation for modern Indonesian Football. Many young athletes progressed rapidly under his leadership, becoming core members of the Garuda Squad across all major international competitions.

Now, after officially signing a 3-year contract with Persija, this potential reunion has become an open possibility.

"Yes, I absolutely have the intention to bring in former National Team Players that worked alongside me previously. That said, we must first evaluate every player's individual circumstances: for instance, many are already bound by active contracts at their current clubs, along with other limiting factors," stated STY during his launch press conference at Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), North Jakarta on Monday.

This statement immediately drew public attention. Multiple players that Shin relied on at the Indonesia National Team are currently contracted to various clubs both domestically and overseas.

Notably, several of his former national team charges are already part of the current Persija squad. Players including Rizky Ridho, Witan Sulaeman and Jordi Amat are already fully familiar with Shin's tactical philosophy from their time with the national side.

Their presence will assist Shin Tae-yong's adaptation process as he rebuilds the team aligned with his vision.

Alongside discussions about recruiting his former players, Shin also confirmed he will be bringing long-standing members of his personal coaching staff to the club.

"For the assistant coach roles, these are coaches that all of you reporters will already recognise, as they also worked with me at the national team set-up," he noted.

Beyond squad and staff composition, Shin also outlined the playing identity Persija will adopt under his leadership.

During his national team tenure, Shin was widely known for his pragmatic tactical approach. Indonesia consistently maintained disciplined defensive structure and relied on rapid counter-attacks when facing higher quality opposition.

"When I was with the national team, we almost always adopted a defend-first then counter approach, simply because nearly every opponent we faced was stronger and more developed than us," he explained.

At Persija however, Shin intends to implement a far more aggressive playing style. He stated the team must take initiative of matches and establish dominance within domestic competition.

To deliver this, he emphasised that careful squad construction will be critical, including selection decisions for foreign registered players.

"For the domestic league, we will hold further detailed discussions with Mr Panca and the rest of the Persija Jakarta management team, particularly regarding foreign player recruitment. Once that foundation is set, we will be able to deliver a much better, faster, and more attacking style of football," he added.

With his established track record with the Indonesia National Team and proven history developing young talent, Shin Tae-yong carries high public expectations to return Persija to genuine title contention.