The 7/8 result at Jalan Besar Stadium placed Indonesia third in Group A with 7 points from four matches. Vietnam led the group with 10 points, while Singapore secured second place with 8 points, both advancing to the semifinals. This outcome marks a significant setback for Indonesia, especially after starting the tournament with two consecutive victories and holding a strong position for progression.

Coach John Herdman after Vietnam defeated Indonesia 3-0 in the fourth Group A match of the ASEAN Cup 2026, at Pakansari Stadium, Bogor, Indonesia, on 3/8. *Photo: VDN*

Immediately following the final whistle, a wave of criticism against coach Herdman erupted on social media platform X. The hashtag "#JohnHerdmanOut" appeared in dozens of posts, with many fans holding the Canadian coach responsible for Indonesia's early exit.

User @ImamRamadiansya posted simply, "John out," accompanied by the hashtag "#johnherdmanout." Many others also posted only the "#JohnHerdmanOut" hashtag, expressing their desire for a coaching change.

User @quintta1217 even called for changes in the Indonesian football leadership, writing, "#JohnHerdmanOut #ErickThohirOut." Erick Thohir serves as the Minister of Youth and Sports and is also the President of the Indonesian Football Association.

A post from @syahrulftzamani gained considerable attention, criticizing Herdman's lack of tactical options when Indonesia faced a stalemate. The fan wrote, "Is that all, John? No plan B, poor tactics, disjointed attack, and chaotic defense," along with "#JohnHerdmanOut." Meanwhile, user @bintang_fdjar expressed dissatisfaction with Herdman's player selection, stating, "#JohnHerdmanOut, terrible player choices." The page @theflankerID also acknowledged the growing opposition, questioning, "Is there already a #JohnHerdmanOut wave?" Another post by @indepenSumatera was widely reshared, declaring, "Indonesia packs its bags. It's over. John Herdman or Erick Thohir, leave," implying the team's swift departure from the tournament.

Vietnam defeated Indonesia 3-0 in the fourth Group A match of the ASEAN Cup 2026, at Pakansari Stadium, Bogor, Indonesia, on 3/8. *Photo: Duc Dong*

Beyond the match result, many fans compared Herdman to his predecessor, Shin Tae-yong. Indonesian media reported opinions suggesting that if Shin Tae-yong faced criticism for failures in youth tournaments, Herdman should receive similar scrutiny for failing to guide Indonesia past the ASEAN Cup group stage. After Indonesia's group stage elimination from the ASEAN Cup 2024 with an under-23 squad, coach Shin Tae-yong was also dismissed. Consequently, many Indonesian fans now expect Herdman to face a similar fate.

Before the tournament, Herdman was expected to lead Indonesia to contend for the championship title, leveraging a roster of naturalized players and a squad considered among Southeast Asia's strongest. The team began favorably with a 5-1 victory over Cambodia, followed by a 3-0 win against Timor Leste, securing all six points from their initial two matches.

However, a 0-3 defeat to Vietnam in the third match dropped Indonesia to third place. In the decisive match against Singapore, they needed a win to secure a semifinal spot. Indonesia largely controlled the game and opened the scoring early in the second half through Ragnar Oratmangoen. A turning point occurred when a red card for Song Ui-young was overturned after the referee consulted VAR. Shortly after, Ilhan Fandi capitalized on a defensive error to equalize 1-1 for Singapore in the 66th minute.

Indonesia intensified their attack for the remainder of the match but could not score again. The draw left them with 7 points, one point behind Singapore, leading to their elimination.

This marks the first time Herdman has faced significant fan pressure since taking charge of Indonesia in early 2026. Following the 0-3 loss to Vietnam, media and fans criticized him for squad rotation, but the wave of backlash truly erupted after the national team's failure to advance past the group stage of the ASEAN Cup 2026.

By Hoang An