John Herdman’s Leadership Earns Diplomatic Praise in Jakarta

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta -Indonesia's recent rise in the FIFA rankings under head coach John Herdman has earned praise from Canadian Ambassador to Indonesia Jess Dutton.

Ambassador Dutton expressed belief that the former Canada's team manager can guide the Southeast Asian nation to greater success on the international stage.

Speaking at a media gathering in Jakarta on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Ambassador Dutton said he was pleased to see Herdman take charge of Indonesia's national team.

"I am very happy to see John Herdman come here and become the coach of Indonesia's national football team," Dutton said, as quoted by Antara.

The ambassador noted that Herdman guided both Canada's men's and women's national teams to FIFA World Cup qualification, a rare achievement that highlights his credentials as one of the most accomplished international coaches.

Under Herdman, Canada's women's team qualified for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2007 and 2011 and won back-to-back Olympic bronze medals in 2012 and 2016.

He later led the Canadian men's team, featuring Alphonso Davies and others, to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, ending the country's 36-year absence from the tournament.

Dutton said he believes Indonesia will continue to develop and achieve success under Herdman's leadership.

The English coach was appointed by the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) in January and was also given responsibility for Indonesia's Under-23 team. He replaced Patrick Kluivert, who was dismissed from the national team coaching role in October 2025.

Herdman remains the only coach to have guided both the men's and women's national teams of the same country to FIFA World Cup qualification.

Indonesia has already shown signs of progress under his leadership. The team climbed four places in the latest FIFA rankings after securing a 3-0 victory over Oman and a 1-0 win over Mozambique during this month's FIFA Matchday fixtures.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Indonesia stood at 118th in the FIFA rankings with 1,157.14 points, having gained 12.25 points from its two victories.

The ranking boost has reinforced optimism that Indonesia can sustain its upward trajectory in international football under Herdman’s leadership.. ***