Indonesia national team legends Budi Sudarsono and Ilham Jaya Kesuma were optimistic about the Timnas Garuda‘s chances in the upcoming 2022 AFF Championship, with the duo saying that this year could be the year that Indonesia would clinch the elusive title that had evaded them so far.
Both Budi and Ilham were featured as guest stars in the AFF Championship’s trophy tour, which made a stop at Jakarta’s Lippo Mall Puri on Saturday.
A prolific striker during his time with Persita Tangerang, Ilham revealed that 6-time AFF Championship runners-up Indonesia need to improve on their mental state whenever they take on the regional’s powerhouses such as Thailand and Vietnam.
“The key is one’s mental state,” said Ilham, who was the top-scorer of the 2004 AFF Championship, “We need to prepare the players’ state of mind and strengthen them whenever we face tough oppositions such as Thailand or Vietnam. We often do well in the group stages, winning by a huge margin against an opposition, but in the knockouts, it’s a different ball game. Against the same opposition, we need to improve our mental state in order to succeed.”
Persik Kediri legend Budi was equally positive about Indonesia’s chances in this year’s AFF Championship.
“This year can be our year,” said Budi, “We’ve been waiting for too long.”
Budi voiced his optimism towards Shin Tae-yong’s Indonesia squad, which blends together experience, youth, and naturalization, as well as Tae-yong’s trust towards Persikabo 1973 striker Dimas Drajad, who has scored in Indonesia’s three most recent matches.
“We have an excellent squad because Shin Tae-yong has done well with his young players. His honing of them is incredible,” said Budi, “For the past few years we have struggled to find a competent striker, but I trust Tae-yong and his choice for a striker. He has the ability to secure a good striker for the upcoming AFF Championship.”
Tae-yong has named 28 players to participate in his training camp to prepare for the 2022 AFF Championship in Bali, which will start on Tuesday. The 28 players include Liga 1 Indonesia stars such as Nadeo Argawinata, Hansamu Yama, Rachmat Irianto, Ricky Kambuaya, Yakob Sayuri, and Drajad, naturalized players in Marc Klok, Sandy Walsh, and Jordi Amat, as well as foreign-based players in Egy Maulana Vikri, Pratama Arhan, Saddil Ramdani, Witan Sulaeman and Asnawi Mangkualam.