Gerald Vanenburg opens opportunities for local staff in Indonesia U-23 national team

Unlike his predecessor, Gerald Vanenburg demonstrates a more open attitude toward involving local staff in the Indonesia U-23 national team coaching lineup.

This decision emerges amid a crisis of local coaches in Indonesian football — no Indonesian coach handles a Liga 1 club since the dismissal of Imran Nahumarury from Malut United.

In contrast to Patrick Kluivert’s approach who only included Sofie Imam Faizal as physical assistant coach under Quentin Jacoba, while his three technical assistants — Alex Pastoor, Denny Landzaat, and Gerald Vanenburg — all come from the Netherlands.

Vanenburg’s step aligns with the tradition of foreign national team coaches who typically always include local coaches in their staff lineup — an approach that was briefly interrupted during Kluivert’s era.