John Herdman Urged Not to Overlook Three Local Players Ahead of November FIFA Matchday
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- Adam Alis, Irfan Jaya, dan Zanadin Fariz tampil menonjol di kompetisi domestik dan layak dipertimbangkan untuk skuad Garuda.
- Konsistensi di level klub, termasuk pengalaman di kompetisi Asia, menjadi pembeda ketiganya dari pemain lokal lain.
- Panggilan ini bisa menjadi sinyal bahwa pintu Timnas tetap terbuka bagi talenta dalam negeri di tengah derasnya naturalisasi.
Indonesia national team coach John Herdman faces a selection test ahead of the November 2026 FIFA Matchday. Amid the heavy influx of naturalized and diaspora players, three local names have emerged as candidates worth considering to strengthen the Garuda Squad.
They are Adam Alis (Persib Bandung), Irfan Jaya (Bali United), and Zanadin Fariz (Persik Kediri). All three have shown consistent form with their respective clubs in the 2026/2027 BRI Super League, with some even playing in Asian competitions. Herdman is said to need to give local players room so that squad depth does not depend solely on imported reinforcements.
Adam Alis, 32, is the axis of Persib's midfield. He not only dominates the domestic competition but is also trusted to play in the 2026/2027 AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2). Of his five appearances in the competition, four were as a starter. That experience competing at Asia's elite level is an added value that is hard to ignore.
On the wing, Irfan Jaya has become Bali United's main weapon. The 29-year-old winger has contributed four goals and three assists from eight league appearances, plus one goal and one assist in the League Cup. His international record is also impressive: six goals from 22 caps with the Indonesia national team, including when the Garuda fought in the 2023 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Zanadin Fariz represents the younger generation. The 22-year-old midfielder has always been a first choice in Persik Kediri's midfield. From eight matches, he has almost always played the full game with a total of 695 minutes and one goal. In the League Cup, he added 65 minutes and one assist. Consistency at a young age is a positive signal for the national team's regeneration.
"Local players have the same opportunity as long as they show their best performance at their clubs. Domestic and Asian competitions are the stage to prove it," said a national football observer, responding to the trio's chances.
Indonesian context: Herdman's selection this time is in the spotlight because the national football public often questions the balance between naturalized players and local talent. The decision to call up players from the BRI Super League will be a signal that the domestic development pathway is still valued. The impact is not only on the domestic competition but also on the motivation of young footballers to break into the national team.
With the FIFA Matchday schedule drawing ever closer, Herdman is required to decide quickly. Will he give this local trio a chance, or continue to rely on names already established on the international stage? The answer will be an indicator of the national team's policy direction in the coming years.
