EXCLUSIVE: John Herdman, Two Rules Are Non-Negotiable in the Indonesian National Team
The coach of the Indonesian National Team, John Herdman, spoke to KOMPAS.com about two rules that are non-negotiable in the Indonesian National Team.
John Herdman wants to instill a new culture within the Indonesian National Team: brotherhood.
“We are here for one thing. And to do this, the culture must be one of brotherhood. We must feel like a national team family,” said John Herdman during an exclusive interview with KOMPAS.com journalist Firzie A. Idris in the Obrolan News Room (ONR) program.
In his conversation with KOMPAS.com, John Herdman, who has been coaching the Indonesian National Team since January 2026, discussed the code of ethics or rules in the dressing room that he formulated with the team leaders.
These seven players help John Herdman amplify the message he wants to convey in the Indonesian National Team’s dressing room.
Together with the team leaders, John Herdman formulated two rules or codes of ethics that are no longer negotiable within the Indonesian National Team.
“First, the national team family comes first; this is one of the non-negotiable keys,” said John Herdman to KOMPAS.com.
At that time, slogans such as “National Team Family Over Everything”, “Sacrifice Your Ego”, and “280 Million Reasons” adorned the Indonesian National Team’s dressing room at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium.
When brotherhood is prioritized, members of the Indonesian National Team are expected to set aside individual interests. He wants his players to work together towards a single goal.
“Second, there is no ego. We are not here for Instagram; we are here for one reason, and that is to have no ego,” said Herdman.
“The others are personal matters. But I think there are two messages created by the leadership group for this team, and they will change over time, as we grow stronger and learn more about each other, the leadership group will change, and different people will join,” said John Herdman.
Herdman stated that the leadership group formed along with the agreed-upon rules is dynamic, following the journey the team takes.
“I think the message will change over time. It’s flexible, but as a coach, my job is to strengthen the team’s message.”
“So I think all of this is very important because people are focused on tactics. But in reality, if I don’t bridge the gap between players and make them connected to one reason why we are here…
We are not here for Instagram; we are not here for endorsements. We are not here to become famous.
We are here for one thing. And to do this, the culture must be one of brotherhood. We must feel like a national team family,” said Herdman.
KOMPAS.com is committed to providing clear, trustworthy, and balanced facts. Support the sustainability of quality journalism and enjoy ad-free reading comfort through Membership. Join KOMPAS.com Plus now.