Indonesian football is frantically looking for solutions for naturalized players
According to CNN Indonesia, some clubs in Liga 1 are willing to negotiate and pay enough salaries to recruit unemployed naturalized players in Europe to return to play in this country. Thereby, it will help them continue to maintain their performance, to participate in the Indonesian team in the fourth qualifying round of the Asian region to compete for a ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
The Indonesian team will suffer many disadvantages in their goal of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. Pictured is midfielder Thom Haye.
Photo: Reuters
However, recently Thom Haye, one of the six unemployed naturalized players of the Indonesian national team, has spoken out about the possibility of returning to play in his country. He did not rule out any possibility, but admitted that he could not make a decision at this time.
"Yes, maybe people will find my answer a bit disappointing, but I'm not sure which club (in Liga 1) I will join at this time. I'm quite calm, we'll see how the transfer market develops, you see, there will be more attraction," Haye said in the podcast "The Haye Way" on YouTube on June 21.
Thom Haye, 30 years old, has been a mainstay of the Indonesian national team for a long time, with 14 appearances and 2 goals. He used to play for SC Heerenveen in the Dutch National Championship, where Vietnamese national team player Doan Van Hau joined in 2019-2020.
In the 2024-2025 season, Haye joined Almere City Club in the Dutch second division, playing a total of 30 matches. But after the season ended, his contract was not renewed, leaving him unemployed as he is now.
In the same situation as Thom Haye, there are also Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Justin Hubner, Rafael Struick, Shayne Pattynama and Jordi Amat. These are important players for the Indonesian team, while the fourth qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia is only about 3 months away. Therefore, it has caused great concern for fans of the archipelago.
The Indonesian team has great expectations in the fourth qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia, but is facing problems with many key players unemployed.
Photo: Reuters
CNN Indonesia said that Persija Jakarta has made an offer to Thom Haye, but the player has not accepted. Meanwhile, Thom Haye also revealed that he is interested in some clubs in the Bundesliga (Germany), Eredivisie (Netherlands), Serie A (Italy) and even J-League 1 (Japan). Therefore, he is still waiting for the opportunity to join one of the clubs in higher-level leagues to compete in the 2025-2026 season.
"I've tried to explain before, and I've learned from the past, you can't close the door on everything before it's certain to happen. Because, you never know what the outcome will be. So let's wait and see what happens. For me, all opportunities are open," Thom Haye emphasized.
According to Thom Haye, not only him, but other players of the Indonesian team who do not have a new club to join are also patiently waiting for their opportunity. Their goal is to still hope to play in suitable clubs and quality tournaments, to continue to improve their abilities.
Thom Haye also confirmed that he and his teammates in the Indonesian team aim to win first place in one of the two groups (drawn on July 17) in the fourth qualifying round of the Asian region to win a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
"We are not thinking about second place (play-off), but about being top of the group to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Only when the group draw results are out, will everything be clearer, including whether we will have to play in Qatar or Saudi Arabia," Thom Haye expressed.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cau-thu-nhap-tich-indonesia-khong-muon-ve-nuoc-thi-dau-that-nghiep-den-bao-lau-185250622103448536.htm
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