John Herdman emphasizes Cesar Meylan’s role and youth focus for Indonesia’s national football team

John Herdman, appointed as Indonesia’s national team head coach in January 2026, arrived in Jakarta accompanied by performance‑coach Dr. Cesar Meylan. The 45‑year‑old American, who previously worked with Herdman in Canada and at Toronto FC, is tasked with overseeing players’ physical condition, sleep programmes and overall fitness.

Herdman said the main challenge is the long‑haul travel many players face before representing the Red‑White, a situation familiar from his Canada tenure. He stressed that older players aged 28‑36 are unlikely to feature in his plans, shifting the focus to younger talent. Prospects such as Dony Tri Pamungkas and Marselino Ferdinan – the latter currently on loan in Europe from Oxford United – have been highlighted as examples of the youth he wants to develop and expose to overseas competition.

The coach’s remarks underline a strategic pivot toward building a younger, internationally‑experienced squad, with Meylan’s conditioning expertise supporting the transition.