MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA — The dismissal of Shin Tae-yong as head coach of Indonesia’s national football team has raised concerns about the team’s preparation for the upcoming Third Round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Secretary of the Muhammadiyah Department of Sports Development as well as a football analyst Fajar Junaedi highlighted the challenges posed by the sudden change.
“Replacing the coach requires time for players to adapt to the new leadership. Unfortunately, the new coach won’t have much time to build a connection with the players, as Indonesia is set to face Australia and Bahrain in March 2025,” Fajar explained on January 6.
Fajar, who is also teaching staff at the Department of Communication Studies of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, analyzed the situation using a communication theory. He referenced the Uncertainty Reduction Theory, which explains how individuals experience uncertainty when interacting with someone new.
“There are two types of uncertainty. First, it is cognitive uncertainty, which involves the belief, knowledge, and information about a person during an interaction. Second, it is behavioral uncertainty, which pertains to predicting how individuals will act in certain situations,” he said.
According to Fajar, players will need time to reduce these uncertainties as they adjust to the new coach. He added that this internal challenge is aggravated by external pressures, including media narratives and framing as well as public pressures on social media.
“Shin Tae-yong was a media favorite, widely loved by both the press and the public. The new coach, whoever it is, will face significant internal and external challenges,” he said.
Fajar also emphasized the importance of effective communication during this transition, drawing attention to the concept of mindfulness in managing anxiety and uncertainty.
“Good communication relies on mindfulness, which involves consciously addressing and reducing uncertainty and anxiety in interactions. Both the new coach and the players will need to embrace mindfulness to overcome these challenges,” said Fajar.
