The Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) is planning to recall this duo to join the Indonesian national team at the 2022 AFC U23 Asian Cup tournament.
However, PSSI president, Mochamad Iriawan said that this intention is very difficult to realize. The possibility for Baggott’s club, Ipswich Town and Egy’s club, FK Senica to both potential return to join the U23 team may be very small.
Furthermore, the AFC U23 Asian Cup is not on the FIFA calendar. Therefore, the clubs are not obliged to release the summoned players.
“Baggott and Egy will be returning to their parent club abroad. This requires us to have a serious discussion with the clubs if we want to borrow them again. Hopefully that can be done.” Iriawan said.
Elkan Baggott signed his first professional contract in January 2021, agreeing to stay at Ipswich Town until 2023 plus the option of a year extension.
In the second half of 2020/2021, Elkan Baggott was loaned by Ipswich Town to a fifth-tier English Premier League club, King’s Lynn Town, for half a season.
Earlier, coach Shin Tae Yong announced that he would not bring Baggott, Egy, Witan Sulaeman and Asnawi Mangkualam to the AFC U23 Asian Cup. The four players are all active in foreign clubs, so it is not easy to participate in a youth tournament that is not in the FIFA system.
“About the list of players, I asked coach Shin Tae Yong. He said he had a list for the Indonesia U23 team. But currently only a few players participate,” added Iriawan.
The AFC U23 Asian Cup Championship is scheduled to take place in Cambodia from February 14 to 26, 2022. In this tournament, the Indonesia U23 team is in Group B along with Malaysia, Myanmar and Laos.
