The coach of the Indonesian U23 national team, Shin Tae-yong (STY), cried after Garuda Muda failed to make it to the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Indonesian U23 national team will certainly not be able to go to the 2024 Olympics after suffering a 0-1 defeat to Guinea in the playoff match.
Competing in Clairefontaine, France, on Thursday (9/5/2024), Guinea’s only goal against the Indonesian national team was scored by Ilaix Moriba (29′ penalty). After the Indonesia vs Guinea match, Shin Tae-yong couldn’t help but cry. He has his own reasons for shedding tears.
The match against Guinea was marked by referee Francois Letexier’s leadership which Shin Tae-yong considered detrimental to the Indonesian U23 national team. STY even got a red card from Francois Letexier for protesting loudly.
Shin Tae-yong received a second yellow card or red card in the 75th minute. STY was given a red card after protesting to referee Francois Letexier who awarded Guinea a penalty after Alfreandra Dewangga was judged to have fouled Algassime Bah in the penalty box.
After Shin Tae-yong received a red card, the South Korean coach looked disappointed. He protested several times and didn’t even want to leave the field when the referee kept asking him to leave the side of the game. Luckily, after the match resumed, the ball from Algssime Bah’s penalty kick did not enter the Indonesian national team’s goal because it hit Ernando Ari’s right goal post.
Indonesian U23 national team defender, Ilham Rio Fahmi, admitted that it was the first time he and his teammates had seen STY cry in the dressing room. In fact, the coach from South Korea had asked his team’s children in the Indonesian U23 national team not to cry after losing to Guinea.
“So, initially all the players tried to stay strong because Shin Tae-yong said why we were crying after the match,” said Ilham Rio Fahmi. “However, because the achievements we had made were extraordinary, Shin Tae-yong was sad and shed tears,” he continued. “Finally the whole team embraced and cried because in one step we had been able to create history, but we had not made a fortune,” he said.
The manager of the Indonesian U23 national team, Sumardji, also expressed the same thing. He said, the whole team felt sad after losing to Guinea. There were a number of factors that made the Indonesian U23 national team players and Shin Tae-yong cry, one of which was the leadership of referee Francois Letexier which was considered unfair.
“The most touching thing is, this is really hard work as we had planned,” said Sumardji. “Then, coach Shin Tae-yong had tears in his eyes and I just saw that. I ended up getting carried away and ended up (crying),” he said.
