Illustrative photo via Pexels
Indonesia’s national team has a new name on its training-camp list. Noah Adnan, a 24-year-old defender for Loudoun United in the United States’ second tier, has been called up by head coach John Herdman for a camp in Bali running until November 17, the team announced on its official Instagram account on Tuesday.
Adnan, whose father is from Jakarta and whose mother is American, stands 1.87 metres tall, is right-footed and plays mainly as a centre-back, with the option of filling in at right-back, according to iNews and Jawa Pos. This is his first call-up to the national setup.
He is one of 22 players in the camp. Taisei Marukawa is the other first-timer, joining established names including goalkeeper Nadeo Argawinata, defenders Rizky Ridho and Mees Hilgers, midfielder Ivar Jenner and attackers Egy Maulana Vikri and Ragnar Oratmangoen.
Being in camp is not the same as making the squad. Adnan still has to win a place in the final selection, and Indonesian outlets have framed the camp as his chance to show Herdman what he can do.
Our analysis
Adnan’s call-up says a lot about where Indonesian football is going. The diaspora pipeline that began with players from the Netherlands is now reaching North America, and Herdman, who coached in Canada, knows that market better than most. A tall, right-footed centre-back is useful to any squad. The question is whether second-tier American football has prepared him for the pace of international matches in Asia.
For fans, the more immediate story is competition. With Hilgers and Ridho already established, Adnan is unlikely to start straight away. A good week in Bali could still make him the backup option Indonesia has lacked in central defence.
Sources: iNews, Jawa Pos / Prokalteng. Sections marked “Our analysis” are Irrawaddy Media’s independent assessment. Photo: Pexels (illustrative).
