Shocked by Vietnam's elimination from the group stage, Indonesia is about to urgently replace its coach.

Indonesian media wants to replace Coach Yulianto after the U17 Indonesia team was eliminated right from the group stage of the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship.

Following the failure right from the group stage at the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship, Coach Yulianto's position at U17 Indonesia is severely shaky. Indonesian media, particularly the website Bola, believes that the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) needs to quickly decide on a coaching change if it does not want to continue receiving disappointing results at the upcoming AFC U17 Championship Finals starting early May.

The home tournament was once seen as a major opportunity for U17 Indonesia to assert its regional status, but everything unfolded in the opposite direction. The archipelago's team only secured 4 points after 3 group stage matches, defeating Timor Leste 4-0, drawing with U17 Vietnam 0-0, and losing to U17 Malaysia 0-1. This result led to Indonesia's early elimination, even though they played supported by home fans.

The goalless draw against U17 Vietnam became the biggest focal point of criticism directed at Coach Yulianto. Indonesia needed to win, even win decisively to secure an advantage for progression, but the approach to the match was overly cautious. Many experts and fans believe Yulianto opted for a too-safe defensive style instead of proactive attacking, causing the home team to lose its opportunity right on home ground.

Bola evaluates Yulianto as an experienced former player with many years as an assistant in youth teams and the national team, even having worked with Coach Patrick Kluivert. However, when truly taking the helm for the first time, he has not left a clear mark. From tactics, personnel rotation methods to the ability to create a playing style identity, all are under significant questioning.

In the context that the AFC U17 Championship is about to commence in just a few days, pressure on PSSI is increasing. Indonesia is in a group with Japan, Qatar, and China, where the quarter-final goal equates to a ticket to the U17 World Cup. The opening match against China on May 5th is seen as pivotal, and many opinions suggest PSSI cannot risk keeping the current coaching staff if it hopes to advance far.

Instead of directly calling for dismissal, Indonesian media has begun listing potential replacements such as Indra Sjafri, Nova Arianto, or Charis Yulianto. These are all familiar names who understand the youth development system of Indonesian football. Nevertheless, the final decision rests with PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir. After the shock of being "blown away" from the Southeast Asian tournament by U17 Vietnam, Coach Yulianto's future clearly becomes more fragile than ever.

Indonesian fans speak candidly when Vietnam faces Malaysia in the final