Indonesia wants Mourinho to coach football team

May 11, 2016Updated May 30, 20251 min read

Indonesia wants to hire Jose Mourinho to coach its national football team, the country’s minister of Youth and Sports said on Tuesday.Dutchman Guus Hiddink is their second preferred candidate. Hiddink replaced Mourinho ona a part-time basis at English club Chelsea midway through the ongoing season, reports Efe.”This plan has been discussed with President Joko Widodo and the Chairman of the Indonesian Olympics Committee, Erick Thohir, even though this won’t be easy,” minister Imam Nahrawi said, according to the Antara news agency on Tuesday.

The sports minister acknowledged that the salary of Portuguese coach Mourinho could be a problem, as he charges around $17 million per season.Hiddink is said to be more affordable.Mourinho is scheduled to coach team FIFA legends in a friendly match on Wednesday against stars of Mexican football to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca stadium.

World football governing body FIFA last year suspended the Indonesian team due to government interference, which will prevent it from participating in the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Asia Cup qualifiers.

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Mei Ling Tan

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Mei Ling Tan is the Editor of Retail News Asia, where she leads the editorial team in delivering in-depth coverage of Asia’s dynamic retail landscape. With over a decade of experience in business journalism, Mei Ling is known for her sharp analysis, deep industry insights, and commitment to uncovering the stories behind Asia’s most innovative retail brands. Before joining Retail News Asia, Mei Ling held senior reporting roles at regional business publications, covering everything from consumer trends to digital transformation in retail. A graduate of the National University of Singapore with a degree in Communications and New Media, she combines journalistic integrity with a strong understanding of evolving market forces. Outside the newsroom, Mei Ling is a frequent speaker at industry panels and a mentor for young journalists.

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