Kevin Diks furious as 'Shin Tae-yong' chants ring out at GBK: Indonesia held 0-0 by Malaysia

Kevin Diks walked out of the tunnel at Gelora Bung Karno with a tense face. He had just endured one of the most gruelling 90 minutes of his Indonesia career. As a reporter raised a microphone, a chant echoed from the stands: "Shin Tae-yong! Shin Tae-yong!" The home captain froze. He looked toward the crowd, where a section of supporters still yearned for the predecessor who had lifted Indonesian football to new heights. The atmosphere turned heavy. The match had just ended 0-0, a result that felt like a wound at home. But for Diks, the most painful thing was not the score; it was the way the fans turned their backs on their own coach. The context: Indonesia faced Malaysia in the second Group A match of the 2026 ASEAN Cup, known as the Nusantara Derby. It is a contest loaded with regional symbolism. Indonesians expected a full three points to top the group. But events soon went astray. In the 4th minute, Justin Hubner put the ball into the Malaysian net from a dead-ball situation, but the referee disallowed it for a foul. Then, in the 36th minute, midfielder Thom Haye received a straight red card after a VAR check for a challenge on Arif Aiman. Indonesia were left with 10 men for around 60 minutes. A nightmare scenario had arrived. Yet the hosts stood firm. The defensive pair of Justin Hubner and Elkan Baggott, alongside goalkeeper Maarten Paes, played like walls. They repeatedly repelled Malaysia's attacks. Paes made at least three excellent saves, keeping a clean sheet in a match where the visitors dominated possession. Malaysia had the ball and the chances, but could not break through the packed low block. Official numbers were not released — no xG, no PPDA — but everyone watching could see the game's breathing rhythm rested in Paes' hands. Some numbers only speak the truth at midnight; on the night of September 28 in Jakarta, the price of survival was found in those saves. But football is not only defending. Down to ten men early, Indonesia barely registered a shot on target in the second half. They retreated deep, turning the match into a monotonous resistance. With a squad full of Europe-based players — Kevin Diks of Borussia Mönchengladbach, Hubner, Baggott, Paes — Indonesia were rated far above Malaysia in individual quality. So the 0-0 draw at home was considered an underwhelming result. Yet from a data perspective, keeping a clean sheet for 60 minutes with ten men is a number that speaks. It shows tactical discipline and fighting spirit. However, probability is not meant to be believed; it is meant to be slept with. That night, Indonesians slept with anxiety about their silent attack. The crowd at Gelora Bung Karno did not care much about such analysis. To them, chanting Shin Tae-yong's name was a political message aimed at the Football Association of Indonesia and coach John Herdman. Shin, who led Indonesia through SEA Games, AFF Cup and into the third round of World Cup qualifying, remains an icon. Even after being sacked in 2026 to make way for Herdman, his spiritual presence lingers. Hearing his name inside the Nusantara Derby was not a tribute to the past; it was a rebuke of the present. When you stand far enough away, every heatmap becomes a painting; the painting that night showed a commander being turned on by his own stands. Diks did not hide his disappointment. In the post-match interview, the Indonesia captain said: "I don't think that was the right thing to do. Those chants damage the fighting mentality of the whole team. We are fighting for the shirt, for the country, and we deserve support." He also urged fans to look forward instead of living in the past. Diks' stand was a rare display of leadership from an Asian player. He protected the coach and his teammates amid a media storm. But his bluntness was a double-edged sword: it could heal the dressing room while widening the gap between the team and a section of supporters. Tactically, Indonesia paid for their impatience in the 36th minute. Haye's red card removed a key midfield link. The immediate consequence is a suspension for the next match, forcing Herdman to reshuffle while the attack lacks ideas. Without an adequate replacement, Indonesia will face harder battles against direct rivals. In Group A, Malaysia lead on goal difference, while Indonesia are second with four points. The gap is just one win, but the psychological pressure weighs heavily on the hosts. People look at the table; I see breathing. Indonesia's breathing after this match was uneven. Consider Indonesia's squad in this tournament. Kevin Diks, Justin Hubner, Elkan Baggott and Maarten Paes all developed in European football. They bring technique, physique and high-level experience. This naturalization strategy has been pursued by the Indonesian federation for years. But it also creates an identity gap. A section of fans still want homegrown players from domestic academies and a team closer to the grassroots dream. When the team fails to win, that gap is quickly filled with nostalgia and doubt. Shin Tae-yong once succeeded with the same kinds of players, in an era when expectations were not so high. Now Herdman carries a burden he did not create and pays for unavoidable comparisons. Contrary to the tragic veneer of a 0-0 draw, there is a counter-intuitive angle. Indonesia were not defeated, did not collapse while a man down, and still hold second place. If the referee had not disallowed Hubner's goal, the story might have been different. But football does not feed on "what ifs". What lingers in the minds of fans is a talented team playing small, cowering against a Malaysia side that was not overwhelming. The gap between squad quality and actual performance is the root of the anger. And when fans no longer believe in the present, they return to the past, to a sedative called Shin Tae-yong. That is why the chant was not isolated but spread like a chain reaction. The biggest lesson of Monday, September 28 may not lie in points or tactics. It lies in the connection between the team and the fans. Kevin Diks defended his coach, the players gave everything for each other, but the atmosphere in the stands told another story. The fans are growing cold, and a team that loses fan trust will soon lose their home advantage. The Indonesian federation cannot stay silent. It is time to publicly back John Herdman or accept a prolonged crisis of belief. Without concrete action, every upcoming Indonesia match could become a nostalgia chorus for the old coach. The 0-0 draw against Malaysia, Thom Haye's red card, Hubner's disallowed goal, and the persistent chant of "Shin Tae-yong" at Gelora Bung Karno combined into a complicated night. Indonesia are not dead; their qualification hopes remain alive. But their real battle now is not on the pitch; it is in the hearts of a faction of supporters. Can John Herdman survive? Can Kevin Diks and his teammates use results to heal trust? Answers will come in the third matchday, when the ball rolls again and the stands roar once more. And if the chant is still there, then at midnight the numbers will speak again.