Herdman officially took over as the Indonesian national team coach on Saturday, but he revealed he had been in communication with Jay Idzes and several other key players since last Christmas.
Not to discuss the targets he wants to achieve with Indonesia, but he wants to use the Christmas moment to make an initial approach by greeting and introducing himself as the new coach of the Garuda team.
"Over Christmas, I wished many of them and their families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. But I've already spoken to the core group of players. I've had long conversations with the captains and several senior players," the 50-year-old coach said at the Mulia Hotel in Jakarta on Tuesday after his official introductory press conference.
"Not to directly discuss the World Cup, but to get to know them as people and introduce myself," he added.
The next step he will take is to hold virtual talks with Garuda players over the next two weeks to understand their views on the two-year journey to the 2026 World Cup, which ended in Saudi Arabia in October last year.
