Jakarta. Indonesia coach John Herdman declined on Monday to promise supporters a title at the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, saying the only guarantee he can make is that his team will give everything it has when the tournament begins later this month.

Indonesia will host Division 1 of the new FIFA tournament, which kicks off on Sept. 25, as the national team looks to bounce back from a disappointing AFF Cup campaign last month in which it failed to reach the semifinals.

“I think we have to promise that we're going to give everything we've got. That's the only thing we can promise the fans,” Herdman said in Jakarta.

His comments underline a measured approach ahead of a tournament Indonesia will play on home soil and where expectations are likely to be high.

Indonesia has been drawn in Group A alongside Bangladesh, Malaysia and Singapore.

Group B comprises Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand and the Philippines.

All Group A matches will be played at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, while Group B games will take place at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung, West Java.

The Garuda will begin their campaign against Singapore on Sept. 25 before facing archrival Malaysia three days later. Indonesia will conclude the group stage against Bangladesh on Oct. 1.

While Herdman stopped short of guaranteeing the championship, he made clear that effort and commitment would be non-negotiable as Indonesia seeks a stronger showing following its AFF Cup disappointment.

He said the commitment required to succeed in the tournament extends beyond the players, with the coaching staff and supporters also having roles to play.

“I think my team, the players, always play with full respect for the badge,” he said.

However, the former Canada national team coach said he would not make promises about results because too many elements of a football match remain beyond a team's control.

“You can't promise things you can't control. You can't control the luck of the game, you can't control refereeing decisions,” Herdman said.

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