Jakarta. Timur Kapadze, once touted as a leading candidate for the Indonesian national team coaching role, has been appointed head coach of Uzbek Premier League side Navbahor. The club confirmed his arrival on Monday through its website and official social media channels.

“Navbahor Football Club today officially introduces Timur Kapadze as our new head coach,” the club said in a statement. “The experienced coach has held extensive discussions with management and reached a full agreement on the club’s plans and future targets. Both parties have signed a contract.”

Kapadze’s return to club management comes just weeks after he resigned as coach of Uzbekistan’s senior national team. He had taken charge in January 2025 and led the country to its first-ever FIFA World Cup qualification, a historic achievement that elevated his profile both domestically and abroad.

However, he stepped down in November, and the Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA) soon named Italian World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro as his replacement for the 2026 campaign.

Kapadze’s success with Uzbekistan drew significant attention in Indonesia. Speculation peaked when he arrived in Indonesia on Nov. 21, shortly after Patrick Kluivert’s departure as head coach of the Indonesian national team. Kapadze was seen attending Friday prayers at Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque and later confirmed that the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) had contacted him.

With Kapadze now officially off the shortlist, attention has shifted to John Herdman, the former head coach of the Canadian national team. Herdman’s emergence as a contender was first reported by Sky Sports, which reported that the Englishman had already undergone an interview with PSSI.

Herdman, 50, is relatively unfamiliar to Indonesian fans, having never coached in Asia or Southeast Asia. His most prominent role was leading Canada from 2018, where he guided the national team to its first men’s World Cup appearance in 36 years. He left Toronto FC in 2024 and is currently unattached.

Herdman is reportedly competing with Dutch candidate Giovanni van Bronckhorst, also 50, who has coached in the Netherlands, Scotland, and Turkey. Van Bronckhorst most recently served as assistant coach to Arne Slot at Liverpool.

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