Blues centre-half Elkan Baggott, who is on loan at Gillingham for the season, won’t be joining up with the Indonesia squad for the group stages of the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup but could link up with them later in the tournament, TWTD understands.
On Tuesday, the 20-year-old was named in a 28-man squad for a training camp which starts on Monday in Bali with Indonesia set to start their group matches when they host Cambodia on December 23rd.
Indonesia head coach Shin Tae-yong travelled to the UK last week to meet with Town and the Gills to request Baggott’s involvement in the competition.
We understand that while the clubs weren’t willing to release the central defender for the group stages, they will allow him to travel for the semi-finals and final should Indonesia progress.
Baggott and Indonesia reached the final of last year’s tournament, which they lost 6-2 to Thailand over two legs, but with the Blues centre-half controversially banned from the second leg.
The two-legged semi-finals are played between January 6th and 10th, while the final, again over two legs, will take place on January 13th and 16th.
Baggott joined the League Two Gills in July and has now made 23 starts and one sub appearance, scoring twice.
Asked whether he has been getting good reports from Gills boss Neil Harris regarding Baggott earlier this month, Town boss Kieran McKenna said: "Very much so, they are really pleased with him.
"We've watched all of his games and he's getting the things we wanted him to get from the loan and improving and learning with every game. Hopefully, that process will continue.”
Baggott, who was born in Thailand to an English father and Indonesian mother and brought up in Colchester, has won 12 full Indonesia caps and has scored two international goals.