Use the right players for the right tournament, Mr. Kim Sang-sik’s strategy
At the AFF Cup 2024, a number of teams sent very young players to participate, with the purpose of preparing for SEA Games 33 in 2025. The number of teams using young forces includes Indonesia, Laos and Myanmar. Mr. Kim Sang-sik knows that clearly.
After winning the AFF Cup 2024, Vietnamese football is full of confidence towards the 33rd SEA Games championship in 2025.
However, this is not necessarily a good method at the national team level. In fact, all three teams mentioned above that used too young forces were defeated by the Vietnamese team in the AFF Cup group stage. At the same time, there is another reality that has appeared with the Vietnamese team under coach Troussier: we used to use the core force for the national team as very young players, and then these players not only not progressing as expected, but also weakening the national team.
Young player Bui Vi Hao
According to famous and experienced football experts in Vietnam, such as coach Phan Thanh Hung, Hoang Anh Tuan, and former coach Doan Minh Xuong, young players only improve quickly once they play alongside seasoned players. Experienced and mentored by experienced seniors. When young players play against each other at the national team level, it can easily backfire, because at that time the players are too young to easily be “overwhelmed” by great pressure, by stronger and wiser opponents. than.
Therefore, the fact that teams like Laos or Myanmar use a young force to participate in the AFF Cup 2024 is no guarantee that that same young force will shine at the 33rd SEA Games in 2025. The proof is that Myanmar football continues to perform. They have been working on rejuvenation for more than ten years, but they have never become a really strong team in tournaments from the SEA Games to the AFF Cup, the reason is because they rejuvenated with the wrong method.
As for Indonesia, their use of the U.22 force to participate in the 2024 AFF Cup has so far been criticized more than praised. The media of the land of thousands of islands is also suspicious that the Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) only provided coach Shin Tae-yong with the U.22 team to attend the AFF Cup, in order to find a way to “play dirty” on the Korean coach. an excuse to fire Mr. Shin Tae-yong, not because of the overall performance of Indonesian football.
The group of players participating in the Asian U.23 tournament in 2024 and the Asian U.20 tournament in 2023 are ready for the SEA Games
In that context, those interested in Vietnamese football need to be very calm, we still have a source of young players to look forward to SEA Games 33 and the 2026 Asian U.23 tournament qualifiers (taking place in September). this year). Coach Hoang Anh Tuan commented: “When the time is right, coach Kim Sang-sik will use the appropriate force for each task. We still have the group of players who participated in the U.23 Asian tournament last year and The group of players who participated in the U.20 Asian tournament 2 years ago are players in the age group participating in the 33rd SEA Games in 2025 and the 2026 U.23 Asian tournament.
When the time is right, coach Kim Sang-sik will use appropriate forces for the Vietnamese teams
Regarding the force that participated in last year’s Asian U.23 tournament, Vietnamese football has goalkeeper Huy Hoang, defenders Le Nguyen Hoang, Minh Trong, Ho Van Cuong, midfielders Thai Son, Nguyen Van Truong, Phi Hoang, and midfielder. Director Van Tung… has not appeared at the AFF Cup 2024. As for the U.20 group participating in the Asian tournament 2 years ago, Vietnamese football has more goalkeeper Cao Van Binh, defenders Manh Hung, Duc Anh, striker Quoc Viet, Thanh Nhan, Dinh Bac…
If this number is added to goalkeepers Van Viet, Trung Kien, Khuat Van Khang and Bui Vi Hao (only Trung Kien, Van Khang and Vi Hao just attended the 2024 AFF Cup), Vietnamese football will have a force of U. 23 is very good, ready to conquer the SEA Games 33 men’s soccer championship in 2025 and the 2026 Asian U.23 qualifying round. The remaining important thing is that they are further trained at the V-League this year, to be ready in terms of experience and performance, towards the international tournaments mentioned above!
