Where will the Vietnamese team welcome naturalized players?

Strategy of the Vietnamese team

Before Nguyen Xuan Son appeared, the door of the Vietnamese team was rarely opened to naturalized players who did not have Vietnamese blood in them. At that time, the national team was still the story of pure Vietnamese players, or overseas Vietnamese, as in the case of Van Lam or Nguyen Filip.

However, Xuan Son’s brilliant performance with goals, in addition to his burning desire to contribute and patriotism, has opened the “valve” of thinking, causing prejudices about foreign players to become naturalized citizens. almost gone.

After Xuan Son, there have been names that have or could be naturalized mentioned as possible options for the Vietnamese team, from Vietnamese origin such as Kyle Colonna, Viktor Le, Pierre Lamothe to foreign origin such as Hendrio Araujo , Michael Olaha, Geovane Magno…

This is a good sign, proof that the Vietnamese team can welcome new resources that bring competitiveness and quality of football play (what if the Vietnamese team had 2 or 3 more players at this level? level like Xuan Son!?), instead of depending purely on youth training to look forward to a generation of talent that may appear in the near future. This is also the general trend of many teams around the world.

However, naturalization may be a shorter path, but it is not a “shortcut” to success.

Expert Doan Minh Xuong, head of the school football department of the Ho Chi Minh City Football Federation, commented: “V-League teams can naturalize players, but choosing who to recruit is the coach’s decision, and that decision Coach Kim Sang-sik needs to be careful and calculated. Coach Kim Sang-sik needs to clearly outline with the VFF’s professional committee: which positions we are weak, must have naturalized players (like strikers), which positions have Can be patient with domestic players, which positions need training young talent”.

Commentator Vu Quang Huy commented to the Newspaper Adolescent: set specific criteria to choose the right person such as having a high level compared to domestic players in the same position, being able to speak Vietnamese at a basic communication level on the field, being willing to contribute to the team, being suitable suitable for long-term plans, love Vietnamese culture and country…

Where is the Vietnamese team weak?

Nguyen Xuan Son made a brilliant impression, because he was not only classy, ​​but also played in a position that Vietnamese football has always been weak in: striker.

Previously, coach Kim Sang-sik had agile and skillful midfielders, but lacked an omnipotent center forward who could compete and sweep to open the way for his teammates to advance. Xuan Son has brought the perfect puzzle piece, so that the Vietnamese team can truly understand what a classy striker can bring.

After Xuan Son, it is Jason Quang Vinh’s turn to be mentioned. Players born in 1997 are receiving maximum support to complete naturalization procedures. Jason is classy (used to play for U.16 and U.18 France, played for 8 years in Ligue 1) and he also plays in a position in Vietnamese football that is very lacking in good people: left back.

Since Doan Van Hau’s injury, the Vietnamese team has not been able to find a more comprehensive left back, good at attacking and defending and good in the air. Many plans are used, from Hong Duy, Tuan Tai to Van Vi, but all are only at a temporary level in Southeast Asia. The Vietnamese team lacks a fast, strong and durable left tackle to maintain the left wing in the 3-center-back formation. Jason Quang Vinh has everything Mr. Kim needs, and his fiery performance in Hanoi Police Club’s 2-1 win over Ha Tinh in the National Cup showed that the 28-year-old player is ready. When Jason Quang Vinh has Vietnamese citizenship, he may join the national team.

Some other key positions can welcome naturalized players, including defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder or an additional striker to support Xuan Son. These are areas where if Mr. Kim has good players, the Vietnamese team’s playing style will be more solid and worth watching.

The force in Mr. Kim’s hands is enough to win Southeast Asia. But to advance to Asia as coach Kim Sang-sik and the fans want, the Vietnamese team needs to be better. The Korean coach still prioritizes finding purely Vietnamese players in the V-League, but if there are more options, it is clear that the road to success will be less thorny.