Who has the courage to carry the defense of U.23 Vietnam?

Coach Kim Sang-sik has a squad of defenders with plenty of fighting ability, but very little experience in the U.23 Vietnam squad.

The liquid shield of U.23 Vietnam

Vietnam U.23 is preparing to enter the campaign to defend the Southeast Asian U.23 title in July. This is a goal within reach of coach Kim Sang-sik and his team, as Vietnamese youth football has successfully conquered this tournament in the last two times participating.

The common point of the two championships is that U.23 Vietnam has the most solid defense in the tournament. In 2022, the young team of coach Dinh The Nam won the championship in Cambodia without conceding a single goal throughout 4 matches.

By 2023, coach Hoang Anh Tuan's U.23 Vietnam team was crowned champion with only 2 goals conceded after 4 matches.

U.23 Vietnam prepares to gather

PHOTO: VFF

Coach Park Hang-seo's success (2018 - 2022) has reinforced the mindset of taking defense as the foundation, building a solid defense to keep a clean sheet before thinking about scoring, which many levels of the Vietnamese national team later inherited.

Taking over the Vietnam national team and U.23, coach Kim Sang-sik affirmed that he will distill the essence of his predecessor to build a philosophy. In particular, the defense will be the place where Mr. Kim will prioritize.

However, unlike the Vietnamese team, where the defensive framework left by coach Park including Do Duy Manh, Nguyen Thanh Chung, Bui Tien Dung and Bui Hoang Viet Anh still have the same level and form to operate, the U.23 Vietnam team does not have such a reliable defender foundation.

Of the 11 defenders that Mr. Kim called up to the preliminary list, only Pham Ly Duc (HAGL), Ho Van Cuong (SLNA), Nguyen Nhat Minh (Hai Phong) and Nguyen Duc Anh ( Da Nang ) have played more than 15 matches in the V-League this season.

The remaining defenders include Le Van Ha (Hanoi), Dang Tuan Phong, Nguyen Hong Phuc (The Cong Viettel ), Dinh Quang Kiet (HAGL) who are "substituted in and out" with a small number of matches. Meanwhile, Nguyen Bao Long, Nguyen Hieu Minh (PVF-CAND) and Vo Anh Quan (Ninh Binh) play in the first division.

Pham Ly Duc was called up to the Vietnam national team twice.

PHOTO: NGOC LINH

Limited experience at the club, but what about the national team experience? Only Ly Duc and Van Cuong have played for the Vietnam national team. Of these, Van Cuong was called up in coach Philippe Troussier's 2023 youth strategy, but could not compete for a position.

Ly Duc was promoted to the national team by Mr. Kim in March, however, he only made his debut for the Vietnamese team last June against Malaysia, when the team... ran out of defenders.

Limited playing experience and lack of exposure in major tournaments at both club and national team will be obstacles that make it difficult for the "tin soldiers" of the defense to keep up with the demands of coach Kim Sang-sik.

Hope for Ly Duc and Nhat Minh

However, there are still names that can "go later, come back first". Bui Vi Hao was on the bench of U.23 Vietnam for a whole year, then was given a ticket to the national team by coach Kim Sang-sik, before starting 4 consecutive matches at AFF Cup 2024.

That is Ly Duc, the center back who needed less than 15 matches in his first season in the V-League to convince coach Kim Sang-sik. Although Ly Duc still makes some defensive mistakes, cannot keep a "cool head" and needs to practice his positional thinking, in return, the center back of HAGL has passion, the ability to duel, stick together and has a knack for scoring goals.

Nhat Minh of Hai Phong Club is also a potential option, with a mindset of developing the ball, competing and pursuing enthusiastically.

The common point of Ly Duc and Nhat Minh is that they experienced V-League at a very young age, having to "fight" with experienced foreign and domestic players. The luggage from V-League will forge brave central defenders, like the path Thanh Chung or Tien Dung have taken.

Future "rocks" will progress under the guidance of Mr. Kim.

Former coach Troussier once said that the philosophy of choosing players for the national team should be "look at the legs before looking at the face", meaning evaluating the level and performance on the field to choose players, not based on reputation.

Coach Kim Sang-sik also follows a similar school. He once boldly rejuvenated at Jeonbuk and when taking over the Vietnam team, Coach Kim Sang-sik also made bold decisions such as trusting Vi Hao, Dinh Trieu, Ngoc Tan, instead of a series of "veterans".

Therefore, the competition for a starting position in defense promises to be fair, when all players, whether starting or reserve at the club, playing in the first or second division, have equal opportunities.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ai-du-ban-linh-ganh-hang-thu-u23-viet-nam-185250625155859322.htm