Dominant position in the region

With a 1-0 victory over host U23 Indonesia in the final, U23 Vietnam became the first team in history to win the Southeast Asian U23 football tournament three times in a row.

This achievement not only affirms the mettle of coach Kim Sang Sik's team, but also shows the solid foundation of Vietnamese youth football in the regional arena.

AUFC - U23 Vietnam U23 Dong Nam A.jpg
U23 Vietnam dominates Southeast Asian U23 tournament

Throughout the tournament, although not as good as expected, Coach Kim Sang Sik's students maintained stable performance, organized disciplined and effective play, and were superior in both technique and experience compared to their opponents to win the championship.

In terms of achievements, this is a big bright spot, highlighting the strength map of Vietnamese football in the eyes of international friends.

What does Vietnamese football get?

Certainly, Vietnamese football has won titles, added prestige and pride. But if we look at a long-term, in-depth development strategy for the Vietnamese team, the answer is probably not complete. The biggest problem, and also a shortcoming, lies in the fact that we are focusing too much on achievements in youth tournaments.

Many bright talents such as Quoc Viet, Van Khang, Van Truong... have shone brightly. But they seem to be "labeled" as U23 players. Continuously using the best and most experienced players at this age to conquer youth tournaments is not wrong in terms of achievement goals, but it inadvertently creates a "safe zone", slowing down the process of these players reaching the national team.

VFF - U23 Vietnam.jpg
But many players are also "frozen" in the process of reaching their potential and entering the national team.

At their current age, and having been called up to the Vietnam national team over the past time, the above mentioned group of players should be challenged in harsher environments, competing fairly for a position on the senior team instead of being guaranteed a place on the U23 team.

The next consequence is that other potential players, younger or just a little less capable than the mainstays of the U23 Vietnam team, suddenly lose the opportunity to compete and step into the light because the coach prioritizes using the most experienced players, instead of taking risks with new players to serve the goal of achievement.

Of course, it is difficult to blame coach Kim Sang Sik. The Korean coach is clearly under great pressure to achieve results. Titles are a measure of success and the tenure of the strategist from the land of kimchi.

But planning a sustainable strategy, deciding whether to use the U23 tournament to hunt for medals or to train players for the future, is the story of the entire Vietnamese football industry.

Today's glory is real, but if it does not create a solid launch pad for the Vietnamese team, it will still be a concern for tomorrow.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/ba-lan-lien-tiep-vo-dich-u23-dong-nam-a-bong-da-viet-nam-duoc-gi-2427522.html