On the afternoon of November 18th, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) announced the 30 players who will be training in South Korea ahead of the 2024 AFF Cup. Never before has a list been kept so secret from fans. When the VFF finally released the information, everyone was surprised to see a number of key players left out – meaning they will miss the chance to participate in Southeast Asia's top tournament in December.
The unpredictable list
Over the past few years, people have become accustomed to seeing Tuan Anh, Hung Dung, Ngoc Hai, and Cong Phuong in the Vietnamese national team's training camps. Even though their form may not always be at its peak, they are considered an indispensable part of the team under various coaches. Yet, ahead of the 2024 AFF Cup, this group of players is being mentioned, but with the mindset of those outside the competition.
Cong Phuong has been dropped from the Vietnamese national team.
Coach Kim Sang-sik took a tough stance by dropping key players whom he felt no longer fit the team's current playing philosophy.
Explaining the South Korean coach's decision, the VFF website wrote: " The most regrettable absence is perhaps that of center-back Que Ngoc Hai. Recently, Que Ngoc Hai has not been in his best physical condition, leading to a failure to perform convincingly for the South Korean coach. Similarly, the case of Do Hung Dung is also problematic. His age has become a barrier, making it difficult for him to reach his peak performance as expected ."
Coach Kim Sang-sik's list includes two newcomers: Doan Ngoc Tan (Dong A Thanh Hoa ) and Tran Bao Toan (HAGL). They are not famous, nor do they have much of a spotlight, but they are in excellent form and have made significant contributions to their respective teams in the V.League. Whether Ngoc Tan and Bao Toan can contribute even more to the national team remains to be seen, but at least they deserve this opportunity.
In addition, coach Kim Sang-sik placed his trust in several young players such as Tran Trung Kien, Nguyen Thai Son, Khuat Van Khang, Nguyen Dinh Bac, Bui Vi Hao, and Nguyen Van Truong.
Change jobs or... lose your job.
Unlike the case of coach Troussier, the VFF (Vietnam Football Federation) has been firm with the clause in Kim Sang-sik's contract. The message was clear and public, understood by both sides: if the Vietnamese national team does not reach the final of the 2024 AFF Cup, the South Korean coach will lose his job. After so many friendly matches without good results, Mr. Kim is well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the Vietnamese national team.
Coach Kim Sang-sik accepted the risk.
It must be said that Troussier's failure inadvertently paved the way for his successor, Kim Sang-sik. Fans initially couldn't accept the significant decline in performance of many key players. But when changing coaches didn't improve their performance, replacing personnel became necessary.
Throughout the recent rounds, Do Hung Dung has been a shadow of his former self. When coach Kim Sang-sik watched the match between Thanh Hoa and Hanoi , he understood that he had to take strong action against one of the team's leadership members.
Similarly, the same applies to Que Ngoc Hai. The 1993-born center-back's "sleepwalking" defensive performance in the two matches againstSHB Da Nang and Hanoi FC even prompted coach Hoang Anh Tuan to publicly criticize his player. Ngoc Hai played poorly for 90 minutes against India. He promised to work hard to change, but he no longer has the opportunity to do so.
Nguyen Cong Phuong's case is the most regrettable. He scored 4 goals and provided 1 assist in 5 matches for Binh Phuoc. But for those who are "level-headed" enough to overcome the emotions that Cong Phuong evokes, the striker born in 1995 cannot play for the national team with such form.
Dropping a number of key players is never easy, but coach Kim Sang-sik needed a push, a clear message for the Vietnamese national team. For the coach himself, he had to make radical changes or face losing his job after only six months.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-gay-soc-voi-tuyen-viet-nam-thay-doi-hoac-mat-viec-ar908182.html
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