Coach Kim Sang Sik, please make a wise choice.

(Vietnamnet) - The list of players for the Vietnamese national team, soon to be announced by coach Kim Sang Sik, may feature many new faces where age is not a factor, aiming to bring about a winning spirit.

Troussier's failure

Vietnam's 2-0 victory over the Philippines in their first match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers was unsurprising from a technical standpoint, but it was a different story in terms of age.

Coach Troussier's team had more than half of its players under 23 years old when they left the field, so the average age was only 23.8 - a figure unprecedented in history.

Veteran players were either underutilized or rarely used and had to make way for younger players under coach Troussier, such as Van Toan, Quang Hai... Photo: SN

However, after that victory with this young squad, the Vietnamese national team fell into a crisis of performance with 6 consecutive defeats in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers and the Asian Cup, leading to Troussier's dismissal.

The biggest reason lies in the fact that the young players, trusted by the French coach, not only lacked technical skills but also lacked experience, leading to conceding many unnecessary goals and ultimately defeat.

...to a lesson for coach Kim Sang Sik

Essentially, rejuvenation is essential for the Vietnamese national team, given that key players are experiencing a decline in form after achieving numerous successes under coach Park Hang Seo.

But a drastic and rapid rejuvenation, to the point of discarding key players or those in top form, as Troussier did, is clearly unstable. And in reality, the Vietnamese national team under the French strategist did not leave much of an impression.

It will be used again under coach Kim Sang Sik.

What Troussier has done should perhaps serve as a lesson for coach Kim Sang Sik to learn from, in order to help his team win and be more motivated based on fairness in player selection and utilization in the future.

The Vietnamese national team must consist of the best players, ensuring they possess the necessary expertise, form, and tactical requirements, rather than being constrained by age or vague criteria for youth development.

By doing this, besides ensuring the Vietnamese team has its strongest lineup to regain its winning streak, coach Kim Sang Sik can also create strong competition among the players, instead of the lack of motivation seen during Troussier's time.

Source