Coach Kim Sang-sik succeeds with dry pragmatism

In less than a year, coach Kim Sang-sik has brought both the Vietnam national team and the Vietnam U23 team to the top of Southeast Asia with the same formula: cold pragmatism, the ability to hide tactical intentions and "trump cards" appearing at the right time. His success at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 tournament shows the clear mark of a coach who knows how to win more than just create beautiful football.

The strategy of "blindfolding" the opponent

The story of keeping team information confidential is no longer strange to those who follow Coach Kim. At the ASEAN Cup 2024, he once took the Vietnamese team to "hide" in South Korea for training, keeping the personnel plan almost completely secret.

At that time, the surprise was named Pham Tuan Hai - a player who was suddenly put on the field from a reserve role in the final match and scored the decisive goal against Thailand, bringing Vietnam to the championship.

With U23 Vietnam, Coach Kim did not repeat the script but maintained the same philosophy. Instead of choosing large training centers, he set up his headquarters in Ba Ria-Vung Tau (now Ho Chi Minh City), where there was less media and attention, helping the players to focus fully. More importantly, all information about the squad was kept "closed" until the last minute.

As a result, in the final match against Indonesia, he sent Nguyen Cong Phuong - the youngest player in the squad - onto the field from the start. And it was Cong Phuong who became the hero with the only goal that helped U23 Vietnam win the championship right at the "fire pit" of Bung Karno.

Under coach Kim Sang-sik, the Vietnamese team's personnel on the field is always very unpredictable.

Domestic football experts such as Hoang Anh Tuan and veteran coaches all agree: "Coach Kim Sang-sik does not create fancy playing styles, but he knows how to choose the right people at the right time."

The playing style of U23 Vietnam in this year's tournament is not fiery attacking football, but rather dry and tight with a 5-4-1 formation, prioritizing safety and efficiency.

“The team may not be better than Indonesia in 90 minutes, but the discipline and ability to maintain the formation of the U23 Vietnam team is the biggest plus point. A team that plays beautifully but does not win the championship is just a failure,” an expert affirmed.

Coach Hoang Anh Tuan also agreed: "That is the victory of tactics and compliance with the game plan."

The mark of the person who "uses people like a knife"

Coach Kim Sang-sik has a clear philosophy: efficiency is paramount. He is willing to “keep” the most suitable cards for each moment, patiently waiting for the opportunity until the final big match. This not only makes the team difficult to predict, but also creates a fair competitive motivation among the players.

The cases of Tuan Hai at the ASEAN Cup 2024 and Cong Phuong at the U23 Southeast Asia 2025 are typical examples. Both were not the first choice from the start, but were brought on at the right time to make a difference.

It is a skill that not every coach dares to do - because it requires understanding of the players, the ability to grasp their psychology and absolute confidence in their own decisions.

Vietnamese football may be at a disadvantage compared to Southeast Asian teams in terms of naturalized players, but coach Kim Sang-sik cannot be blamed for having twice brought Vietnamese teams to the top of the region in tournaments where the teams were evenly matched.

U23 Vietnam just won the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship.

Coach Kim's success does not come from possessing outstanding individuals, but from the ability to create a cohesive team, play disciplined and know how to maximize every smallest opportunity.

Many fans may expect fiery attacking football or dedicated matches, but for Kim Sang-sik, trophies are the only thing that will leave a lasting impression. Beautiful football is necessary, but a winning team is a team that is remembered. And Kim confirmed this with two championships in less than a year.

Under his leadership, Vietnam U23 was not a team with outstanding technical skills, but was rich in courage, discipline and strategy. The victory at Bung Karno was not only Vietnam's third consecutive cup at the U23 Southeast Asia, but also an affirmation that pragmatism and wisdom are still the formula for sustainable success.

The only goal helped U23 Vietnam win the Southeast Asian Championship. On the evening of July 29, the U23 Vietnam team defeated Indonesia 1-0 in the final of the 2025 Southeast Asian Championship held at Bung Karno Stadium.

Source: https://znews.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-thanh-cong-voi-su-thuc-dung-kho-khoc-post1572648.html