Coach Kim Sang-sik enters a difficult period

Coach Kim Sang-sik has just returned to Hanoi and immediately started preparing for the busiest period since signing a contract with Vietnamese football. In the next month, he will have to lead the U23 Vietnam team in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers and at the same time maintain the national team's operation rhythm during the FIFA Days in September.

Further ahead is the 33rd SEA Games with U23 Vietnam, and the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying matches with the Vietnam team.

Coach Kim Sang-sik looks forward to a difficult September.

Focus on U23 Vietnam

U23 Vietnam will gather from August 29 in Hanoi, have a few days of training before moving to Viet Tri ( Phu Tho ) to participate in Group C of the 2026 U23 Asian qualifiers. The specific match schedule of U23 Vietnam will be against Bangladesh (September 3), Singapore (September 6) and Yemen (September 9). Only the group winner is sure to enter the finals, so the goal set by Coach Kim is to win all three matches.

The personnel structure will inherit the force that just won the U23 Southeast Asian Championship, which impressed with its disciplined and energetic playing style. The coaching staff is expected to add only a few prominent faces from the V.League to increase competitiveness. Maintaining this stability will help the team not waste time assembling during the short training session.

Most of the U23 Vietnam team is performing well in the V.League. Currently, only two wingers are still waiting to return after serious injuries: Bui Vi Hao (Becamex TP.HCM) and Nguyen Thanh Nhan (PVF-CAND).

Coach Kim Sang-sik will most likely focus on U23 Vietnam. Because the U23 Asian qualifiers are not only a goal for the continental tournament, but also an important step for the 33rd SEA Games at the end of the year.

U23 Vietnam needs to be prioritized in this period.

Who will lead the Vietnam team?

In parallel with the U23 Vietnam team competing in the Asian tournament, the national team is also focusing on the FIFA Days in early September. Due to the overlapping time, coach Kim Sang-sik is likely to assign his assistants to hold the table in two practice matches with Nam Dinh Steel Club (September 4) and Hanoi Police (September 7).

The purpose of this gathering is not to focus on results but to maintain the feeling of competition, test the performance of key players and give opportunities to new factors. The two V.League teams were chosen as opponents because they have quality foreign players, which can create enough pressure to verify the squad.

The Vietnamese team's lineup is expected to still include familiar faces such as Nguyen Quang Hai, Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Tien Linh, Pham Tuan Hai, Bui Tien Dung and Do Duy Manh.

This is a group of experienced players, with a certain cohesion over a long period of time, and will almost certainly still be the core for the matches in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

The Vietnam team needs to ensure smooth operations.

Ensure the system operates properly

Having to manage both the U23 and the national team at the same time certainly puts a lot of pressure on coach Kim Sang-sik. The U23 Vietnam team needs more priority at this stage, but the Vietnamese team must not fall into a state of "cooling down". Especially in the context that the main opponent in Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers - Malaysia is gradually completing its naturalized squad.

Therefore, coach Kim Sang-sik and his colleagues need to make careful calculations and allocate personnel appropriately to ensure results for a long journey with U23 and the Vietnamese team.

A smooth result in the U23 Asian qualifiers will bring many good things for Coach Kim. Because then, the young players under his command will continue to strengthen their character and experience in competition to be ready to receive tasks in the national team.

Source: https://znews.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-vao-giai-doan-chong-gai-post1578931.html