Coach Polking: 'Sorry for the Vietnam team'

Coach Mano Polking regrets that Vietnam team does not have the strongest squad to play Malaysia. Photo: CAHN .

“Many key players of the Vietnamese team were injured after the ASEAN Cup 2024. This could affect the stability of the squad and the way they play. It is a pity that we cannot see the strongest Vietnamese team compete with the strongest Malaysian team,” coach Mano Polking told Tri Thuc - Znews before the match between Vietnam and Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

After a period of decline, the Vietnamese team has gradually regained the trust of fans. Under the guidance of coach Kim Sang-sik, the "Golden Star Warriors" excellently defeated Thailand in the final to win the ASEAN Cup in early January. Coach Mano Polking said that this championship helped the Vietnamese team regain their inherent confidence when facing strong opponents.

“After winning the 2024 ASEAN Cup, the Vietnamese team regained their inherent confidence. They are used to playing under pressure, used to high-level matches. That is very important in big matches like this,” commented the coach currently leading CAHN.

Malaysia under coach Peter Cklamovski currently has a squad of 17 naturalized players, including quality names such as Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado and Joao Figueiredo. These players have played in Europe or top leagues in the Americas. This massive addition is expected to help Malaysia not only dominate the region but also reach the continental level.

Coach Polking said that the Vietnamese team is regaining confidence after winning the 2024 ASEAN Cup. Photo: Tam Minh .

However, with his experience leading Thailand, coach Mano Polking is not too hasty in assessing the strength of the home team. "Malaysia is a strong team in the region. But we have to wait and see the actual quality of these naturalized players. Because even though they have a good playing record, they still need time to integrate into the playing style and football environment in Southeast Asia," the German-Brazilian strategist said about Malaysia.

In the second round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, Vietnam will face the home team at the “holy land” Bukit Jalil, which can accommodate up to 88,000 spectators. Having faced Malaysia when he was in charge of Thailand, the two-time AFF Cup champion coach understands very well the passion and pressure that the away teams face.

“Bukit Jalil Stadium is a real sanctuary. When the stands are filled, the pressure on the away team is huge. It is certainly not an easy challenge for the Vietnamese team,” he said.

The Vietnamese team is suffering a big loss as Xuan Son, Van Toan, Vi Hao, and Cong Phuong are forced to miss out due to injuries. In this context, coach Mano Polking believes that the most important thing for the Vietnamese team right now is to maintain their composure.

As for Malaysia, they consider the match against Vietnam as the “final match” in Group F. The appearance of many naturalized players is a clear sign of “Harimau Malaya’s” determination to win a ticket to the next round.

Source: https://znews.vn/hlv-polking-tiec-cho-tuyen-viet-nam-post1559205.html