Coach Troussier disappointed with loss but proud of Vietnamese players

SGGPO 11/21/2023 10:47 PM

Strategist Philippe Troussier was filled with both pride and disappointment after Vietnam's narrow 0-1 defeat to Iraq in the second match of Group F of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers - Asia.

Coach Philippe Troussier expressed disappointment when the Vietnamese team lost in the last minute of extra time. PHOTO: MINH HOANG

The goal that the Vietnamese team conceded came in the 90+7 minute, when striker Mohanad Ali took advantage of goalkeeper Dang Van Lam's indecisive rush and the failure of central defenders Nguyen Thanh Binh and Bui Hoang Viet Anh to return in time to head the ball home for Iraq.

In the post-match press conference, coach Troussier expressed his disappointment at the last-minute goal. He said: “We had prepared measures to defend the ball in the air against a stronger and better-qualified opponent like Iraq. Therefore, this goal is regrettable, as the players have made great efforts and determination. I may be disappointed with the result, especially the goal conceded at the end of the match, but the way the players played, their spirit and efforts were not disappointing. I am very proud of this, as they tried to compete against an opponent of the top level in Asia.”

After the defeat against Iraq, Coach Troussier pointed out the problem that Vietnamese players rarely experience high-intensity matches in the National Championship. That is the reason why at FIFA Days in October, the Vietnamese team played friendly matches with strong opponents so that the players could have a chance to practice. He continued: “It is difficult for the players to maintain the tempo of the match, when most of the substitutions in today's match were not tactical but came from fatigue and injury. Domestic tournaments have not provided similar high-intensity matches. We can only expect the current players to play 60 minutes instead of 90 minutes, and the remaining 30 minutes depend on the margin of error.”

According to coach Troussier, the Vietnamese team enters every match aiming for victory, but must also recognize the ultimate goal of being in the top 2 teams in Group F to qualify for the 3rd qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup. The French coach respects the Philippines, but identifies Indonesia as the competitor. At the end of the second round, the Vietnamese team still has a 2-point advantage over Indonesia.

Coach Troussier also shared about his personnel selection decisions, when he surprisingly did not have the central midfielder pair Do Hung Dung and Nguyen Hoang Duc in the last 2 matches.

“As for the midfield choices, I am pleased with their performance,” he said. “We tend to look at and put individual player abilities above the team, expecting individuals to carry the team. I think a performance like that in Southeast Asia can beat a team of equal or weaker strength, but when facing strong opponents in the continent, relying on individual brilliance alone is not enough.”

Tiền vệ 20 tuổi Nguyễn Thái Sơn thi đấu đầy nỗ lực trước cầu thủ Iraq.

20-year-old midfielder Nguyen Thai Son played with great effort against the Iraqi players.

This strategist spoke specifically about Hoang Duc: “In my opinion, he has not met expectations. I want Duc to make more efforts and contribute more to the team. I hope he understands my expectations, messages and methods to motivate Duc to be better.”

“I want to make it clear that I never intended to have many young players in the squad. My goal was to select 11 players who play with the most suitable connection. Of course, people will compare based on individual criteria. I have my own point of view, it is impossible to come up with 11 excellent players without connection. So my selection must be balanced. My goal is to maintain regional achievements and compete fairly with continental teams,” the coach continued.

In addition, Coach Troussier also sees the potential and enthusiasm of young players like Nguyen Dinh Bac and Khuat Van Khang, and hopes that both will be given the opportunity to develop by regularly playing in domestic tournaments.

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