It's unlikely anyone else could do it except me.

" Many people will be surprised that I put my faith in players from the First or Second Division, and even those who don't play for their clubs. However, based on my understanding and assessment, their potential might even be better than some players who regularly play for V.League clubs," coach Philippe Troussier said at the press conference before the match between the Vietnamese national team and the Philippines.

The fact that the French coach favors players from the First Division or those who rarely play in the V.League has raised questions among many fans. These players are mostly young, promising talents. According to Coach Troussier, the decision to give opportunities to this group of players stems from an advantage he possesses that his foreign counterparts lack.

"I have an advantage because I previously worked in Vietnam, at the PVF center and with the Vietnam U19 team. I recognized the potential of the players. With that advantage, I was able to do what I did. If another coach who had just arrived in Vietnam were in my position, they would find it difficult to achieve this ," Troussier explained.

Coach Troussier is confident ahead of the match against the Philippines national team. (Photo: VFF)

In this training camp, the Vietnamese national team includes Nguyen Dinh Bac - a player who only started playing in the V.League with Quang Nam from the 2023/2024 season. Ho Van Cuong was recently registered to play in the V.League, Minh Trong recently transferred from Dong Thap Club to Binh Duong, and Thanh Nhan still plays for PVF-CAND in the First Division.

According to the French coach, he is trying to establish a more modern playing style for the Vietnamese national team. The current squad was built through friendly matches and training sessions. The players are ready for their first official match against the Philippines.

"The Vietnamese national team's playing style is close to what I wanted. I summoned 80 players for screening and evaluation. I want to say that the players who were called up but then dropped were not because they didn't meet the requirements, but also because their form at the club wasn't good enough or they were injured. To look towards the future, I need 50 players to be ready. We are also aiming for the Asian Cup, the U23 Asian Championship, and the SEA Games," said the head coach of the Vietnamese national team.

Coach Troussier believes that pressure is inevitable for the players and he wants his players to get used to it. The pressure on the coaching staff and players of the Vietnamese national team begins right from the start of their work. The goal of the Vietnamese national team is not only to win but also to create pressure to improve the players; victory must come in the way he desires.

Mr. Troussier assessed that the pitch played a crucial role in this match. While the Vietnamese team faced difficulties, so did the Philippines. The players' feel for the game varied, but the coaching staff reminded each player to handle the ball as best as possible.

Regarding the match result, Mr. Troussier said: " Winning and losing in football is natural and normal. This happens every weekend in the V.League or any league in the world . What's important is that we do our best to ensure the result and the final performance ."

The match between the Vietnam national team and the Philippines national team will take place at 6 PM on November 16th.

Mai Phuong

Source