Coach Kim Sang-sik's 'terrible' work schedule: Taking charge of 2 teams, every goal is as high as a mountain

The Vietnam national team and U.23 will compete continuously in the last 4 months of the year, putting coach Kim Sang-sik in a state of high intensity work.

Double pressure for coach Kim Sang-sik

Like many previous coaches in the past two decades, Coach Kim Sang-sik has taken on the task of leading both the Vietnam national team and the Vietnam U.23 team at the same time. Each team has its own tournament roadmap, goals and training characteristics, requiring coaches to "split" and make extraordinary efforts if they want to achieve success.

In history, there have only been two strategists who have won the championship with both the national team and the U.23 team. They are coach Park Hang-seo and... Mr. Kim Sang-sik himself.

Coach Kim Sang-sik

PHOTO: TUAN MINH

However, if Coach Park Hang-seo has built a foundation of sustainable success in terms of both titles (AFF Cup 2018 champion, U.23 Asian Cup 2018 silver medal, SEA Games 2019 and 2022 gold medal) and players and playing style, Coach Kim Sang-sik is just at the beginning stage. The Korean strategist has won titles, but needs more time to build a cycle of true success like his predecessor.

The key to Coach Park Hang-seo’s success is the continuous and consecutive victories, despite having to constantly switch roles between the Vietnam national team and the U.23 Vietnam team. With his masterful management and leadership skills and a talented team of assistants, Mr. Park has managed a huge workload very well.

Coach Kim Sang-sik: 'U.23 Vietnam won because they knew how to turn pressure into motivation'

Coach Kim Sang-sik is preparing to face a similar challenge, as he and the U.23 Vietnam team and the Vietnam national team compete continuously in the last 4 months of the year. Specifically, Mr. Kim will lead the national team to play 2 matches against Nepal (October) and 1 match against Laos (November) in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. As for the U.23 Vietnam team, the focus will be on 3 matches in the 2026 U.23 Asian qualifiers (September) and the 33rd SEA Games (November, December).

In case U.23 Vietnam reaches the final of SEA Games 33, Coach Kim Sang-sik will lead a total of 10 official matches at the national team and U.23 level (not including friendly matches). Not to mention, the former Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors strategist has also undergone many long training and competition sessions, forcing him to move like a "shuttle" between the national team and U.23 Vietnam.

Pressure mounts on coach Kim Sang-sik

PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG

In every arena, Mr. Kim has important targets. That is to win a ticket to the U.23 Asian Cup Finals and win the 33rd SEA Games (with U.23 Vietnam) and win all 3 matches against Laos and Nepal (with the Vietnam team). Each target has its own importance, a measure of the development of Vietnamese football at the team level.

Therefore, Coach Kim Sang-sik and his assistant will go through 4 stormy months. If successful, Vietnamese football will have a favorable turn to rise.

Coach Kim Sang-sik being in charge of both teams still has the advantage of being able to discover quality young players in the U.23 team to create the next generation for the national team.

At the same time, U.23 Vietnam will be exposed to the philosophy of coach Kim Sang-sik, to facilitate development in the national team.

However, the intensity of work and pressure could affect the performance of both teams if Mr. Kim does not have talented "deputies".

U.23 Vietnam has the responsibility to win high position at SEA Games

PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG

Recently, assistant Choi Won-kwon, Mr. Kim's "right-hand man" when he first arrived in Vietnam, left the national team to coach Thanh Hoa Club. The only members who have been with Mr. Kim the longest in the past year are the logistics team members. The professional team is constantly changing.

Coach Kim Sang-sik cannot manage the work alone. He needs to share the pressure, receive the appropriate workload, and calculate carefully to ensure the quality of training.

The end of 2025 will be very stressful for Coach Kim, but real gold is not afraid of fire. With the right roadmap, the Korean coach is capable of bringing both teams to safety.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lich-lam-viec-khung-khiep-cua-hlv-kim-sang-sik-nam-2-doi-tuyen-muc-tieu-nao-cung-nang-185250819163249765.htm