A new challenge for Nguyen Filip

Nguyen Filip's starting spot is not yet guaranteed.

In the opening match of the 2024 AFF Cup against Laos, goalkeeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu started. Laos was considered a much weaker opponent than Vietnam, so this was an understandable decision by coach Kim Sang-sik, who wanted to give many players a chance to play. In the second match (a 1-0 win against Indonesia) and the third match (a 1-1 draw with the Philippines), Nguyen Filip returned to the starting lineup. At this point, many thought that the Vietnamese-born goalkeeper would continuously guard the goal for the Vietnamese national team, given the increasing importance of the matches. But in the decisive match for qualification against Myanmar in the final round, when the Vietnamese team could not afford to lose, Nguyen Filip once again had to give way to Dinh Trieu. This was the most surprising decision by coach Kim.

Nguyen Filip (left) and Dinh Trieu are not automatically given the starting goalkeeper position.

In fact, although the final group stage match was predicted to be very tense, everything remained under the control of the South Korean coach. The Vietnamese team was superior to their opponent in both skill and player quality. Therefore, Coach Kim had the right to make his calculations to serve the tactics and strategy of the Vietnamese team. When facing Myanmar, the South Korean coach made 9 changes to the starting lineup compared to the previous match against the Philippines. Not only Nguyen Filip but all current Vietnamese players are not guaranteed a place in the starting lineup for the next match. This has been proven after the four matches played by the Vietnamese team in the AFF Cup 2024. This can be understood as a way for Coach Kim Sang-sik to maintain competition within the Vietnamese team, forcing every player to constantly strive for excellence in training and when given the opportunity to play.

Furthermore, the Vietnamese national team is different from the one under coach Troussier. Troussier's philosophy was control, short passing, and building play from within their own penalty area. Under coach Kim Sang-sik, the Vietnamese team limits backward passes and prioritizes direct play, especially through passes from defenders. Therefore, depending on the nature of each match, Nguyen Filip's strong ball-playing ability may not always be necessary. Additionally, Nguyen Filip is not yet fluent in Vietnamese. This is a limitation for him in communicating with teammates and commanding the defense.

Although Nguyen Filip is considered the most complete goalkeeper in the Vietnamese national team at the moment, he is no longer guaranteed a starting position like before. There is no other way; the Vietnamese-born goalkeeper needs to improve all his skills and demonstrate consistency when given the opportunity to play in order to win the trust of coach Kim Sang-sik.

Watch the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024 live and in its entirety onFPT Play, at: http://fptplay.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thach-thuc-moi-cho-nguyen-filip-185241224224628755.htm