The 'golden generation' is at its prime, why does the Vietnamese team need to renew its lineup?

Cong Phuong's omission from the preliminary list for the 2023 Asian Cup means the Vietnamese team will be without the player who scored the most goals in the UAE four years ago. Phuong is not the only absentee from the old-time star.

Many pillars of the "Golden Generation" under Park Hang Seo either had to accept the bench, or had to fight hard for a position. Some others even stepped back into the past, saying goodbye to the Vietnamese team. This may sound illogical at first because in theory, the current 1995-1997 generation should be 26-28 years old, which means the most beautiful age of a player's life.

Vietnam team changed half of the lineup compared to the previous Asian Cup.

Along with Cong Phuong, Nguyen Trong Hoang and Luong Xuan Truong are the players who are definitely absent from the Vietnamese team at the Asian Cup since coach Troussier finalized the preliminary list. Four years ago, they were all pillars of the team in the UAE.

Phuong was the top scorer at the time, scoring against Iraq and Jordan. Hoang was the number one right-back and Truong was still a strategic player in midfield. But the changes of time have completely changed their fates.

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Xuan Truong is one of many stars of 2019 who will no longer be present at the 2023 Asian Cup. (Photo: Minh Chien)

The decision to stay in Japan means Phuong has closed the door to the national team for himself. Like Phuong, Xuan Truong is also on the bench at Hai Phong and seems to be satisfied with his current position after nearly a decade of playing at the top level.

Their senior Trong Hoang has just returned from a serious injury. But at the age of 34, Hoang is probably no longer suitable for the Vietnam national team. The case of the SLNA player is obvious.

Meanwhile, people like Nguyen Phong Hong Duy, Bui Tien Dung, Ho Tan Tai or Pham Duc Huy still have a lot of desire to contribute. However, 4 of them are not on the list of 34 people announced yesterday.

Hong Duy and Duc Huy are not in Coach Troussier's trial plan. Tien Dung was only called up when Do Duy Manh was injured. He was not given priority compared to his junior at the club, Phan Tuan Tai, while Tan Tai was completely absent in the recent World Cup qualifiers despite not being injured.

Why did the "Golden Generation" lose its position at its peak?

There are three reasons why the Golden Generation stars have struggled under Troussier. First, many of them have had a decline in form. Second, their abilities have proven unsuitable for the new philosophy. Third, injuries have taken their toll.

The typical names affected by injuries are Phan Van Duc, Nguyen Quang Hai and Doan Van Hau. Phan Van Duc has been out of action for the whole year and is completely out of Coach Trousser's plans.

Quang Hai and Van Hau are rare stars from the Thuong Chau generation who are still guaranteed a place in the national team, but were both absent against Iraq and the Philippines in November due to various injuries.

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The presence of Nguyen Filip and young talents is a big challenge for the veteran group. (Photo: Minh Chien)

Hau did not make it back. Hai recovered and regained his form, but even in this case, he still had to fight hard to assert his position.

Do Hung Dung and Nguyen Hoang Duc - two players who won the Vietnam Golden Ball - no longer have an "inviolable" position in the national team's lineup. Coach Park Hang Seo's favorite central midfield pair in the final tournament (AFF Cup 2022) now has to be on the bench for the duo Nguyen Tuan Anh - Nguyen Thai Son.

The story of Hoang Duc - which has consumed much of the press - is about the suitability of tactics and playing style. Meanwhile, for Hung Dung, he is simply no longer at his peak after recovering from a serious injury. Mr. Troussier has another player who plays in a similar style to Hung Dung but is younger and stronger, Thai Son.

Two other players who were once criticized and doubted but are making a strong comeback are Nguyen Tien Linh and Vu Van Thanh. Of these, Van Thanh has changed himself to adapt while Tien Linh is reviving strongly with high performance with 2 goals in the last 2 matches in V.League. They also have to struggle to regain their position in the national team.

The last name to mention is Dang Van Lam - a case very different from the other names.

Lam's story is not about form, nor about young talent. He is not injured or affected by new philosophy. Lam is having trouble because of the appearance of a completely new name, a Vietnamese-American player who now has Vietnamese nationality, who was once called up to the Czech Republic team - Nguyen Filip.

The presence of Nguyen Filip in the Vietnam national team in the next few days will be the biggest challenge for Van Lam, even bigger than when Bui Tan Truong or Tran Nguyen Manh are called up to the national team. That is probably the time when the number one goalkeeper position of the Vietnam national team will change.

With the simultaneous appearance of young talents such as Phan Tuan Tai, Nguyen Thai Son and Nguyen Dinh Bac, the Vietnamese team at the upcoming Asian Cup will have a completely different look.

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