If Xuan Son joins the national team, what will Tien Linh do?
The Vietnamese team entered the training session on the morning of November 22 to prepare for the AFF Cup 2024. Although 30 players were called up, Mr. Kim only had 23 names in the training session, as some players were undergoing medical examinations and resting to recover their physical strength. In the short 1-hour training session this morning, Nguyen Tien Linh and his teammates mainly practiced light exercises, relaxed and performed passing exercises to maintain their feeling.
Speaking to the press, striker Tien Linh affirmed that the Vietnamese team is in good spirits. "I am very eager to show myself. I hope the whole team will practice hard and absorb the philosophy of coach Kim Sang-sik to compete well at the AFF Cup 2024," the 27-year-old striker emphasized.
Tien Linh in the Vietnamese national team jersey
Tien Linh is a rare player of the Vietnamese team who has participated in all 3 most recent AFF Cups. At the AFF Cup 2022, the spearhead of Binh Duong Club scored 6 goals and won the top scorer title. Tien Linh believes that his own experience as well as that of experienced players will provide support for young players.
The Vietnamese national team has included striker Nguyen Xuan Son in the preliminary list of 50 players preparing for the AFF Cup. However, the Brazilian striker will not be participating in the training trip to Korea with the Vietnamese national team, because he and Nam Dinh FC are competing in the AFC Champions League 2.
Answering the question about the prospect of playing with Nguyen Xuan Son, Tien Linh explained: "Son is a very high-quality player in Vietnamese football in recent years. Son also has good form in the V-League. Son's call-up is a good sign for the Vietnamese team. There is a lot of information that Son can participate in the AFF Cup 2024. However, using Son or not depends on the coach's perspective and tactics. As for me, I believe I will show my ability well, I hope the whole team will play well.
Tien Linh (middle) commented positively about Xuan Son
Nguyen Xuan Son just scored a hat-trick against Binh Duong Club
If Son wears the national team jersey, he will not have difficulty integrating. Son has been in Vietnam for 5 years, wearing the shirts of several V-League teams for a long time. Son's performance on the field has proven that. Importantly, Son needs to adapt to the environment of the Vietnamese national team, which is where the best players of Vietnamese football are gathered. The whole team will help Son both in training and in daily life. If Son is called up to the national team, it will not be surprising. His recent performance has proven Son's class in the V-League."
The goal of reaching the finals is not too difficult.
The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has assigned the target of reaching the final of the AFF Cup 2024 to the Vietnamese team. According to Tien Linh, this is not only a goal, but also a mission that the players must be clearly aware of when wearing the national team's jersey.
"Reaching the final of the AFF Cup 2024 is not the goal, but the task of the players wearing the national team jersey, competing in the Southeast Asian arena. Each player needs to be well prepared, have good spirit and physical condition to complete the goals for themselves and the whole team. This goal is not too difficult, when the players are in a comfortable spirit and highly focused," Tien Linh assessed.
The Vietnamese team finished second at the AFF Cup 2022. Previously, Quang Hai and his teammates reached the semi-finals (2020) and won the championship (2018). In the past 6 years in Southeast Asia, the Vietnamese team has only lost 2 matches, both against Thailand.
Tien Linh answers interview
Photo: Minh Tu
Van Lam, Van Duc and Tien Linh practice on the morning of November 22
Photo: Minh Tu
However, in this tournament, the team will face competition from Indonesia. The archipelago team just beat Saudi Arabia to get 6 points, rising to third place in the third qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup. In the 2024 AFF Cup, Indonesia only has 3 naturalized players in the squad (due to the remaining players having club commitments), but this is still a strong team.
"The Indonesian team is one of the strong teams in Southeast Asia. Recently, they have had quality naturalized players, as evidenced by the fact that they are playing in the third qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup and had a courageous victory over Saudi Arabia. At the 2024 AFF Cup, Indonesia is a candidate for the championship. However, the Vietnamese team also has the desire to return to its rightful position in Southeast Asia," Tien Linh commented.
He added: "The decision of Hung Dung, Ngoc Hai, and Cong Phuong not to be selected for the national team is the coach's decision, we must respect it. We will try to complete our tasks well and play well at the AFF Cup 2024. I hope the players perform well to be selected."
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tien-linh-ngoi-khen-nguyen-xuan-son-noi-that-long-ve-muc-tieu-aff-cup-185241122113825716.htm
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