1. The 0-4 defeat to Malaysia at Bukit Jalil Stadium on the evening of June 10 was not only the heaviest defeat to a Southeast Asian opponent in the past 22 years, but also made the chance of Vietnam winning a ticket to the Asian Cup very narrow from the first morning.

Before that fall, the Vietnamese team had made the whole region bow down: defeating Thailand 5-3 after two matches and winning the absolute championship at the ASEAN Cup 2024 with an undefeated record.

This halo of glory has obscured the gap in strength, speed and intensity that was already exposed at the ASEAN Cup. And it was only when Malaysia arrived in Bukit Jalil, where they introduced a European-style squad, that all illusions about the ability of the Vietnamese team and the talent of Mr. Kim Sang Sik became clearer.

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The defeat against Malaysia was very... bitter. Photo: Huu Ha

2. The mistakes or causes leading to the failure have been dissected, and now is no longer the time to blame but to draw lessons to avoid a long slide for the Vietnamese team in the context of changing teams in the region.

VFF and coach Kim Sang Sik probably need to recalculate the detailed plan and roadmap for the Vietnam team, not just to win a ticket to the Asian Cup but also to go further.

The Vietnamese team will most likely still only be stuck in the regional arena if we continue to miss the opportunity to compete every time FIFA Days is held, which will happen again in September like before.

Besides, there needs to be a synchronous plan for youth training system, goals... instead of fragmented or spontaneous as is happening now.

3. After losing to Malaysia, Nguyen Filip and Cao Pedant Quang Vinh, when interviewed, both gave a very clear message to explain the reason for their team's failure in the year was due to a lack of determination compared to their opponents.

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But it is also an opportunity for coach Kim Sang Sik and the Vietnamese team to look back at themselves. Photo: Huu Ha

The statement of two players who used to play in Europe in the Vietnam national team may upset their teammates, but it is extremely accurate if we look at what happened at Bukit Jalil.

This must change, the Vietnamese team or coach Kim Sang Sik himself needs to re-evaluate each individual's desire so that at least the home team will no longer fail mentally, something that was once a source of pride in the past.

Changing and transforming yourself into a new version is not easy, but it is the way to move forward.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tuyen-viet-nam-cu-nga-can-thiet-de-tinh-ngo-2411509.html