U.23 Vietnam has the potential to create an Asian miracle

THE ROAD TO THE BIG SEA IS SMOOTH

The series of 3 U.23 Southeast Asian Championships of U.23 Vietnam (2022, 2023, 2025) is a declaration of stability for the youth teams. Despite many changes in players, constant changes in force, playing style and coaching staff (3 years of championship with 3 different coaches), U.23 Vietnam is still "solid as a rock" with 12 undefeated matches, including matches in which young Vietnamese players won and kept a clean sheet against U.23 Thailand or U.23 Indonesia, and had big wins over U.23 Singapore, U.23 Philippines and U.23 Malaysia.

U.23 Việt Nam đủ tiềm năng tạo kỳ tích châu Á- Ảnh 1. — U.23 Vietnam needs more investment

Interspersed between the three consecutive years of winning the Southeast Asian championship is the ticket to the quarterfinals of the 2024 U.23 Asian Cup for U.23 Vietnam under coach Hoang Anh Tuan. In 2022, U.23 Vietnam also reached the quarterfinals when coach Gong Oh-kyun was in the coaching chair, holding U.23 Korea to a 1-1 draw and only stopping before U.23 Saudi Arabia, the team that later won the championship. That is, although it has not been able to create a golden generation with a rain of miracles like the 2018-2019 period, the current young generation of Vietnamese football still has potential. When trained with the right methods and playing style, U.23 Vietnam can go far in the Asian tournament. That is a task within reach.

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

Expert Doan Minh Xuong analyzed: "The success of U.23 Vietnam was complete, when it demonstrated both the player's ability and good psychological control. After each match, the players improved, improved their playing style and showed a modern way of thinking about football. For example, in the final match against U.23 Indonesia, U.23 Vietnam played knowing themselves and their opponents, proactively giving up control of the ball and defending with tight blocks, making the opponent deadlocked. In the attack phase, Mr. Kim Sang-sik's students attacked carefully, taking advantage of set pieces. In addition, being on the field regularly has helped the players mature in terms of mentality, competitive spirit, knowing how to withstand pressure like a "spring" and release at the right time. Coach Kim Sang-sik's strategy is also very good, when U.23 Vietnam played well, conserving energy and maintaining full strength and form for the final match. Overall, this is a generation of players with great potential".

However, unlike the top football teams such as Japan, Korea, Australia, Uzbekistan, etc., Vietnamese youth football still lacks stability in terms of personnel. The achievements of U.23 Vietnam may reach the top 8 in Asia, but the personnel have not. In the past 5 years, U.23 Vietnam has reached the quarter-finals twice, but this is a collective and tactical success with the mark of the head coach more than the real excellence and stability of individuals. Meanwhile, winning or losing in youth football can be related to many factors such as peak form, tactics, adaptability, tactics and even luck. The clearest evidence is that in the 2024 tournament, U.23 Vietnam won a ticket to the quarter-finals. But 6 months later, only 1 player has a place in the national team, that is Bui Vi Hao, a striker who previously only played a strategic role, coming on from the bench in U.23 Vietnam.

The development of the 2002-2004 generation in recent years has been very modest, and the Southeast Asian championship itself, or even the Asian tournaments, have not been able to push the players to make great progress. To win the U.23 Southeast Asian championship, U.23 Vietnam only needs to calculate the playing style and physical fitness level appropriately. The victory of Mr. Kim and his team came thanks to the players' absolute adherence to tactical discipline and their strong will. However, that is only the first step. To go far in the U.23 Asia (even dreaming of a miracle like the 2018 runner-up), Mr. Kim Sang-sik's students need to comprehensively upgrade their thinking, playing skills, ball control and finishing. U.23 Vietnam needs a playing style with a clear shape, control of the rhythm of the match, diverse coordination and better finishing to be able to defeat teams with a much higher technical and tactical level than the Southeast Asian level. That is a big gap that if we only rely on the tactical mind of coach Kim Sang-sik, I'm afraid U.23 Vietnam will find it difficult to fill.

To win in Southeast Asia, Vietnamese players only need to run 10 km, but to reach Asia, we have to run 12 km. Overcoming the limit is a must.

Football expert Doan Minh Xuong

HOW TO INVEST IN U.23 VIETNAM

Expert Doan Minh Xuong commented: "Currently, Vietnamese football has a number of good centers to train people, producing good generations. However, we are only at the Southeast Asian level. The recent U.23 Southeast Asian final, although tense, was not of high quality, with only 300-400 passes, and many situations where the match was broken up. To win in Southeast Asia, Vietnamese players only need to run 10 km, but to reach Asia, we have to run 12 km. Overcoming the limit is a must.

How will we invest in U.23 Vietnam so that players can reach the Asian level, which is very different from Southeast Asia? This is a question that the whole system needs to find an answer to. Let this generation of players play with strong teams and train internationally regularly. The first step is to win a ticket to the 2026 U.23 Asian Cup, then plan to train in developed football backgrounds, compete with strong opponents and "break" many things, but do not play friendly matches with weak teams, even if you win, you will not learn anything. U.23 Vietnam has many players who can succeed their seniors in the national team such as Ly Duc, Van Khang, Trung Kien... but they need to be invested in, challenged with strong opponents at the U.23 Asian level and create conditions to gradually inherit in the Vietnamese national team. This generation is good, however, needs continuous investment for at least the next 2 years (2025 - 2027) to step up to lead the national team in 2028".

Coach Kim Sang-sik believes that there needs to be a solution so that U.23 Vietnam players can play regularly in the V-League in order to progress. Expert Doan Minh Xuong agrees: "There needs to be regulations and rules on the minimum number of young players that clubs register and field in the V-League. Let's stipulate how many U.23 players teams must use in a match. Only then will young players be trusted, as well as encourage youth training teams. We need a synchronous solution from the club level to the national team, otherwise it will be difficult to avoid the situation of "going low and high". Don't be satisfied with the current Southeast Asian level, but must aim for a further goal".

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/u23-viet-nam-du-tiem-nang-tao-ky-tich-chau-a-185250803221847162.htm