Unlike Thai or Malaysian football, the Vietnamese U22 team did not face the situation of competing for players with their clubs when the V-League took a break to make way for the SEA Games (and the upcoming U23 Asian Championship). Despite the difficulties, the Vietnamese football system made room for the U22 generation to compete in the best possible conditions. Therefore, the championship titles came from the sacrifices of many clubs. Conversely, the inspiration from youth football and the Vietnamese national team will create a ripple effect, helping the domestic league system receive more attention, investment, and sponsorship, completing a closed cycle where the various components of domestic football support each other.
The youth team led by coach Kim Sang-sik has benefited greatly from youth football academies. These are teams that not only invest in training players for the long-term future but also dare to place their faith in young talent. HAGL, with its youth academy, has produced "precious gems" like Trung Kien, Ly Duc, Quang Kiet, and Gia Bao. Despite struggling in the V-League relegation battle, HAGL remains steadfast in its approach of using young players, with numerous U.22 and U.20 (even U.17 like Gia Bao) talents being promoted to the HAGL first team. SLNA, with the youngest squad in the V-League for many years, consistently produces "precious gems" to introduce to Vietnamese football. PVF-CAND also diligently trains with a standardized curriculum, top-notch facilities nationwide, and an unwavering philosophy of placing faith in young talent. In that nursery, Hieu Minh, Xuan Bac, Anh Quan, Thanh Nhan… have flourished.
Dinh Bac was highly valued in domestic tournaments, and from there he shone brightly at the 33rd SEA Games.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
Furthermore, strong teams like Hanoi FC, The Cong Viettel , Ninh Binh, and Hanoi Police FC (CAHN) always leave room for young players to develop, even though they possess a squad of high-class and experienced players, alongside immense pressure to achieve results. For example, CAHN has a strong attacking lineup, but Dinh Bac has still been given opportunities to play 40 matches in all competitions over the past two seasons. The Cong Viettel continues its tradition of using homegrown players, exemplified by Van Khang with 68 appearances in the V-League despite being only 22 years old, or before that, the generation of Hoang Duc, Duc Chien, Danh Trung, Tien Anh… who have continuously gained experience in a very young squad at the top level of Vietnamese football. Newcomer Ninh Binh has recruited many stars, but this does not mean that young talents like Quoc Viet are deprived of opportunities. Although the playing time of each player varies, and many young talents are still struggling to establish themselves, the fact that teams dare to use young players and have a clear strategy for "nurturing talent" has clearly helped the U.22 team acquire high-quality personnel.
Vietnamese football is not caught up in a naturalization race, but is choosing to persevere and stand on its own two feet. These feet need to be forged by the spirit of the young generation – a spirit of self-respect, fearlessness, and a relentless drive to overcome difficulties. Although betting on young players is a risky gamble for both the football system and the clubs, when Vietnamese football dares to invest long-term to nurture the next generation, the success of the U22 Vietnam team today is a well-deserved reward. Hopefully, the steady progress of this young generation will encourage the spirit of "nurturing talent," prompting more clubs to join the youth training program, so that the Vietnamese national team has more young talents to choose from for the near future.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/xin-cam-on-cac-clb-18525122321275354.htm
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