Vietnam National Team: Heating up in new selection process by Coach Kim Sang-sik

Entering the friendly match period, coach Kim Sang-sik was allowed to conduct many tests for the Vietnamese team, opening up opportunities while increasing competitive pressure and screening for the players.

Coach Kim Sang-sik is leaving a certain mark with the Vietnam team.

Minh Tu

Mr. Kim speeds up screening!

The last two matches of the Vietnamese team in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers opened the beginning of the Kim Sang-sik "dynasty". At that time, the Korean strategist chose safe options: calling up a series of pillars under his two predecessors Park Hang-seo and Philippe Troussier. This was an understandable decision because any coach wanted to win and make an impression in his debut. Therefore, he did not want to take risks in the context of not having much time to prepare. At the same time, the Vietnamese team also needed to show a "new vitality" to regain the trust of fans after a series of bad matches. The emotional victory over the Philippines and the positive performance against Iraq certainly could not completely reassure fans. However, those results also helped coach Kim Sang-sik complete his initial goal and breathe a sigh of relief before the upcoming "revolution".

Coach Kim Sang-sik has revived Tien Linh to be as dangerous as in Mr. Park's time.

Minh Tu

It is "revolutionary" because, as analyzed, coach Kim Sang-sik could not call many new players in the first stage. Now, after watching many matches in the 2023 - 2024 V-League, he has a lot more information, more carefully evaluated the new faces, and reviewed the performance of the veterans. Certainly, Mr. Kim will need to prepare more personnel to diversify the tactics for the Vietnamese team. In the two matches against the Philippines and Iraq, the Korean coach still applied the familiar 3-center-back formation (switching between 3-4-3 and 3-5-2) so that the players are not surprised. Remember, his favorite tactical formation is the traditional 4-back formation. Coach Kim Sang-sik is inherently a person of character, so it is understandable if he breaks the rules. And with the nature of the friendly matches, it is reasonable to experiment to prepare for the AFF Cup at the end of this year. With no more pressure to win and more time to observe and prepare, coach Kim Sang-sik is likely to create big changes in the Vietnamese team in the two matches against Thailand and Russia in September.

Van Toan seems to be "unleashed" under coach Kim Sang-sik

Minh Tu

Fierce competition

The AFF Cup 2024 will take place at the end of the year, about 3 months after the FIFA Days in September. That is a long enough time for many changes to happen. However, each player needs to seize the opportunity and try to perform well because this is when coach Kim Sang-sik evaluates who is capable of meeting the professional requirements. Therefore, from now on, the competition will be very fierce! In the goal, Dang Van Lam and Nguyen Filip have not been able to create superiority over the other. Right above, Que Ngoc Hai, Nguyen Thanh Chung and Tran Dinh Trong are ready to return to compete with names like Nguyen Thanh Binh, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Nguyen Duc Chien, Do Duy Manh... On the right wing, Ho Tan Tai, Vu Van Thanh, Pham Xuan Manh are still the most promising names. However, coach Kim Sang-sik can also give opportunities to Ngo Tung Quoc and Nguyen Van Duc, two defenders who played extremely well, helping the two clubs Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Dinh to be in the top 4 of the V-League in the 2023-2024 season. On the opposite wing, Phan Tuan Tai may no longer have the monopoly, along with Vo Minh Trong, creating a competition between the two champions of the 2022 U.23 Southeast Asia. Looking further for the goal of the 2024 AFF Cup, Doan Van Hau still has a chance to recover in theory, or Jason Pendant Quang Vinh will have time to obtain Vietnamese citizenship.

Ngoc Hai's return will be a big boost for the Vietnamese national team's defense.

Minh Tu

The advantage is that the Vietnamese team's forward players such as Hoang Duc, Tien Linh, Van Toan, Tuan Hai... are all playing well. But they are not allowed to be subjective to compare with each other, just like veteran striker Van Quyet, who is the domestic player with the most goals in V-League 2023 - 2024. Quyet "jungle" always plays well in a team that plays in control with a 4-defender formation - the way coach Kim Sang-sik will likely build. In addition, Phan Van Duc, the type of player who can create a breakthrough thanks to his ability to break through, impressively finish and persistently support the defense, is ready to return after a long period of injury. Don't forget the young factors such as Vi Hao, Dinh Bac, Van Tung, Van Truong, Thai Son... who can compete with their seniors. It is known that the new captain of the Vietnamese team really likes Vi Hao - a fast-improving striker who scored 5 goals for Binh Duong Club last season. Coach Kim Sang-sik is taking advantage of the time and certainly the players cannot be leisurely. Right now, they are forced to be ready for fierce competition to survive in the increasingly strict screening process that is approaching under the captain of the Vietnamese team.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-tuyen-viet-nam-nong-dan-trong-cuoc-sang-loc-moi-cua-hlv-kim-sang-sik-185240817172840785.htm