After years of great success under the guidance of coach Park Hang Seo, Vietnamese football at the national team level has entered a new period full of difficulties and challenges. The future-oriented strategy of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has led to unfavorable initial results, of which the failure at the 19th Asian Games is an example.
However, when accepting to send players who are only 17-20 years old to compete at the U23 level, failure is something that experts are willing to accept. They hope that such experiences will help young players - who just a few months before played very well in the U20 Asian finals, a tournament suitable for their age - mature sooner.
Exactly one month after returning from ASIAD 19 with a lot of pressure from a wave of criticism, coach Hoang Anh Tuan gave an interview to VTC News to talk about the story behind the failure from a professional perspective.
- From the Southeast Asian championship to the failure at ASIAD 19, the past 3 months for you seem to be full of fluctuations with many emotional levels.
I am not surprised. That is part of football. When the results are good, they are supported, when the results are not good, they are certainly criticized. I think this is normal and I have to accept it. What is important for a coach is how many of those critics understand the profession. Their views are the things I need to worry about and think about.
Coach Hoang Anh Tuan was assigned to lead the U17, U20 and Olympic teams of Vietnam in 2023. (Photo: VFF)
When professionals criticize, I have to think. Ordinary audiences are different, but when professionals still give their opinions, I first have to understand what their position is, what their perspective is, and what their level of expertise is. From there, I look at the problem from multiple perspectives. Any praise or criticism has a positive side.
After the 19th Asian Games, I read an article interviewing Mr. Bae Ji-won, former assistant of Coach Park Hang Seo. He complained and criticized a lot. I also thought and asked myself questions. My answer is that he does not understand anything about Vietnamese football.
- It is now exactly one month after the Vietnam Olympic team was eliminated from the 19th ASIAD. That was probably an expected result, because right from the victory over Mongolia, you predicted that "If we keep playing like this, the Vietnam Olympic team will be eliminated soon".
There is a lot of meaning behind a saying. My message is that the players must look at the match to review themselves, not just one sentence I said that the Vietnam Olympic team can win the Saudi Arabia Olympic team and the Iran Olympic team. I want the players to be more determined, more focused, and minimize mistakes.
Whether from the perspective of public opinion, the media or experts, this is clearly not a good result. We should not blame the players. Vietnam Olympic team has 18-19 year old players playing against 22-23 year old opponents, even a striker born in 1992.
However, I don't want the players to think that because they are young, they will naturally lose.
Vietnam Olympic team failed to pass the group stage of ASIAD 19. (Photo: VFF)
- After the final loss, he said that the Vietnamese Olympic team lost to the Saudi Arabian and Iranian teams in everything.
In terms of the players' expertise, they have not fully developed. Secondly, in terms of physique, we are at a disadvantage, losing a lot in headers, such a loss is unavoidable. Thirdly, the Vietnam Olympic team only had 2 full training days for the 19th ASIAD. This is a big tournament, that is not enough. The coaching staff does not have much time to prepare in terms of techniques, tactics, expertise, and details of set pieces.
I have experience in such international tournaments. I also tell the players that the opponent has this advantage, that weakness. The players need to concentrate at sensitive moments, especially in football, which is the opening moment, when everything is not in the right place. Bad situations often happen.
Another problem is that at the end of the match, players often get distracted and lose focus. In football, time is measured in seconds, losing focus means losing. Third, at the beginning of the second half and especially at the end of the match. Loss of focus still happens, physical strength is reduced, expertise is affected, loss of focus leads to many errors.
I don't just warn players in this tournament. I always give specific requirements but unfortunately the team is lacking and weak. This is a big lesson for them.
Coach Hoang Anh Tuan talks about the failure at ASIAD 19. (Photo: Han Phong)
- When the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) decided to send the U20 team to the 19th ASIAD, failure was expected. What if we do not focus on the results but evaluate them based on the development of young players? Will failure change anything in the direction that has been set?
We agreed from the beginning. Whatever the result, we have to accept it. I don't make excuses for failure. As a coach, no one likes to lose, but the long-term direction is more important.
The direction and goals are something that should be pursued to the end, not given up. That decision was not mine or Philippe Troussier's. It was the result of a process of discussion, planning and then coming up with a solution for the teams to participate in different tournaments, with very clear goals and the final result is not something that can be evaluated through the first one or two tournaments.
The failure at ASIAD 19 brought many professional lessons to young players. (Photo: VFF)
The important thing is that these players mature earlier. That is beneficial to the national team. Head coach Troussier has more options. If we compare Mr. Troussier with his predecessor, Mr. Park Hang Seo, we must first talk about the human factor. The generation of Quang Hai, Cong Phuong, Tan Tai and then Van Hau are all very good. Mr. Park has a strong enough force to create 5 successful years.
To have a strong team, we also need reserve forces. I believe that sending the youth team to the ASIAD is a very correct strategy from VFF. We always have to create a successor force for the Vietnam team.
- The Vietnam team is at the beginning of a new development cycle with many changes. Failures may continue to occur. Are you and your colleagues, as well as Coach Troussier, mentally prepared to accept that?
Suppose I were to lead a young Japanese team, I might win more. But in reality, I am Vietnamese, playing football in Vietnam, and of course the rate of losing matches against strong opponents will be higher. I have to be ready to accept defeat.
Vietnamese football is currently in limbo, just slightly above Southeast Asia but not yet at the high level of Asia. In continental youth tournaments, it is normal for the U17 and U20 Vietnam teams to lose to top teams. However, everything has two sides.
Even in defeat you can see change. The overall picture is still development. What I care about is how many of the players I work with later play for the national team.
The Vietnamese teams are not only in the process of building new forces, but also their playing style is being redefined from the beginning. (Photo: Hoang Anh)
- He is not the only one involved in this long-term development strategy. Fans understand that coach Philippe Troussier plays the role of "general director" to guide the national team. Coordinating and synchronizing the youth teams with the national team, following the direction of another coach, is not a simple matter.
Fortunately, Coach Troussier and I have many similarities in philosophy. The problem is that Mr. Troussier succeeded in Japan, a top-level football system that is different from Vietnamese football. For example, Japanese football in major tournaments aims to rank. Vietnamese football is currently just trying its best to qualify for the World Cup.
The most obvious difference is in terms of skill level. Our philosophy is that players must know how to control the ball. Vietnamese players are small, smart, agile, skillful and fast. However, the level of Vietnamese football is still very far from the world.
At the moment, we are trying to play short, small balls. But when playing against Korea and Uzbekistan, how will the Vietnamese team control the ball? We should understand that saying that playing short, small balls is an ideal to aim for, not something to impose on all opponents.
In reality, it is very difficult and at this point we have not been able to do it, but do not be pessimistic about that. I believe that Vietnamese players will have good matches with this style of play, and gradually the style of play will be built. Changing football philosophy and tactical views is not a simple matter.
(to be continued)
Source
Comment (0)