Vietnam team is diligently looking for a midfield boss
Central midfielder is a position that requires good players for any team, and the Vietnamese team is no exception.
When he was still in office, Coach Park Hang-seo needed more than a year to find the right duo Hung Dung and Tuan Anh to build a framework to conquer the second qualifying round of the World Cup. At the same time, it was not until June 2021, that is, 3 years after molding the team, that Mr. Park was able to "discover" Hoang Duc for the midfield position, even though the midfielder born in 1998 had previously affirmed his class at The Cong Viettel Club.
Hoang Duc in the Vietnamese national team jersey
When taking over the coaching chair from Mr. Park, Coach Philippe Troussier also tested a series of midfield factors such as Hoang Duc, Quang Hai, Hung Dung, Thai Son, Thanh Long, Duc Chien. At the 2023 Asian Cup, the Vietnamese team played 3 matches with... 3 different midfield lines, but still could not find a feasible answer.
That shows that, whether playing defensive counter-attacks or controlling the ball and imposing the style of play, it is not easy for the Vietnamese team to find a top-class central midfielder. Because inherently, this position requires a lot of qualities, from endurance, tactical vision, strength, ability to control the rhythm, pass the ball to compete, shoot from afar, leadership qualities and understanding teammates.
In 3 of the last 5 seasons, the title of best player of the year (Vietnam Golden Ball) was awarded to central midfielders such as Hoang Duc (2021, 2023), Hung Dung (2019). This is a worthy recognition for the contributions of the midfield bosses, also proving how good midfielders can make a big mark on the game in the eyes of experts.
Coach Kim Sang-sik
However, coach Kim Sang-sik is having a hard time finding such all-round central midfielders. The fact that Mr. Kim has removed Hung Dung from his list, despite having previously given him the captain's armband, shows the strictness and perfectionism of the Vietnamese national team's coaching staff. Hoang Duc has not yet brought peace of mind, when he chose to play in the first division, which is inferior to the V-League in terms of expertise. As for Quang Hai, whether the matches at the Hanoi Police Club were impressive enough for coach Kim or not, is also not an easy question to answer.
Opportunity for Thanh Hoa 'running machines'
Giving opportunities to Van Truong, Hai Long, Thai Son, Ngoc Quang and Thanh Long in recent friendly matches has revealed coach Kim Sang-sik's philosophy of selecting players. The Korean coach prioritizes form, determination to compete and aggressiveness in playing style, rather than pure experience.
The standards of Mr. Kim's playing style have gradually emerged. It is the initiative that Mr. Troussier laid the foundation for, combined with the science, discipline and fighting spirit that Coach Park Hang-seo once favored. Mr. Kim's playing style requires a lot of energy in the midfield, when the midfielders have to move to coordinate the play, combine blocking and covering continuously. To do so, a strong physical foundation and good form at the club are important factors.
Midfielder Doan Ngoc Tan
Thai Son in the Vietnamese national team jersey
In this aspect, placing faith in the duo Doan Ngoc Tan and Nguyen Thai Son of Thanh Hoa Club is a wise choice of coach Kim Sang-sik. First of all, both are midfielders with the highest performance in V-League, contributing to helping Thanh Hoa team reign at the top.
Thai Son has played all 9 matches since the beginning of the V-League (810 minutes), and Ngoc Tan has played 8 matches (715 minutes). This duo is not only good at competing, controlling and rotating the midfield, but also provides enough energy for the Thanh Hoa "engine" to operate most durably in the V-League.
At the same time, Coach Velizar Popov's pressing tactics are also worth Mr. Kim's reference. Despite its modest strength, Thanh Hoa Club has won 3 cups in 2 years, and is currently leading the V-League with a convincing playing style. The key to success is the role of dedicated "warriors" such as Ngoc Tan and Thai Son.
"Bring the fighting spirit of Thanh Hoa Club to the Vietnam national team," coach Popov told Ngoc Tan. The aspirations of two players, one old and one young, will help coach Kim Sang-sik have more options to mold the position that is giving him the most headache.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhung-may-chay-cua-hlv-popov-giup-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-giai-bai-toan-tuyen-giua-185241124144832771.htm
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