Hoang Duc's deep regret and a special gift from coach Troussier

On the afternoon of January 4, midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc left the Vietnam national team's "headquarters" to return home. His injury could not heal in time for the big match.

Coach Philippe Troussier analyzed that each player who wants to recover from an injury must go through 4 stages: treatment to relieve pain, physical therapy, individual training with a fitness coach, and returning to training with the team. As the Asian Cup approaches, Hoang Duc has not yet completed stage 1.

This is the reason why Coach Troussier reluctantly left Hoang Duc at home. In the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup, the French strategist did not use Hoang Duc. He prioritized the midfielder pair Nguyen Thai Son and Nguyen Tuan Anh. However, as Coach Troussier analyzed, each match, each opponent, requires the Vietnamese team to have a different coping strategy.

With his tactical vision, ability to keep the ball, control the rhythm and progress the ball directly, Hoang Duc is still an important name. He has been a pillar of the national team for 3 years, won the best player award in V-League last season, and regularly appeared on the field and made his mark.

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Hoang Duc leaves Vietnam team with a gift from Mr. Troussier

Having faced Japan, Saudi Arabia, Australia, UAE and many other big teams, Hoang Duc brings a source of experience to complement Coach Troussier's young players, who are full of enthusiasm but still very immature in the Asian playground. Therefore, the absence of Hoang Duc is a regret for the Vietnamese team, and for himself.

When Hoang Duc sat on the bench in the World Cup qualifiers, there were doubts about the relationship between the two teachers and students. Coach Troussier put him in a position that was quite out of his comfort zone and commented that he was not suitable.

Since coming to Vietnam, Mr. Troussier has never been afraid to speak frankly. He hopes that the Vietnamese team will be more confident, not expect too much from the opponent's mistakes or rely too much on moments of brilliance. At the press conference yesterday afternoon (January 4), Coach Troussier did not hesitate to say: "80% of the fans do not like the team, maybe they do not like the players, or they do not like me either."

Is the 80% number accurate? Not many people will care about that detail. But the statement speaks volumes about the kind of person Coach Troussier is.

Coach Troussier's excessive frankness seems to be inconsistent with Asian culture, where coaches need to be more tactful and adapt to local customs to be successful. And certainly, sitting down together to resolve the problem is better than openly confronting each other. The Vietnamese team is in the process of transferring and changing its personnel and philosophy. Coach Troussier still needs Hoang Duc, and vice versa, Hoang Duc also needs Mr. Troussier and the Vietnamese team.

Coach Troussier also needs to open his heart to listen to his students' feelings.

The 26-year-old midfielder has proven his class. And for a real reason... football, injury has caused him to miss the opportunity to prove his class in the biggest arena in Asia. Without Hoang Duc, Que Ngoc Hai, Nguyen Tien Linh... the team has to face countless difficulties. But no matter how difficult it is, "I want my students to fight with the spirit of not giving up".

Coach Troussier wants the team he leads to reach a new level of pride and honor.

Before Hoang Duc left the team, he and Coach Troussier had an open conversation. Hoang Duc spoke his mind, the French coach also opened up, saying things that he believed were good for the whole. This was a conversation that could open a new direction, and it was also something that needed to be done to make the Vietnamese team more united. If both remained silent, the conflict would always be there.

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Hoang Duc returned home with a bottle of wine, as a farewell gift from Coach Troussier. Mr. Troussier is a wine connoisseur (he also owns a wine company in France), so he probably understands: the longer the wine is aged, the better it tastes. The same goes for a player's level, it must go through a period of accumulation, patient waiting, even "collision" like the way grapes are pressed to make wine, then the best things will be born.

Hoang Duc will make a strong comeback after missing out on the Asian Cup. That is the challenge that Coach Troussier wants his players to overcome. Let's wait and see!

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/noi-luyen-tiec-sau-tham-cua-hoang-duc-va-mon-qua-dac-biet-tu-hlv-troussier-185240105112210237.htm