Quang Hai returns, waiting to be used by coach Troussier at the Asian Cup

According to information from the Hanoi Police Club, after more than a month of treatment for a calf injury, Nguyen Quang Hai has almost recovered and is ready to play in the match against Hoang Anh Gia Lai, in the first round of the 2023-24 National Cup, on November 25 at Hang Day Stadium.

Meanwhile, Doan Van Hau's return date is still unknown, but his heel injury is not as serious as expected. It is known that Van Hau will not have surgery in Singapore, but will instead undergo a rehabilitation program in the country.

Quang Hải tái xuất, chờ đợi được HLV Troussier trọng dụng ở Asian Cup - 1 — Quang Hai returns after more than a month of injury treatment (Photo: Manh Quan)..

Without surgery, the 24-year-old player may shorten his treatment time, still have the opportunity to compete in the early stages of V-League 2023-24 and can join the Vietnam team to attend the 2023 Asian Cup in early January 2024.

Quang Hai and Van Hau have brought great news to fans, but whether or not they will be used in the Vietnam national team is another story. Under coach Philippe Troussier, many key players have been left idle, a typical example being midfielder Hoang Duc.

As one of the stars of the national team, a strong candidate for the 2023 Vietnam Golden Ball title, the player from Hai Duong was not used in the last 2 official matches of the Vietnam team in the 2nd qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia.

Explaining why he did not use Hoang Duc, coach Philippe Troussier said: "In Southeast Asia, this can defeat weaker opponents. But when facing the top teams in the continent, we cannot rely on individuals to shine.

Quang Hải tái xuất, chờ đợi được HLV Troussier trọng dụng ở Asian Cup - 2 — Coach Philippe Troussier trusts young players (Photo: Tien Tuan).

To reach continental level, we need to improve many factors: better organization, especially defense without the ball. Hoang Duc has not met these requirements yet."

Not only Hoang Duc, many familiar players who played very successfully under coach Park Hang Seo such as Bui Tien Dung, Van Thanh, Hung Dung, Tien Linh were also not used, or were only put on the field by coach Troussier for a certain period of time.

In the context of the French coach strongly rejuvenating the Vietnamese national team, even big names like Van Hau or Quang Hai are at risk of having to sit out.

Mr. Troussier has repeatedly affirmed that he is not interested in fame, but needs players who fit the new philosophy.

According to the plan, the Vietnamese team will gather again at the end of December to prepare for the 2023 Asian Cup finals. Hoang Duc, Quang Hai... are likely to still be on the list, but whether they can play or not is still a question mark, because all of them have not yet adapted to the playing style under coach Philippe Troussier.