All good midfielders, not easy to choose!

Coach Kim Sang-sik's star-studded squad

In the list of Vietnam national team players in March, coach Kim Sang-sik called up 4 central midfielders: Nguyen Hoang Duc, Doan Ngoc Tan, Nguyen Thai Son and Vo Hoang Minh Khoa.

Among them, the duo Hoang Duc and Ngoc Tan played together at the AFF Cup 2024, while Thai Son and Minh Khoa are young talents called up from the V-League.

Young midfielder Vo Hoang Minh Khoa (purple shirt)

Not to mention, Mr. Kim also has versatile players who can play many positions and have controlled the midfield, such as Khuat Van Khang, Trieu Viet Hung and Nguyen Quang Hai. With a large number of midfielders, the Vietnamese team has a midfield that is full of strength and creativity, as well as youth and experience.

Hoang Duc only needs the last 3 matches at the AFF Cup 2024 to recreate his peak image in the 2021 - 2022 period. The midfielder born in 1998 still has the ability to shield, escape pressure, regulate the ball smoothly, gently and control the rhythm of play well despite being pressured by the opponent. Thanks to Hoang Duc, the balance of defense and attack of the Vietnamese team is kept stable in the difficult matches in the semi-finals and finals of the AFF Cup 2024. He will still be the core in the midfield, with the tactical vision and vision that coach Kim Sang-sik has not been able to find in other players.

To support Hoang Duc, coach Kim Sang-sik needed an energetic box-to-box midfielder who could cover, intercept, and move tirelessly to ensure he could "sweep" the hot spots in the midfield. It took Kim 6 months to find Ngoc Tan, a player who was not previously on the preliminary list for the 2024 AFF Cup, but was added at the last minute.

This was the right decision by coach Kim Sang-sik. In his first tournament with the Vietnamese team, Ngoc Tan played extremely well with his persistent energy, fueling the team's midfield "engine" to operate effectively.

However, Ngoc Tan is 31 years old and is not a long-term option. Therefore, Minh Khoa (23 years old) and Thai Son (22 years old) were summoned by Mr. Kim.

Thai Son (red shirt) used to play for the national team under coach Troussier.

Thai Son once played for the Vietnamese national team at the age of 20 thanks to the trust of coach Philippe Troussier. He also proved his ability, with the perseverance and enthusiasm of youth. Although he could run all over the field, Thai Son did not have the alertness to choose the right position, was not confident in handling the ball, and did not have a stable mentality for big matches. After 2 years of further training in the V-League (40 matches), Thai Son has returned more mature and this time may be different.

As for Minh Khoa, the ticket to the national team is a reward for the efforts of the player who scored 5 goals in 62 matches for Binh Duong in the V-League. The midfielder born in 2002 is a typical shuttlecock model, diligent, hard-working and "multi-tasking", when he can take on many jobs in the midfield. Minh Khoa shoots well from afar, passes short and long well, and can also sweep when needed. Minh Khoa and Thai Son will be the present and future in the midfield of the national team.

Why midfield?

The new faces in the midfield show that the playing style of the Vietnamese team can change.

In the 2024 AFF Cup, the Vietnamese team plays relatively simply, playing long balls and high balls, with the criteria of being fast and direct. Because, Mr. Kim Sang-sik has striker Nguyen Xuan Son who can suppress opponents and independently score goals.

At that time, the midfield did not need to be creative, but only needed to control well, then pass the ball up for Xuan Son to "do everything".

In the next 6 months, coach Kim Sang-sik will be without Xuan Son. The simple and direct counter-attacking style will give way to a more controlling and imposing style of play. To play like that, the midfield needs to be the source of everything.

With 7 central midfielders at his disposal, Mr. Kim has enough ingredients to create a new formula for ball control and attack. The energetic midfield will be the launching pad for the Vietnamese team to introduce "new wine" in "old bottles".

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-co-tuyen-giua-cuc-chat-toan-tien-ve-gioi-khong-de-chon-185250310132100431.htm