Why does coach Troussier put his trust in Truong Tien Anh?

Coach Troussier's belief

Midfielder Truong Tien Anh is one of eight players called up to the Vietnam national team by coach Philippe Troussier in June, as new recruits selected from the V-League.

That was the time when the French coach summoned some faces that he assessed as having good performances in the V-League to test in the national team. In addition to Tien Anh, there were also Dinh Trieu, Thanh Long, Ti Phong, Van Duc, Duc Cuong, Quang Nam, Viet Hung, then it was Huu Son and Trung Hieu's turn to join the national team.

However, none of these players later played as regularly as Tien Anh. The player born in 1999 played in all 6 matches of the Vietnamese team under coach Troussier, a number that even pillars like Quang Hai, Ngoc Hai, and Tien Linh could not achieve.

Tien Anh in the Vietnamese national team jersey

To be considered for the Vietnamese national team, Tien Anh had to overcome the moment when it seemed like his debut match would also be his... last match. That was in the match against Hong Kong at Lach Tray Stadium, when Tien Anh entered the field in the second half, then at the end of the match, the Viettel Club player suddenly collapsed. Tien Anh passed out due to dehydration and exhaustion, and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

But just 5 days later, Tien Anh returned in the match against the Syrian team. And from that time until now, the 24-year-old player has been assigned a position on the right wing (except for the match against Palestine, Tien Anh played on the left wing).

Tien Anh's performance in the past 6 matches has not been really outstanding, similar to the general level of the Vietnamese team. This is relatively understandable, when with the new philosophy and tactical requirements set by Mr. Troussier, the players have returned to the starting line, having to get used to steps such as receiving the ball, passing the ball, running to open space or applying pressure.

The fundamental adjustments in thinking that Coach Troussier requested to serve the ball control style of play, also created a very different frame of reference for player selection compared to his predecessor, Coach Park Hang-seo. Among the names that the French coach trusted, there were players who had affirmed their class, but there were also players on the border of doubt. Tien Anh was one of them.

Tien Anh has good physical strength to climb the border persistently.

At the age of 24, Tien Anh has played 69 matches in the V-League, trusted by coach Thach Bao Khanh with 17 starting matches in the last 23 matches for Viettel Club. The player from Hai Duong is highly appreciated for his versatility, endurance, speed as well as his ability to climb the sidelines and cross the ball well.

Tien Anh is one of the few wingers today who can climb the touchline with continuous intensity, along with the ability to "hide his feet", meaning that it is difficult for the opponent to predict the decisive move such as crossing, passing, returning to the second line or finishing.

Tien Anh's ability to play well with his weaker foot is also a plus in the eyes of coach Troussier. In the match against Korea, the 24-year-old player was very close to scoring when he turned the ball past the home defender with his right foot, then curled the ball with his left foot and missed the post.

"Understanding the movements, where to appear, how to handle each situation, or how to ensure position in attack and defense is very important. Coach Troussier's formation requires a lot of physical intensity from the players, which I am trying to learn and adapt to," Tien Anh shared.

However, there is a long gap between adapting and playing explosively on the right wing, which Tien Anh is still trying to narrow.

Pressure is motivation

The pressure on Tien Anh gradually increased, when Coach Troussier placed his full trust in him. The French strategist was willing to eliminate a very good right winger like Ho Tan Tai, to trust Tien Anh and Ho Van Cuong on the right wing.

He called up Van Thanh, but most likely Van Thanh will be arranged to play high, while the right wing position is still a race between two young players.

Tien Anh needs to show more

When the World Cup qualifiers arrived, the Vietnamese team no longer had to experiment, but had to "fight" for real. The pressure on the players therefore increased. To operate the control style of play, the role of the two wingers was very important and heavy. They had to ensure their position in defense while coordinating well in attack to stretch the opponent's formation, opening up space for the strikers to penetrate.

Coach Troussier's construction of an attacking style of play, which means pushing the ball to one side and then suddenly attacking to the other side, also requires wingers like Tien Anh and Minh Trong to have sharp tactical thinking.

With tons of work and pressure, Tien Anh is under pressure. But the support for Viettel Club players is Coach Troussier's trust. A strange trust that the "White Witch" has for the players has not been shown too much. And the next 2 matches are an opportunity for Tien Anh to confirm that Mr. Troussier has trusted the right person.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/vi-sao-hlv-troussier-dat-niem-tin-vao-truong-tien-anh-185231106194138028.htm