Brian Jeffrey
After clinching the 2024 ASEAN Cup title, the Vietnam national football team is set to welcome new players. Head coach Kim Sang Sik aims to harness the potential of an improved V-League to scout for promising talent.
Once the 2024 ASEAN Cup concluded and the engagement events with fans and media wrapped up, Coach Kim returned briefly to South Korea for a vacation.
However, the coach, who guided Vietnam to its third ASEAN Cup victory, intends to quickly dive back into his work, prioritizing the integration of new players into both the national and U23 teams.
Kim is keen to get back on track; during various interviews post-ASEAN Cup, he highlighted the necessity of enhancing the team’s caliber for future successes.
This urgency is heightened by the absence of key players like Xuan Son and Ho Tan Tai due to injuries. With the qualifiers for the Asian Cup 2027 on the horizon, preparation time is limited.
Coach Kim Sang Sik adopts an open strategy for team selection, welcoming any player that meets his tactical and technical standards into the national roster.
This has led to significant decisions, such as substituting Nguyen Filip with Dinh Trieu and providing chances to new players like Doan Ngoc Tan.
However, bringing fresh talent from the V-League poses challenges. With the league set to restart in February 2024 after a lengthy break, concerns linger about its competitiveness and the players’ match fitness.
The uncertainty is reflected in the recent National Cup Round of 16 performances, which revealed inconsistent quality post-ASEAN Cup hiatus.
The Vietnam national team’s initial Asian Cup qualifier against Laos on March 25 tightens the timeline for Coach Kim to test new strategies and players.
Future fixtures, including a face-off with Nepal in June 2025, might offer more leeway, but the success hinges on the league’s enhancement in competitiveness. The national team’s revival will become challenging if the V-League does not show improvement early in the season.
