Youth football and long-term plans

Youth football tournaments from U23 and below are often considered amateur or semi-professional tournaments, and are the initial foundation and "source" for building a national team to compete officially in FIFA's annual competition system.

Therefore, the way each country does youth football is not exactly the same, although they all have the same ultimate goal of creating a direct source for the national team. For example, at the recent 2022 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, in addition to the teams that sent U23 players of the right age to the tournament, Thailand brought U19 players, while Vietnam brought U21+ players. Therefore, although the victory of Quang Nho and his teammates in this tournament is very commendable in the context of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, people should not forget to note that the victory of the U21 team over the U19 team is not too surprising or special, not to mention that only winning by a narrow margin of 1-0 is something that must be reviewed first?

At the 31st SEA Games, the situation was similar when each team chose a different way even though the tournament's regulations allowed this and that, such as allowing each team to add 3 players over 23 years old (the 30th SEA Games allowed 2 overage players). While the strongest and most ambitious teams all focused on adding all 3 players over 23 years old such as U23 Vietnam, U23 Thailand and U23 Indonesia, U23 Philippines only added 2 players, even U23 Malaysia and U23 Cambodia decided to choose the path of not adding any overage players and the young team had to "be self-reliant". At the 2021 AFF Cup, the Indonesian team brought a squad of young players to create a new momentum for the country's football and they soon reaped sweet fruit, although when they returned to the SEA Games, that hope was extinguished. And that is a reference, a valuable lesson for not only Indonesians.

U23 Thailand had a difficult match against U23 Vietnam. Photo: Internet

Everyone understands that U23 Cambodia is going from the perspective of considering SEA Games 31 as the best practice step towards SEA Games 32 to be held at home in 2023 and if this team is aiming for any achievement, it is the competition next year with significant advantages at home and with home fans. As for U23 Malaysia, SEA Games 31 is certainly not the destination of the U23 team but the U23 Asian Finals, where they, U23 Thailand andU23 Vietnamare the 3 representatives of the region present in the Final Round. At that time, U23 Malaysia was the most stable team in terms of force after the SEA Games to compete in the continental tournament, while the 2 powerful teams in the region had to supplement their forces, change their commanders and playing style in an extremely short time, so it was understandable that they encountered difficulties and confusion?

Not to mention, when football develops, many young players are allowed to play abroad such as in Thailand or Indonesia, the SEA Games is not a place where they are required to be present as usual and it is normal for their home team not to release them. For a talented young player, staying to play abroad or returning to serve the U23 team in regional and continental tournaments are both good opportunities for development, although it is impossible to say which has more results or is more beneficial?

The story of U23 Vietnam being gathered early, the players used to playing football together in the country, at first seemed to be favorable, but in fact, that is what we are behind, lagging behind the region, with developed football, if viewed from the highest perspective, the force for the national team. When the Vietnam team, although competing in the 3rd qualifying round of the World Cup, returned to compete in the AFF Cup and was "overtaken" by Thai stars playing abroad like Chanathip, for example, we can clearly see the immediate consequences of this important and urgent issue.

Tuan Tai blocked a Thai attack at the 2022 U23 Asian Cup. Photo: Lam Thoa's file

Therefore, the fact that Mr. Park Hang-seo did not call Quang Hai for the 31st SEA Games (because if injured, it would be difficult for this player to play abroad) and recently, the coach let Quang Hai play the full 90 minutes in a friendly match "after consulting" this player himself, is concrete evidence for the most important and necessary long-term story of Vietnamese football today. And not only Quang Hai, our talents more than ever need to be cared for, treated, and facilitated in a fundamental, proactive, and far-reaching way, like the way VFF does with youth tournaments, of countries in the region and around the world for the highest goal ahead./.