Vietnamese football and what needs to be done immediately after the AFF Cup.

The fact that the Vietnamese national team failed to advance beyond the semi-finals against arch-rival Thailand shows the current strength of Vietnamese football, despite its successful and dominant position in the country's development over the past four years under coach...Park Hang-seoHe plays the role of a reliable "captain." But upon closer examination, it can be seen that the story of Vietnamese football is not only related to Thai football, but also to Indonesia and Singapore, as these football nations are also undergoing strong development and progress.

To reclaim their regional crown, the Thai national team, with their full complement of strong players, shows that defeating them is no easy feat, even if someone can trouble Chanathip and his teammates for a single half. The Vietnamese national team might be able to trouble Thailand in the second half of the first leg of the semi-final and the first half of the second leg, just as the Indonesian team could only trouble the Thais for one half of the second leg of the final (all of which happened when the Thais were already leading and proactively retreated to protect their score). Otherwise, regardless of the lineup, even without 3-5 key players, things still went smoothly as planned.

The Vietnamese national team's strikers (in white shirts) just had a disappointing AFF Cup campaign. Photo: The Vu - VNA.

The success of the Thai team stems from the professional organization of the Thai League for many years, and the fact that the 2021 season, despite the complicated pandemic situation, was successfully completed, unlike the V. League which was abandoned prematurely. This has allowed the Thai team to produce outstanding stars like Chanathip and Theerathon, who play abroad, alongside bringing back Thai expats like Dolah, Bihr, and Roller, making an already strong team even stronger than its regional rivals.

Meanwhile, the competitors ofVietnam National TeamLike Indonesia or Singapore, despite still having internal issues worth discussing, their progress is worth reflecting on and considering. Following the success of Vietnamese football with a South Korean coach, Indonesian football went even further by inviting an even more formidable coach, Shin Tae-yong, the former head coach of the South Korean national team, and immediately demonstrated the talent of this strategist.

It's a long-term vision, a well-planned selection and team building strategy, and above all, a fighting spirit to the very end in any circumstances. The Indonesian national team trusts in young players, retaining only a few key players and calling up Indonesian players of overseas origin, similar to Thailand's approach. They are willing to accept temporary setbacks in the World Cup qualifiers, and even in the AFF Cup, but will aim for success in the SEA Games and even the AFF Cup later this year, as they mature significantly with each competition.

A ball contest between players of the Vietnam national team (in red shirts) and the Thailand national team during the first leg of the semi-final. Photo: VNN

At the same time, after winning the AFF Cup four times, Singapore suddenly abandoned the trend of successfully naturalizing players and returned to using homegrown talent, despite facing considerable difficulties. However, as seen in Singapore's energetic second leg semi-final against Indonesia, even with a man down, it's clear that over time, they will be a formidable opponent for any team. Significantly, regardless of the coach's era, the Singapore national team has consistently played with a unique style: playing long balls, maximizing set pieces, and exploiting opponents' mistakes.

Watching the Singapore national team play might not be exciting, but it's incredibly effective. They don't attack much, mainly focusing on their strength in defense and counter-attacks, so they usually don't expend much energy and have the ability to fight until the very last minute. This reminds me of the recent situation with the Vietnamese national team: when they attack relentlessly but fail to score, their morale quickly wanes, leaving gaps in their defense for the opponent to exploit. The first leg of the semi-final against Thailand is a prime example. Even against weaker opponents like Cambodia or Laos, the Vietnamese players become increasingly exhausted towards the end of the match, wanting to score more goals but lacking the strength to do so, as we've seen...

Despite dominating the match, the Vietnamese national team was unable to score against Indonesia. Photo: VFF

Naturally, the authorities, coaching staff, and each Vietnamese player have learned valuable lessons and quickly adapted to the relentless pace of regional and global football. Selecting the U21 team to participate in the upcoming regional U23 tournament is a correct and commendable step.

And we must actively search for and recruit talent to supplement the national teams from both domestic and international sources. More than ever, the V. League must be organized in a truly professional manner in all aspects, strictly enforcing regulations on foreign players and young players in club squads to both nurture the development of the entire football system, resources for the national teams, and the brand of the clubs, allowing stars to play abroad appropriately to improve their skills and abilities…

There can be no delay, not even a day or an hour, when regional football, despite its reputation as a "low-lying area," is making unexpected strides through various effective methods. It's not just the Thais making a comeback; the Indonesians, the Singaporeans, and others are also breathing down our necks, vying to reclaim the top spot in the rankings.