Preliminary list of Vietnam national team: No name of Cong Vinh

Until late yesterday afternoon, VFF had not yet made an official announcement about which candidate it would select for the vacant position of head coach of the Vietnam National Team, but the list of Vietnam National Team preparing for the first two matches in the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers was available, and in the preliminary list of 50 players selected by VFF, Cong Vinh's name was not included.

Cong Vinh is not on the preliminary list of the Vietnam National Team preparing for the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers. Photo: Kim Ngoc

No one was surprised by Cong Vinh's absence, because this striker was the first name mentioned when VFF mentioned the list of players lacking motivation to compete in the AFF Cup 2012. In the 5-page summary report on the journey of the Vietnam National Team at the AFF Cup 2012, Coach Phan Thanh Hung also suggested that VFF "stop calling players showing signs of age and injury, players showing signs of individualism and stardom, and players with unstable skills to focus on their duties".

The reason Mr. Hung had to make this proposal was because during the preparation and competition of the Vietnam National Team in the AFF Cup 2012, there were "some athletes who violated the rules by disrespecting their teammates and assistant coaches". Although both the VFF and Mr. Hung refused to give any specific names on the list of players who should not be called up to the Vietnam National Team, Cong Vinh was the one who received the most attention, because the truth is that Cong Vinh did not play well in the first two matches of the Vietnam National Team in the AFF Cup 2012, reacted inappropriately to the coaching staff after being substituted in the middle of the opening match and was removed from the official lineup in the final match.

However, yesterday afternoon, when talking to the press about the preliminary list of the Vietnam National Team to prepare for the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers, a VFF leader confirmed that Cong Vinh was not called up solely for professional reasons. This leader said: "Cong Vinh did not have good form in the 2012 AFF Cup, and the Hanoi Football Club did not register to participate in the 2013 V-League, so it is normal that he is not called up to the Vietnam National Team."

According to this VFF leader, because the AFC requires national football federations to submit a preliminary list of national teams to participate in the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers on January 7, 2015, the VFF National Teams & Training Department and the National Coaching Council have coordinated to create a preliminary list of 50 players, most of whom are players of age to participate in the 27th SEA Games in Myanmar at the end of this year.

The above VFF leader affirmed that the head coach will be the one with the highest decision-making authority over the list of selected players, so this is only a preliminary list and may change depending on the professional opinion of the head coach of the Vietnam National Team. However, it is not excluded that the new head coach of the Vietnam National Team will work with the list of players selected by the VFF, because 2 years ago, due to not having much time to follow the V-League and the First Division, coach Falko Goetz led the Vietnam National Team and the Vietnam U23 Team with the main players selected by the VFF, the National Coaching Council and assistants.

According to the plan, on January 23, the Vietnam National Team will gather in Hanoi. Before that, the list of the entire team will be submitted by VFF to the General Department of Sports and Physical Training for the General Department of Sports and Physical Training to decide on the call-up. Also due to the requirement to register with AFC as mentioned above, VFF is expected to complete the selection of the interim head coach of the Vietnam National Team no later than January 6, 2013.

According to Thethaovanhoa - DT