Vietnam U22 Team: Gold is not afraid of fire

(Baonghean.vn) - If the goal is to reach the final match of the 29th SEA Games, then there is no reason for the U22 Vietnam team to be afraid of any opponent, including Thailand...

Vietnamese football has produced many generations of talent from Huu Thang, to Van Quyen, Quoc Vuong and now the generation of Cong Phuong, Xuan Truong. However, the current U22 Vietnam team with the core of HAGL players is the hope that fans have been waiting for them for 4 years.

What does this generation that is participating in the SEA Games have? They are well-trained, gathering the best of Vietnam’s emerging training centers. Even though the way the clubs play football is each doing their own thing, this is still the generation of players with the most chances of winning the championship. Why do you say that?

Continental-class midfielders like Luong Xuan Truong are expected to bring success to U22 Vietnam. Photo: Hai Thinh

Possess a team of evenly-matched quality players

Three years ago, at the semi-finals of the Hassanal Bolkiah Cup 2014 held in Brunei, the current generation of U22 Vietnam players gave the U19 Thailand team that year a memorable lesson based on the true tiki-taka style of play.

Before that, even Indonesia had to use an ugly, cutting style of play to counter. The preemptive attacking style, with diverse coordination from explosive players like Cong Phuong, Xuan Truong, Tuan Anh, Quang Hai and Tuan Tai, made the opponents "cry out".

In terms of talent and level, the U19 Vietnam players at that time and the current U22 Vietnam players are capable of challenging any opponent in the Southeast Asian region.

Not only does he have the players born in 1995, Coach Huu Thang is also luckier than other coaches when he has the best young players in Vietnamese football at the moment, including the faces who made history at the recent U20 World Cup.

The Nghe An coach has too many options. Even if his preparation still has some flaws in the attack or goalkeeper position, considering each person, their experience is still enough to improve the face of Vietnamese football.

In the U22 Vietnam squad, there are a series of players who have played well for the national team. They are Van Thanh, Xuan Truong, Van Khanh, Quang Hai and Cong Phuong, an unknown that Vietnamese fans are waiting for.

Although U22 Vietnam may lack a true striker, Coach Huu Thang still has the right to be confident because he has a squad of high-class midfielders. Although Vietnamese football may not have the depth of Thailand, or be on par with Indonesia, in each specific match and tournament, the level of U22 Vietnam is not inferior.

Spiritual and mental support

Football is a collective sport, fans can believe that Coach Huu Thang is the one who is capable of doing the best at this time. Particularly in terms of military discipline, fighting spirit and creating a unified block are the strengths of the Nghe An coach.

Coach Nguyen Huu Thang is a commander who is absolutely trusted by his students. Photo: Hai Thinh

Coach Huu Thang may not be perfect in terms of expertise, but at least he still has Technical Director Juergen Gede and assistant coach Lu Dinh Tuan who are quite sensitive in their ability to read situations and analyze matches. The failures as a player, up to the recent AFF Cup 2016, are obvious lessons that help the coach from Nghe An know what needs to be overcome.

In fact, this generation of players is quite even in terms of talent. If compared, they are equal. Therefore, there is no star, nor is there a true leader. And of course, the focus and support of U22 Vietnam will be Coach Huu Thang - the one who has the talent to inspire and command everyone to look in the same direction.

Any player when stepping onto the field must have a spiritual support. That is a senior to help them feel more confident right from the start. In an uncompromising match, the mentality when entering the game is the decisive factor. The students can completely look to the authority of the "reinforcer" Nguyen Huu Thang to play.

The closer the SEA Games are, the more people see the role of Coach Nguyen Huu Thang. With the target of reaching the final match, the Nghe An coach has confidence in himself and his students. U22 Vietnam has had a thorough preparation process for the SEA Games, from the 2019 Asian Cup to the U23 Asian qualifiers. That is enough for the U22 Vietnam coaching board to calculate the peak performance of the players.

Hopefully, the U22 Vietnam players are aware of this so that they can courageously step onto the field without psychological pressure. Luck will not be on the side of those who do not have fighting spirit and confidence. Real gold is not afraid of fire!

Trung Kien