Fox Sports: "Vietnam must capitalize on this golden generation to aim for the World Cup"

Coach Park Hang-seo is leading the Vietnamese national team in the right direction. What the South Korean strategist has brought to the "Golden Stars" has also dispelled all doubts directed at him more than a year ago. At this point, no one can underestimate "Mr. Sleepyhead," the nickname of Coach Park.

The 59-year-old coach is no longer young when he takes the helm of the Vietnamese national team, yet he has a strong connection with the younger players. Of the 23 players in the Vietnamese national team's squad for the 2018 AFF Cup, 15 are 23 years old or younger.

The "Golden Stars" squad still includes Van Quyet, Anh Duc, and Que Ngoc Hai, key players who have matured in age; however, the core group still consists of young players such as Duy Manh, Dinh Trong, Quang Hai, Van Duc, Xuan Truong, and Cong Phuong.

What he's doing shows that Coach Park wants to build a team based on young players. Fortunately, that gamble has yielded unexpected results. At the end of the group stage of the 2018 AFF Cup, the "Golden Stars" impressively finished first, ahead of Malaysia and Myanmar.

According toFox Sports AsiaThe coach from South Korea has strong faith in his young players. Even when facing Cambodia on November 24th with the imperative to win to advance to the semi-finals, "Mr. Sleepyhead" remained true to his philosophy.

He replaced striker Anh Đức in the attack with Tiến Linh. In addition, the experienced forward Văn Quyết was also benched. On the left wing, Nguyễn Phong Hồng Duy was unexpectedly given a chance. These adjustments turned out to be fruitful. Tiến Linh scored, and Hồng Duy provided an assist.

The nature of the match against Cambodia needs no further explanation. However, that couldn't shake Coach Park's confidence. In the semi-finals, Anh Duc and Van Quyet might regain their positions, but the 59-year-old coach understands that he still has many young and eager players at his disposal.

With its current squad of young and talented players, it's no exaggeration to say that the Vietnamese national team possesses a true "golden generation." According to journalist Gabriel Tan, they should make the most of this to aim for higher goals in the future, such as qualifying for the World Cup or the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

According to experts, Park Hang-seo is the final missing piece to complete Vietnamese football with a generation of talented young players. With the right man at the right time, the "Golden Stars" promise to be a team worth watching in all upcoming competitions.

After the 2018 AFF Cup, Coach Park's team will enter the 2019 Asian Cup, which brings together many formidable names. Knowing that the challenge is never easy, no one can tax dreams.Therefore, if the Vietnamese national team has a dream, they should "dream big, dream without fear."

The future is uncertain, but one undeniable fact after the recent 3-0 victory against Cambodia is that the Vietnamese national team has found the right strategist, someone who is not afraid to take a gamble by placing his trust in young players. And they will hold the team's destiny in their hands in the future.