Coach Huu Thang: The important thing for players to be selected for the national team is their expertise, not their hometown!

DNUM_CCZAFZCABG 09:42

(Baonghean) - (National Team Head Coach Nguyen Huu Thang talks with Nghe An Newspaper reporter)

PV:Among the players called up to the national team this time, there are quite a few players from Nghe An. Some people think that you are biased towards people from the same hometown. So what are your thoughts on this issue?

Coach Nguyen Huu Thang:In football, there is no such thing as favoritism for people from any region or country, or having special feelings for anyone. For me, that does not happen! I always separate work and feelings. My point of view is that the door of the national team is always open to those who have good professional qualifications. Players must assert themselves on the field by their expertise, not by where they come from or which club they are from. When you join the national team, you must assert your name in that position, not by your hometown. When you wear the national team shirt and sing the Vietnamese national anthem, you are Vietnamese, no matter the region.

Phi Sơn là 1 trong 8 cầu thủ xứ Nghệ được gọi vào đội tuyển quốc gia lần này. Ảnh:  Đức Dũng
Phi Son is one of eight Nghe An players called up to the national team this time. Photo: Duc Dung

In my opinion, as a head coach of a national team, everyone wants to choose good players to serve their tactics and strategies. It's not like we get to know each other and then call them to the team. When they can't play, the first person to take responsibility is us. Who else will take responsibility for us?

PV:Although many naturalized players have played very well in V.League, they have not been called up to the national team this time. Can you tell us your opinion on this issue?

Coach Nguyen Huu Thang:Calling naturalized players and the national team involves many issues and many different opinions of many people. But in my opinion, when we recognize them as Vietnamese citizens, they will be equal to everyone else. They marry and have children who are also Vietnamese, they have Vietnamese passports, so they have the right and obligation to contribute their labor and talent to their country. In my opinion, the national team door should be open to those people, we should not miss out on talent.

For example, the Philippines has 8-10 naturalized players in their squad, Singapore also has naturalized players, Thailand also has naturalized players whose parents are Vietnamese... I think those players are really talented, so they are on the national team, contributing their talent to the national team is a good thing. If they achieve results, it is also an achievement for Vietnam. Since they are Vietnamese, every time they play on the field, they will compete for the Vietnamese flag and colors. If they are listed when they achieve results, it is also a record for the Vietnamese national team.

PV:Thank you, I wish you and your team much success!

To prepare for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Coach Nguyen Huu Thang has announced a list of 32 names for this training session before finalizing the list of 23 players to prepare for the upcoming matches with Taiwan and Iraq. Accordingly, of the 32 players summoned, 8 are from Nghe An. If striker Cong Phuong does not have an injury problem, the number of Nghe An players summoned to the national team this time will be 9 and they all play very important roles in the team's lines. In addition to the names currently playing at SLNA such as goalkeeper Nguyen Manh, Ngoc Hai, Phi Son, Dinh Hoang, experts and fans can easily point out other names such as Dinh Dong, Hoang Thinh (FLC Thanh Hoa) and Au Van Hoan, Cong Vinh (B.Binh Duong). The remaining two names are Dinh Luat (B.Binh Duong) and Thanh Trung (QNK Quang Nam) who are not trained by SLNA but more or less have Nghe origin.

Duc Chuyen(Perform)

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Coach Huu Thang: The important thing for players to be selected for the national team is their expertise, not their hometown!
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