Coach Kim Sang-sik raises concerns about Vietnam's performance in the first 45 minutes of the match.

In an interview with Sport Seoul, coach Kim Sang-sik offered candid remarks about Vietnamese football: the playing style means the actual match time is only about 45 minutes, the training culture needs to be tightened, and the team structure must be rebalanced after a period of rapid youth rejuvenation. He chose to communicate tactics visually and demanded continuous high-intensity training to improve physical fitness, concentration, and team cohesion.

45 minutes into the game, and a change in habits is required.

According to coach Kim Sang-sik, a prominent issue is the players' reflexes after falls or collisions. He noted that players often don't get up immediately, tending to wait for teammates to pass the ball or for someone to give them water before rejoining the game. Internal statistics show that the actual ball-playing time in each match is only about 45 minutes—a figure indicating that the pace and continuity of play haven't reached the desired level.

From then on, Coach Kim instructed the entire team to eliminate this habit, improve their reaction speed, and maintain a state of readiness in every play. The goal was to increase the time the ball was in play, thereby improving the team's overall tempo and pressure.

Restoring balance after a period of overly rapid rejuvenation.

Upon taking over the team, Coach Kim spent time analyzing previous periods: the era under Coach Park Hang-seo and the decline of his predecessor. From this assessment, he realized the bottleneck was the rapid rejuvenation process, which disrupted the cohesion in the team's playing style. Many key players who had been nurtured previously were no longer being utilized, and the team lacked balance in terms of experience and rhythm.

Coach Kim's approach is to restore stability through a rebalancing of the squad: reconnecting experienced core players with the next generation, thereby creating a foundation for a more smoothly functioning system.

Visual training: pressing signals and diagram changes.

Tactically, Coach Kim employs a simpler, more visual communication method compared to the highly tactical environment of Jeonbuk. He clearly defines signals: using a handkerchief to signal pressing, and raising a tactical board to signal a change in formation from 5-4-1 to 5-3-2. The goal is to help players understand and execute changes in the rhythm of the game smoothly, minimizing delays when transitioning between formations.

This approach eliminates intermediate steps, allowing the message to reach its intended recipients quickly and consistently, aligning with the "simple yet effective" requirement in the context of strengthening tactical discipline.

70-90 minute intensity: fewer exercises, but more intense workouts.

Regarding physical preparation and focus, Coach Kim stated that he maintains a training session duration of 70 to 90 minutes, but demands high intensity throughout. Instead of extending the time, he emphasizes the quality of each minute on the training pitch, aligning with the goal of increasing ball possession time during matches.

By increasing intensity and eliminating the habit of slowing down the tempo, the team hopes to improve stamina, reflexes, and concentration—fundamental elements for effective pressing and the ability to maintain tactical structure under pressure.

Key professional insights from Coach Kim Sang-sik's statement.

The message of belief and the conditions for moving forward.

Concluding the conversation, Coach Kim Sang-sik expressed his belief in the potential of Vietnamese football. However, according to him, to progress further, the national team needs to start with the smallest changes: discipline in playing habits, training culture, and then clarity in communicating tactics and personnel structure. When these foundational building blocks are laid correctly, tactical adjustments will be fully effective.