Coach Ha Hyeok-jun: 'Laos team is determined to make things difficult for Vietnam team'

On the evening of March 24, Laos coach Ha Hyeok Jun attended the press conference before the opening match between Vietnam and Laos, in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

At the beginning of the press conference, Mr. Ha Hyeok-jun affirmed that his team will fight with all their might so as not to easily accept defeat. "I don't know what the result will be, but we will definitely fight so that the Vietnamese team will not have an easy victory."

Despite many difficulties in terms of manpower and preparation time, his team is still determined:

"We are not much different from the ASEAN Cup. In fact, we have not had 10 days to prepare for this match. In particular, with three Lao players, they have only had two days of training with the team before the friendly match with Sri Lanka, so it is not possible to immediately assess their ability to integrate."

In addition to comments on the match, the head coach of the Laos team gave special praise to striker Nguyen Tien Linh:

"Tien Linh is one of my favorite players in the Vietnam national team. A month ago, I went to Binh Duong not only to check the pitch and playing conditions but also to watch Tien Linh play. He is one of the best players in Vietnamese football."

Besides, he also expressed his interest in the weather in Vietnam: "The weather of the two countries is quite similar. I really like the climate in Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong."

In addition, Mr. Ha Hyeok-jun also emphasized his desire to develop Lao football strongly: "I want the Lao national team to become stronger with Lao players. I want to send players abroad to compete in Korea, Thailand or Vietnam. Only then can the team develop further."

Talking about the loss to Sri Lanka, he admitted that there were shocks in the preparation for this match: "I was shocked after the match with Sri Lanka. Of course, winning or losing is not the most important thing. This match helps me have the best tests and preparations for the match against the Vietnamese team."

Talking about his compatriot coach Kim Sang-sik, the coach of the Lao national team said that Mr. Kim will take Vietnamese football far.

"He is a potential coach. Although there were doubts about coach Kim Sang-sik before, let him have time to show his ability. I have seen what he brings to Vietnamese football, and I believe he will help you a lot in the future."

Also attending the press conference, midfielder Thongkhamsavath affirmed that the whole team will try their best to get points against the Vietnamese team: "We will try to minimize mistakes to aim for at least 1 point against the Vietnamese team."

He also expressed his joy at returning to Vietnam: "I have Vietnamese blood in me and am very happy to receive attention from fans here. After the ASEAN Cup 2024, I returned to compete in the national championship and felt that I had improved a lot."

When asked about his impression of the Vietnamese players, player Damoth Thongkhamsavath highly appreciated Nguyen Quang Hai: "I am most impressed with Nguyen Quang Hai. He is the most dangerous player of the Vietnamese team. The Vietnamese team is very strong, and this will be a very difficult match for us."

The match between Vietnam and Laos promises to be dramatic as the away team shows great determination and thorough preparation. Despite being underestimated, with their relentless fighting spirit, Laos will likely create many difficulties for coach Kim Sang-sik’s team./.