Many young SLNA players may be absent from the 2023 National U21 Finals

As the co-host of the 2023 National U21 Finals with Thanh Hoa, U21 SLNA will not have to participate in the Qualifying Round. This year, according to the regulations, the age of players participating in U21 will be from 16-21 (ie born from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2007).

Also according to the regulations, at any time during the tournament, if the Team has players called up to the Youth Teams and the National Team, the corresponding number of players will be added. At the same time, in case the player has completed his duties in the national team, he can be added or replaced in the squad of the Club's U21 team at any time during the tournament.

This has untied the knot, helping clubs like SLNA to be more proactive in registering players. Because previously, the Organizing Committee had announced that players called up to the national youth teams would not be allowed to participate in the National U21 Tournament.

Currently, players like Le Nguyen Hoang, Tran Nam Hai, Dinh Xuan Tien,Ho Van Cuongand goalkeeper Cao Van Binh are currently in the plans of the Vietnam Olympic team. Therefore, it is likely that these names will not be present from the beginning of the upcoming National U21 Finals. However, after completing their mission, they can still return to continue playing for the team.

According to the preliminary registration list of U21 SLNA, in addition to the above players, there are many experienced faces who have been reinforced from Team 1 who just participated in V.League 2023 such as goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet, Phan Xuan Dai, Nguyen Van Bach. The generation of players born in 2003 of SLNA participating in the upcoming National U21 Tournament also includes Trinh Hoang Canh, Tran Ngoc Dung, Nguyen Hai Dang, Chu Van Tan, Tran Van Dat.

The SLNA U21 team is a combination of many generations of players from U17, U19 to U21. Of which, there are only 3 faces born in 2002: goalkeeper Van Viet, Le Khanh Toan and Phan Ba ​​Quyen, most of whom are players born in 2005, who just won the runner-up position at the recent National U19 Tournament. In addition, SLNA U21 also has bright faces in the 17-year-old team, born in 2006 such as Le Dinh Long Vu, the player who just won the Southeast Asian U23 Championship with Vietnam U23, Bui Thanh Duc, Phan Van Thanh, Nguyen Trong Son.

Thus, the U21 SLNA squad participating in this year's tournament is quite young and players like Trinh Hoang Canh, Tran Ngoc Dung, Le Dinh Long Vu have a great chance to catch the eye of coach Phan Nhu Thuat to have a place to participate in V.League 2023 - 2024.

Not only U21 SLNA, many other teams will also be missing their best players. On September 7, the Vietnam Olympic team under the leadership of head coach Hoang Anh Tuan began gathering and practicing at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center to prepare for the 19th ASIAD.

During the first training phase at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center, the Vietnam Olympic team initially had 12 players, including: Goalkeeper Do Sy Huy, Quan Van Chuan, defenders Tran Nam Hai, Le Nguyen Hoang, Nguyen Manh Hung, midfielders Nguyen Phi Hoang, Nguyen Duc Viet, Nguyen Cong Phuong, Dinh Xuan Tien, strikers Nguyen Quoc Viet, Vo Nguyen Hoang and Nham Manh Dung. After completing the 2024 AFC U23 Championship Qualifiers and the 2023 National U21 Championship Qualifiers, Coach Hoang Anh Tuan will continue to strengthen the squad to participate in the 19th ASIAD.

On SLNA's side, to prepare for the Final Round, U21 SLNA recently had a friendly match with U21 Thanh Hoa to have the best preparation for the tournament. As a result, U21 SLNA won 3-1. In the history of the tournament, U21 SLNA has won the championship 5 times in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2012, 2014. The Final Round will take place in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces from September 18 to October 1, 2023.