Polking allows Dinh Bac and Minh Phuc to join the Vietnam U22 team.
Coach Mano Polking confirmed that Dinh Bac and Minh Phuc were given the opportunity to join the Vietnam U22 team from the beginning to prepare for the SEA Games 33; Ly Duc also joined the team early.
A brief statement by coach Mano Polking in the press conference on the evening of November 23rd eased a major concern for the Vietnam U22 team: Dinh Bac and Minh Phuc will be given the opportunity to join the training camp from the beginning to prepare for the SEA Games 33.
"Dinh Bac and Minh Phuc will be given the opportunity by the coaching staff to join the Vietnam U22 team right from the start," Coach Polking confirmed after the loss to The Cong Viettel in the 2025/26 National Cup.
Significance for the Vietnam U22 team
Previously, many sources suggested that the Vietnam U22 team might be without the services of the two players from CAHN for their opening match at the SEA Games 33 due to their club's international schedule. Coach Polking's new confirmation solidifies the Vietnam U22 team's personnel plan: both players will immediately join the training camp in Vung Tau.
Prior to this move, Ly Duc had already been selected by the police force's football team to join the training camp early. With the three names mentioned above, the U22 Vietnam team is likely to have its strongest squad before entering the Games. According to related information, center-back Ly Duc will still participate with the U22 Vietnam team in their opening match at the SEA Games 33.
The moment of confirmation after the defeat on penalties.
Coach Polking's message came right after CAHN became the "former champions" of the National Cup, losing to The Cong Viettel on penalties, despite having led at one point. The coach frankly acknowledged: "It was a defeat. We lost the match when we were leading."
Tactical analysis: Viettel stifled passing, CAHN paid the price for losing possession.
Analyzing the match, Coach Polking assessed that Viettel performed well in the first half by "suffocating the passing lanes," preventing CAHN from creating many opportunities. CAHN's "unnecessary turnovers" opened up counter-attacking opportunities for their opponents. The tactical picture of the match was therefore quite clear: Viettel's control and pressing disrupted CAHN's attacking flow, while risky plays in midfield constantly put CAHN in dangerous transitional situations.
In this context, the early joining of key players like Dinh Bac and Minh Phuc for the Vietnam U22 team not only relieves the pressure of overlapping match schedules but also helps the youth team's coaching staff stabilize the system and assemble attacking strategies – transitioning to a new phase right from the training camp.
CAHN's packed international schedule
Despite the domestic leagues being on break, CAHN still faces a high volume of matches in continental and regional competitions: on November 27th, the club will host Beijing Guoan in the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26; and on December 3rd, the entire team will play away against Buriram United in the Shopee Cup.
Immediate impact
The decision to "pave the way" for Dinh Bac, Minh Phuc, and previously Ly Duc, means that the U22 Vietnam team will not be caught off guard in terms of personnel during the final stages of the tournament. With the early training camp in Vung Tau, the coaching staff can go straight to key tactical modules for the SEA Games 33, from organizing pressing to counter-attacks after recovering the ball – aspects that have proven crucial through CAHN's experience against The Cong Viettel.
