Phan Van Duc has high hopes for the younger generation of U23 Vietnam at the 2020 AFC U23 Championship
(Baonghean.vn) - After the draw results, player Phan Van Duc believes in another success for Vietnamese football at the 2020 AFC U23 Championship.
At the 2018 AFC U23 Championship in Changzhou (China), Phan Van Duc was one of the most prominent faces, leaving the most impression on fans. And this tournament is also a launching pad for this Nghe An talent. The Vietnam U23 team will face North Korea, Jordan, and the UAE at the 2020 AFC U23 Championship. Sharing with Nghe An Newspaper reporters, midfielder Phan Van Duc expressed his optimism about this group.
PV:How does Phan Van Duc evaluate Group D of U23 Vietnam, with the presence of North Korea, Jordan and UAE?
Phan Van Duc:In terms of strength, U23 Vietnam is stronger than U23 North Korea, U23 UAE is slightly better than us and I think U23 Jordan is the most unpredictable team in Group D. This group is easier than U23 Asia 2 years ago, at that time, it was clear that Korea, Australia and Syria were all much better than us. As for the force, we can rest assured that the faces from 2 years ago are still old enough to participate as well as the young players in the future.
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| Phan Van Duc is a rising star from the U23 Asian Cup. Photo courtesy of Lam Tung |
PV:With a group considered favorable for U23 Vietnam, does Phan Van Duc believe that we will repeat the miracle?
Phan Van Duc:When we have such favorable results in the draw, I personally think it is not arbitrary to believe that U23 Vietnam will have a wide open door to pass the group stage. The tournament 2 years ago was a surprise and strangeness for many like us, but with efforts, the results have exceeded expectations.
I still believe that in the U23 Finals next year, if my teammates play to their full potential, with the right form and with some luck, we can think of achieving the same results as in Changzhou in 2018.
PV:Our U23 team came to this tournament with the mindset of being the runner-up. Is that a pressure for coach Park Hang-seo and his students?
Phan Van Duc:That will be both easy and difficult for Coach Park. Of course, our opponents will have a certain amount of respect for us, but on the contrary, they will analyze us very carefully to find a way to deal with us. This will make it difficult for us to play in a hidden way anymore. After 2 years, the teams have quite understood the playing style of U23 Vietnam. However, I still have faith in Coach Park's ability to improvise and handle situations to surprise the opponent.
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| Phan Van Duc is training with U22 Vietnam and the national team. Photo: NVCC |
The teammates who are still qualified to play in the upcoming finals have a lot of experience in the field, having participated in many major tournaments in the past 2 years. The younger players who have been promoted are also notable factors. We also have Coach Park who works methodically and seriously. That is the internal factor to get good results. Personally, I still believe in a very positive result for us at the tournament in Thailand in early 2020.
PV:In the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the Vietnam national team is about to face Malaysia. What does Phan Van Duc think about the match on October 10?
Phan Van Duc:Coming up, we will play at home, with what we have done in the AFF Cup 2018 and looking at recent matches, I have a strong belief that the Vietnam team will win against Malaysia.
Phan Van Duc encouraged Hoang Thinh
"Although Ngo Hoang Thinh is a new recruit in this training session, I believe that his and other players' opportunities are equally divided. Previously, I was also a late recruit but was trusted by coach Park. Therefore, I believe Hoang Thinh can return and integrate with the team," Van Duc shared.
PV:Can you share about the current injury situation and why Phan Van Duc is still training with the Vietnam National Team?
Phan Van Duc:My injury is progressing well thanks to the care of doctors and specialists. I can practice with the ball and run normally. During the Vietnam National Team's training session, Coach Park asked Dinh Trong and I to come together so that he could conveniently monitor and update our health status.
Thank you Phan Van Duc!
Phan Van Duc and Nghe An players enthusiastically practice with the Vietnam National Team
(Baonghean.vn) - Although they are still in the process of treating ligament injuries and have to stay away from the field for a long time, Tran Dinh Trong and Phan Van Duc are still present in the Vietnam National Team and training with their teammates.