Why are fewer and fewer young SLNA players being called up to the national team?

It is worth mentioning that the competition at this youth level is not inferior in terms of "winning or losing" between opponents, causing the story not to stop at the U level but to the national football federations, to the region, with lawsuits, giving up, and even withdrawing from participating at the regional level like the story of the Indonesian Football Federation after the recent U19 tournament at home.

In the country, although rarely said, everyone knows that each youth team gathering is a time to prove who is better in youth training, who has more troops, who has less troops, who is called up, who is released early. When the V-League is scheduled to take a break, giving the field to the Vietnam National Team orU23 Vietnam, each name is called always brings great pride to the teams and fans.

But when V-League is the “top front”, being called up to the national team or staying to play for the home team is a problem with many solutions depending on the internal strength of each team. Of course, the story of “national duty” is mandatory for any player of any team, big or small, because if you resist FIFA Day, the consequences are always unpredictable.

SLNA U19 players celebrate their goal in the opening match of the 2022 National U19 Championship. Photo: Chung Nguyen

Remember, a few months ago, when the Vietnam National Team focused on competing in the 3rd qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup, the 2021 AFF Cup, the U23 Vietnam team preparing for the U23 Asia and the 31st SEA Games, Vietnamese football devoted "all for the national team and the U23 team", the fact that a club player was not called, or called to concentrate but could not stay until the final list always brought real sadness and worry to fans. For example, there was no name from Song Lam Nghe An left in the final list of the U23 Vietnam team, even making many people think that this youth training center had fallen deep, was out of date compared to other emerging centers?

Recently, when U19 Vietnam focused on competing in the regional tournament, Song Lam Nghe An only had 2 names appearing, central defender Trinh Hoang Canh and goalkeeper Van Binh, which surprised many people because the current U19 generation of Song Lam Nghe An is the U17 generation that won the Gold Medal a few years ago, the greatest hope and pride of this famous training center. Is it true that after only 2 years, U19 Hanoi with Van Tung and Van Truong are the real hope of Vietnamese youth football?

Also recently, U16 Vietnam participated in the regional tournament and Song Lam Nghe An was only called a few names such as midfielder Trong Tuan, striker Long Vu. That means Song Lam Nghe An players are being selected less and less, more and more submerged compared to other places, including the average, mid-level, provincial training centers. And is that a serious warning about youth training work, even though this training center is still unrivaled in the U11, U13, U15 levels... but the higher the level, the lower the quality... and recent reality has always shown that?

There is a story of “staying up long to know the length of the night” in football, for example, many players were not highly appreciated by Mr. Park Hang-seo when they were selected for the national team, but when they returned to the club, it was a completely different story. Van Quyet at Hanoi FC, Huu Tuan at Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Van Vu at Becamex Binh Duong... are old but always true proofs; now there are new and young proofs such as Sy Hoang at Song Lam Nghe An, Xuan Tu at Hanoi FC... In the U19 group, the factors that did not participate in the regional tournament but are very eager to be present at the upcoming U20 Asia are definitely Xuan Tien, Van Cuong at Song Lam Nghe An, Phi Hoang at SHB Da Nang, Vy Hao at Becamex Binh Duong...

Young midfielder Dinh Xuan Tien (white shirt) is one of SLNA's new hopes. Photo: Hai Hoang

These are indispensable factors of the above teams in the long-term race of V-League. Any achievement is important, only with immediate achievements can there be a basis for long-term achievements, but with the above young talents, being on the field every week inV. Leagueis really the most needed "achievement" that they desire and need to do their best, do it at all costs. It is very gratifying that after their performance in V-League matches, many people have caught the "green eye" of scouts, some players will even make a big step straight to the Vietnam National Team as some people predicted, Phi Hoang of SHB Da Nang, for example?

With Song Lam Nghe An, youth training has maintained a solid foundation, depth, and the best level, but the height is something that cannot be reached like Hanoi FC, Viettel or PVF. Currently, Xuan Tien, Van Cuong, Van Bach... are of the same generation but cannot be on the same "level" as Van Truong, Van Tung, Danh Trung, Van Khang or Phi Hoang, Dinh Duy... so if you are subjective and satisfied with even a little bit, you will be "a mile behind".

That is really something to think about the stature of a youth training center, about the younger generations that cannot compare with the seniors like Trong Hoang, Ngoc Hai recently or Cong Vinh, Van Quyen before and many other faces?

Phu Chau