Will Quang Hai and Cong Phuong be called up by coach Troussier?

That's the main source of talent from V-League 1 and 2, plus players who play abroad, and Vietnamese expatriate players who are ready and waiting for a call from Mr. Troussier and the Vietnam Football Federation.

But the đáng thing is that the actual quality of the players doesn't reflect the expected reliability; in fact, the opposite is happening. For example, there are currently three star players playing abroad with the hope of improving their skills through experience in developed football leagues, yet they are in a period that is… sadly not worth mentioning.

Quang Hai is likely to leave Pau FC before his one-year contract expires. Photo: Pau FC

It has rarely been mentioned in the media lately.Quang HaiBecause he's almost never included in Pau FC's matchday squad, instead training and playing for the youth team. The news that Pau FC is about to be relegated to the third division in France only makes thoughts about Quang Hai more gloomy, if not the peak of disappointment. Meanwhile, Cong Phuong, playing for Yokohama FC in J-League 1 in Japan, only gets a few minutes of playing time, making this star vaguely realize his chances of joining the Vietnamese national team are dwindling. Van Toan is doing a slightly better job, playing regularly for Seoul E-Land in K-League 2. But even if he were called up, it's difficult to say that the former Hoang Anh Gia Lai star's contribution would be greater than before, as he lacks the necessary qualities of a quality striker like Tien Linh or even the young Van Tung currently.

Therefore, the most important resource contributing to the Vietnamese national team remains the outstanding players currently competing in V-League 1 and 2. Round 8, currently underway after a break for the SEA Games 32, is beginning to reveal the candidates for Coach Troussier's selection. From now until the end of Round 11 of the V-League, the selection committee will have enough time to evaluate the players who have been called up, as well as emerging talents, to select for the debut match at the national team level under the new coach against a weaker opponent, the Hong Kong-China national team, in June.

Players like Van Thanh and Hoang Duc, with two goals each, and Minh Vuong and Duc Chinh, with one goal each, were among the first to "call out" in the V-League, proving they remain top candidates worthy of being called up to the national team. Many more stars from Hanoi FC will likely make their mark in the match against the weaker SHB Da Nang team, but unfortunately, Hung Dung will be absent due to injury, and the struggling star Van Quyet will be a long way from being considered after serving an 8-match suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Midfielder Thai Son's joy after scoring against U22 Singapore. Photo: Hai Hoang.

Currently playing in V-League 2, there are notable names like Quang Thịnh and Minh Trọng from the Vietnam U22 team, or the newly emerging young center-back Lê Văn Hưng, 1.87m tall, who scores more goals than even strikers. These players will be noteworthy, even for the Vietnam national team. While key players like Ngọc Hải and Tiến Linh are playing for average and weak teams, with inferior team quality and lackluster ambitions, the addition of new players is essential. Furthermore, Coach Troussier will certainly consider the current form of the players before calling them up, without any pressure from the past. Therefore, it wouldn't be unusual or noteworthy if some players were dropped from the squad.

To be clear, when star players are playing abroad and don't have the opportunity to showcase their skills, and when key players domestically perform poorly, the need to revitalize and rebuild the national team will be more important than ever. At this point, no one can be sure that Coach Troussier will call up Quang Hai, Cong Phuong, or Van Toan, even though they already possess the necessary talent and class. Ngoc Hai or Tien Linh will also face competition from younger players if they don't truly demonstrate what Coach Troussier needs for the upcoming away campaign.

It is predicted that Mr. Troussier will call up a young squad, quick to grasp his new football philosophy, and this is an advantage for the young players who recently competed in the SEA Games. Of course, among that promising group, players like Van Do, Van Chuan, Van Khang, Van Truong, Tuan Tai, Duy Cuong… will also have to make steady progress to have a chance. Opportunities even open up for the U19 and even U17 players under Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan, who have gained considerable experience and matured faster than their older counterparts, especially the current U22 generation.

Who will be called up?Vietnam national teamThis is a question that is both easy and difficult to answer satisfactorily. Ultimately, if V-League 1 played with quality, genuine competition, without any three- or four-party alliances, or mutual support, then the emergence of bright stars would be inevitable, allowing for free evaluation and selection. That is the shortest, highest-quality, and most inevitable path to building national teams, including the Vietnamese national team, even though we have many other "sources" but unfortunately, their quality is not as desired.

Bui Hoa