Rookie Pham Tuan Hai surprised to be called up to the national team

This is the first time Tuan Hai has been called up.Vietnam National TeamMore specifically, this is also the training session of the Vietnam National Team to prepare for the first time participating in the final qualifying round of the FIFA World Cup. How did Tuan Hai feel when he received the news that he was summoned by head coach Park Hang-seo?

Striker Pham Tuan Hai answers questions before training session. Photo: Hai Hoang

Pham Tuan Hai:When the team competed in the World Cup Qualifiers, my name was not on the list. Therefore, when I heard the news that I was called up to the national team this time, I felt very happy and surprised. I shared this joy with my parents and they were also very surprised. They encouraged me a lot and reminded me to try harder to show my full potential.

When selecting players for the national team, the head coach usually considers two basic factors. That is the suitability to the team's playing style and the player's strengths. What do you think are Tuan Hai's outstanding strengths and how has Tuan Hai integrated into the team's playing style after the past 8 days of training?

Tuan Hai tries to adapt to the team's playing style. Photo: Hai Hoang

Pham Tuan Hai:I think my strengths are strength, fitness and competitive spirit on the field. I am also gradually integrating into the team's playing style. In the past training sessions, the coaching staff has trained the whole team in tactics, which has helped me get into the rhythm faster..

At the Vietnam National Team, will Tuan Hai be trained in his familiar position like when he plays at the club, or will he be tested in a new position?

Pham Tuan Hai:In the last training sessions, the coaching staff arranged for me to play in my usual position at the club, which is the attacking midfielder position and sometimes I was pushed up to play as a striker. These are also positions that I am familiar with.

As a "rookie", how does Tuan Hai evaluate the difference between the training session of the Vietnam National Team and the training session at the club?

Will try to learn from seniors. Photo: Hai Hoang

Pham Tuan Hai:I think the most obvious difference is that the players in the national team are all classy and very good. They handle the ball very quickly. I need to concentrate and learn a lot from my seniors in the national team.

Did Tuan Hai receive support and experience sharing from the "veterans" when joining the team, especially players in the same playing position as Tien Linh, Van Toan, Van Duc or Duc Chinh? What goals did Tuan Hai set for himself?

Pham Tuan Hai:I was in the same room with Van Toan. He shared with me a lot about the playing style and the tactics that Coach Park gave to the whole team. My goal is to try to practice well to be able to participate in the upcoming match against the Saudi Arabia team.

Some pictures of the training session:

Coach Park Hang Seo brought a very happy atmosphere on the field.

Vietnam team practices in cool weather.

Mr. Park kept writing on a piece of paper.

Coach Park hid his documents in his waistband when his students asked to see them.

Van Hoang and the Vietnamese team's goalkeepers showed concentration.

Mr. Pack "scrutinized" his students closely during practice.

The Vietnamese team wants to create a surprise in the challenging competition in the final qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup, first of all, the away match in Saudi Arabia on September 2 and returning to My Dinh Stadium to host Australia on September 7.