Vietnam National Team: Concerns for Bui Tien Dung
As expected, Bui Tien Dung was not in the starting lineup for the match against Jordan. But the fact that Van Lam was injured and the goalkeeper from Thanh Hoa was not the chosen one is what's truly worrying...
Coach Park's choice
As mentioned, it's no surprise that coach Park Hang Seo didn't choose his "favorite" Bui Tien Dung as the starting goalkeeper in the Asian Cup qualifiers against Jordan. In reality, the Vietnamese national team coach needed the more experienced Van Lam for security rather than taking a risk with a young goalkeeper like Bui Tien Dung.
Even when the Hai Phong FC goalkeeper was unable to play, the South Korean coach decided to bring on Tuan Manh instead of Tien Dung, as many had thought at the time Coach Park was making the substitution.
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| Van Lam remains Coach Park's best choice. |
In fact, Coach Park Hang Seo's choices and substitutions in the Vietnamese national team's goal were 100% accurate, as both Van Lam and Tuan Manh played well, demonstrating both high form and class to help the team secure a draw against Jordan.
Coach Park's decisions regarding the goalkeeping positions, besides being accurate, also demonstrate seriousness and responsibility towards the common good, rather than letting personal feelings get in the way, which has left many female fans of Tien Dung visibly disappointed.
And... it's worrying for Tien Dung.
Looking at the current form and professional ability of goalkeepers in the Vietnamese national team, it's clear that Bui Tien Dung is having difficulty competing with his seniors, Van Lam and Tuan Manh, in many different aspects. Therefore, perhaps the third-choice position on the team is more appropriate for Bui Tien Dung at this time.
It's understandable, and unlikely that coach Park Hang Seo would show such favoritism, that he wouldn't be worried about the goalkeeper from Thanh Hoa, especially at a time when Tien Dung needs trust and recognition the most.
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| This is quite worrying for Bui Tien Dung. |
This is especially true for goalkeepers, where training on the pitch is completely different from "real-world" competition. Being the starting goalkeeper and facing numerous challenges in official matches is certainly a far cry from simply training without playing.
However, everyone has seen how reliable Van Lam has been from the club level to the national team, and the same goes for his senior teammate Tuan Manh. If both of them hadn't been outstanding, it's unlikely the Vietnamese national team would have conceded even one goal in Amman in the recent match.
It's difficult for Tien Dung to compete for a starting spot in the national team, and even after returning to his club, his position as the number one goalkeeper at Thanh Hoa is still uncertain, despite his consistent appearances in many recent official matches.
Looking at what's happening, it's hard not to worry about the "heartthrob" of many Vietnamese female football fans, because if he doesn't maintain his peak form, Bui Tien Dung may not be in Coach Park Hang Seo's plans for the upcoming Asian Games.
That's the truth, because simply put, at the Asian Games, the football tournament always has 3 slots reserved for players over 23 years old. And with the outstanding performances of Tuan Manh and Van Lam, there's a fear that Coach Park Hang Seo might overlook Tien Dung, especially since the Vietnamese football coach always prioritizes consistency above all else.
However, there is still a very long time between now and the Asian Games, enough for Bui Tien Dung to prove himself and assert his abilities in the V-League, thus forcing Coach Park to choose him... Hopefully, that will happen!
