U23 Vietnam and initial formation

Therefore, even in preparing the team to compete in the upcoming Doha international friendly tournament, Mr. Troussier only considers it as an initial preparation step, to shape some basic positions, and at the same time, continue to search for and supplement the factors that are competing domestically, if everything progresses appropriately.

U23 Vietnam under coach Troussier. Photo: Archive

Currently, with what he has in hand, Mr. Troussier has officially let his students try their hand in a closed friendly match with Phu Tho team and the whole team has drawn the first valuable experience, according to some players participating in the match. Also according to unofficial information, a preliminary squad of U23 Vietnam preparing to go to Doha is forming.

Accordingly, this temporary squad includes players who participated in the U23 Southeast Asian Championship - 2022 or SEA Games 31 at home such as Van Chuan, Van Do, Tuan Tai, Quang Thinh, Tien Long..., young faces who played in V-League such as Duy Cuong, Dinh Duy, Ngoc Thang. The 4 newly added U20 players including Van Khang, Van Truong, Quoc Viet, Duc Viet are also highly likely to be trusted from the start, because they will supplement the shortcomings from the midfield and attack, especially the position of control, regulating the gameplay which is currently causing headaches for the French coach.

Participating in the Doha friendly tournament, U23 Vietnam will have a chance to really compete with the strong teams of the continent, revealing all the strengths and weaknesses for the coach to identify and compensate, correct and supplement. The source of additional players will of course mainly be the names that have just been returned to the club such as Cong Den, Van Toan, Xuan Tien, Van Cuong, Van Binh, Dinh Bac..., not to mention that there will be some other factors that will rise up and be noticed and supplemented.

In short, at the present time, the U23 Vietnam squad will revolve around the names Van Chuan (goalkeeper), 3 central defenders including Duy Cuong, Quang Thinh and Tien Long, the pair of full-backs including Van Do and Tuan Tai, the midfield including Manh Quynh, Van Khang, Van Truong, the attacking line hasQuoc Viet. Of course, players like Khac Luong, Duc Viet, Xuan Hoang... will be important reserves in the upcoming matches. These initially established and trusted names will have the opportunity to prove their talent and mettle to their opponents and the strict eyes of the coaching staff. If they meet the requirements, they will be the key factors to be used in the SEA Games, even in the upcoming Vietnam National Team. On the contrary, with just one fatal mistake, they can lose the trust of their coach, lose their place in the U23 team and regaining it will be a difficult and bumpy road.

Observing international and domestic tournaments, it is easy to see that a good match often does not say anything. The problem is that a tournament, a stage of competition requires endurance, bravery, resistance and response to all unpredictable changes. U20 Vietnam recently played very well, very dramatically in the first matches, but the third consecutive match was a different story about endurance, about class... U20 China, full of energy, could also withstand U20 Korea in the 2 regular rounds, but when it came to the physical torture in the 2 extra rounds of the recent continental quarter-final, they were still just...sniffing smoke.

To see, U23 Vietnam will have to prepare very carefully, very heavily, very highly to gradually meet the task against strong opponents, especially at the continental level. The story at the SEA Games, although not easy to achieve, is not the biggest, highest goal to aim for. Therefore, everything still has to have a process, full of painful failures to hope for victory when needed, when the requirement to win a ticket to the World Cup is being set specifically and clearly./.