On the afternoon of July 15, the Organizing Committee of the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship held a press conference for the teams in Group B. Speaking at the press conference, Coach Kim Sang Sik shared his goals and evaluated the opponents in this year's tournament.
Coach Kim Sang Sik said: “First of all, I am very happy to be participating in this tournament with the players. I know that the U23 Vietnam team has won the championship twice, so there is a certain pressure in this tournament. My players and I will try to train hard to achieve the best results.”
Coach Kim Sang Sik. Photo: VFF.
The Korean coach emphasized that to continue the success of the last two seasons, the Vietnam U23 team must compete with the spirit of considering each match as a final: “The players and I always practice hard, practice tactics and ensure good physical fitness. Each upcoming match is a final. I always set the highest goal and spirit to win each match.”
Evaluating the competitors in the tournament, Coach Kim Sang Sik frankly mentioned the Thailand U23 team and the Indonesia U23 team: “The Thailand U23 team is a very strong team, the players have good individual skills. Meanwhile, the Indonesia U23 team possesses impressive speed and physical strength. These are two formidable teams, candidates for the championship.”
However, coach Kim Sang Sik affirmed that he would not underestimate any opponent: "That is the best way. The players and I hope to experience many things at the international level, different from domestic level."
Sharing about his first time leading the Vietnam U23 team in an official tournament, Coach Kim Sang Sik said: “The players are younger, more enthusiastic and ready to listen to instructions. Over the past two weeks of training, I have seen that the players have the ability to learn quickly, build a good team, and at the same time show great passion and motivation. I look forward to their progress in each match.”
Closing the press conference, Coach Kim Sang Sik affirmed the championship goal of the Vietnam U23 team: “We set the highest goal in this tournament. The performance of the young players depends on their spirit and careful preparation. For me, every opponent deserves respect and needs to be carefully prepared.”
Vietnam national football team's match schedule in Group B of the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship. Photo: VFF.
Meanwhile, coach Ha Hyeokjun (Laos U23 team) frankly admitted that his team was rated lower than Vietnam U23 team and Cambodia U23 team in all aspects. However, Laos U23 team still came to the tournament with the determination to learn, improve themselves and create surprises.
“We have players who have played for both the national team and the U23 team. The goal is to improve their individual abilities and prepare for the future. Hopefully this tournament will be a good foundation for Laos to develop and prepare for important upcoming tournaments such as the U23 Asian qualifiers and the 33rd SEA Games,” coach Ha Hyeokjun shared.
The Vietnam U23 team will begin their journey to defend their regional title with the opening match against the Laos U23 team, which will take place at 5:00 p.m. on July 19 at Patriot Stadium (Indonesia).
Source: https://cand.com.vn/the-thao/hlv-kim-sang-sik-dat-muc-tieu-gi-tai-giai-u23-dong-nam-a-2025--i774859/
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