Coach Kim Sang-sik turns U.23 Vietnam into a 'fire furnace'
Eight players have said goodbye to U.23 Vietnam after coach Kim Sang-sik shortened the list, including Nguyen Quang Vinh (SLNA), Nguyen Dang Duong (The Cong Viettel ), Le Dinh Long Vu (SLNA), Dinh Xuan Tien (SLNA), Nguyen Le Phat (PVF), Le Van Thuan (Thanh Hoa), Nguyen Bao Long (PVF), Dinh Quang Kiet (HAGL).
Notably, Le Van Thuan. The midfielder of Thanh Hoa has just won the award for best young player of V-League 2024 - 2025, with 2 goals after 15 appearances (9 starts). The young talent born in 2006 was discovered by coach Velizar Popov and promoted to the first team, then became an important factor in the youth squad of Thanh Hoa Club.
Van Thuan leaves U.23 Vietnam
PHOTO: VFF
Along with Nguyen Ngoc My, Le Van Thuan is the pride of Thanh Hoa's youth, having been promoted to play in the V-League early and proving his worth. Le Van Thuan has speed, technique, fighting spirit and enthusiasm, demonstrated from the club level to the U.23 Vietnam team.
However, Le Van Thuan did not survive the first round of cuts. Despite his good performance in the V-League and his goal against U.23 Taiwan, the 19-year-old midfielder was still not selected by coach Kim Sang-sik for the 2025 U.23 Southeast Asian tournament.
It was a surprising decision, but looking at the personnel movements in the Vietnam team at the AFF Cup 2024, perhaps experts will understand coach Kim's philosophy and know that no one is untouchable.
Before the 2024 AFF Cup, coach Kim Sang-sik had removed the two most recent captains of the Vietnamese team (Do Hung Dung and Que Ngoc Hai), citing that their players did not meet the required physical strength and playing intensity. He also bravely put his trust in lesser-known players, such as Bui Vi Hao, Chau Ngoc Quang, Nguyen Hai Long or Nguyen Dinh Trieu, believing that they were suitable choices.
Coach Kim Sang-sik does not use reputation or performance at the club as a measure to choose his students. If he did, Ngoc Quang and Dinh Trieu would not have had the opportunity to show themselves.
Coach Kim's basis is a notebook that meticulously records the players' daily performances on the training ground, along with his observation skills to analyze and compare whether the student is suitable for the overall strategy or not.
Whether it is the Vietnam national team or the U.23 team, coach Kim Sang-sik has his own philosophy. Only those who are suitable will be selected.
No one is sure of safety in U.23 Vietnam
PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG
Van Thuan stopped at U.23 Vietnam, not because he was not good enough, but because in some aspects proposed by coach Kim Sang-sik, the 19-year-old midfielder was not suitable. Although he was evaluated by experts as the "brightest" young player last season, Van Thuan still had to try harder to meet the expectations of the coaching staff.
Fierce competition
Coach Kim Sang-sik divided the U.23 Vietnam player selection into two phases. The first phase eliminated 8 players, taking place right after the friendly match with U.23 Taiwan. The second phase eliminated another 5 players, taking place right before the tournament to finalize the list of 23 players participating in the tournament.
Mr. Kim's personnel purge strategy aims to help U.23 Vietnam maintain focus until the last minute. During the 3 weeks of training for the tournament, the players will always be on the coaching staff's scale to keep or eliminate.
No player is safe. The best young players of V-League 2024 - 2025 have stopped. Dinh Xuan Tien, the champion of U.23 Southeast Asia 2022 and 2023, was also eliminated. There will be 5 more players saying goodbye to U.23 Vietnam, and coach Kim can eliminate 2 to 3 more good players, if his students have a moment of carelessness.
Remember, in the midst of the storm of doubt before the AFF Cup 2024, coach Kim Sang-sik has blatantly crossed out the names of the "veterans". He also did not hesitate to put his faith in players... few people believed would shine in the national team such as Dinh Trieu and Hai Long. "That is the admirable personality and perseverance of coach Kim Sang-sik. He always believes in his choices to the end", expert Doan Minh Xuong analyzed.
A coach like that will always create a fierce "fire" of competition, urging his students to fight. Keeping a place in the U.23 Southeast Asia team is difficult, getting a starting position is even more difficult. However, when overcoming that difficulty, Ly Duc and his teammates will be even stronger!
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/u23-viet-nam-sap-loai-them-5-cau-thu-su-kien-dinh-cua-thay-kim-185250708092449115.htm
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