U23 Vietnam: Why don't expect too much from Tran Thanh Trung

Tran Thanh Trung deserves it

The appearance of Tran Thanh Trung in the list of U23 Vietnam preparing for the 2025 U23 Asian qualifiers has created great excitement among fans.

The overseas Vietnamese player, who grew up in a European football environment, although only played a few minutes for Ninh Binh in the V-League, his neat ball handling skills, modern tactical thinking and playing style were convincing and worthy of being on the list of U23 Vietnam.

The appearance of Tran Thanh Trung makes fans expect a transformation of U23 Vietnam.

And having previously played for Bulgarian youth teams, fans are hoping that Tran Thanh Trung will 'upgrade' the quality of the U23 Vietnam midfield, which has not left many big impressions at the U23 Southeast Asian tournament in July.

With this addition, U23 Vietnam is expected to have more breakthroughs, creativity as well as a new spearhead to deal with stronger opponents in the continental arena in the future.

But don't expect too much.

It must be affirmed that, compared to the overseas Vietnamese players who have played for the U23 Vietnam team, it is clear that Tran Thanh Trung is the name that is most highly regarded in terms of both development and achievements... so the expectations for the midfielder currently playing for Ninh Binh Club are not wrong.

However, turning hope into excessive expectation is another matter, especially in the case of Tran Thanh Trung at the present time.

kim sang sik.jpg — Coach Kim Sang Sik is as eager as the fans, but will definitely be more patient.

Just a few minutes of touching V-League shows that the integration of the highest-valued player of U23 Vietnam is not really good, needing more time to find a common voice right at the club, not to mention in the upcoming training session of coach Kim Sang Sik's team.

In addition to the integration story, Thanh Trung's physical condition is also a matter of discussion. Overseas Vietnamese players often take time to get used to the hot and humid weather in Vietnam, so it is not easy to achieve the highest performance or live up to expectations.

Next, the U23 Asian qualifiers take place at a high frequency, requiring players to maintain a constant state of fitness. This is a big challenge for a player who has just returned to the country to compete not long ago like Tran Thanh Trung.

Saying that does not mean denying the potential of Tran Thanh Trung. This midfielder can absolutely become an important piece in the near future of U23 as well as the Vietnam national team.

But that is the future, for now, what is needed is still to be sober in expectations. That means hoping for Tran Thanh Trung to shine, but being patient to develop naturally, not being burdened by the pressure of "having to succeed immediately".

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/u23-viet-nam-vi-sao-dung-qua-ky-vong-vao-tran-thanh-trung-2436423.html