The mark of Korean assistants
Towards the ASEAN Cup 2026, coach Kim Sang-sik and the Vietnamese team will have the service of professional assistant Kim Do-heon. The appearance of the former Korean national team player comes from the efforts of the Vietnam Football Federation and the representative company.
Previously, Mr. Kim was supported by assistant coaches Choi Won-kwon and Lee Jung-soo. Both brought many professional training marks when accompanying the Vietnamese team in the past 2 years.
For Mr. Choi Won-kwon, this is the first "right arm" to accompany coach Kim Sang-sik when this coach takes on the task of leading the Vietnamese team. The ASEAN Cup 2024 championship has a significant mark on assistant coach Choi.
“Every day, the coaching staff will evaluate the ability of each player in the training session. The analysis of performance is assigned to me by coach Kim. Together with my colleagues, I will report on the opponents of the Vietnamese team through each match. Everyone together develops strategies that are appropriate, as well as arranges personnel in the most reasonable way.
It must be admitted that we cannot avoid arguments when discussing expertise. But in the end, through the head coach, the Vietnamese team also chose the direction and most effective approach," said Mr. Choi Won-kwon.
The support of assistant coach Choi helps coach Kim Sang-sik have more ideas to operate tactics as well as react quickly in substitutions. That is also the reason why "Golden Warriors" are unbeaten at ASEAN Cup 2024.
Typically, in the second leg final match at Thailand's stadium, using Tuan Hai as the starting lineup in the context that this player was often a substitute before that helped Vietnam create a surprise for the opponent. And it was assistant Choi Won-kwon who advised Mr. Kim to choose personnel to make breakthroughs.
After Mr. Choi Won-kwon became the head coach of Thanh Hoa team, assistant Lee Jung-soo was appointed to support coach Kim Sang-sik. The mark of the former Korean national team player is present through the impressive corner kicks of U23 and the Vietnamese team.
Statistics in the past 1 year show that the Vietnamese national team at all levels has scored 15 goals from corner kicks in 15 matches. And in all 15 matches, the teams are unbeaten (14 wins, 1 draw).
Behind those successful corner kicks is assistant Lee Jung-soo, one of the experts on set pieces. Grasping the strengths of his teammates, coach Kim Sang-sik assigned Mr. Lee to design exercises revolving around set pieces or 1/3 of the opponent's field.
It is known that before choosing players to take on the roles related to passing and finishing in front of the goal, assistant Lee may spend a whole month just watching matches in the V.League or materials in the national youth league. Through this, he can grasp the habits and effectiveness in fixed-range free kick coordination from the players he zoned out.
Waiting from assistant Kim Do-heon
After Mr. Choi Won-kwon, Lee Jung-soo, assistant Kim Do-heon will be Mr. Kim Sang-sik's next colleague. He is one of the most outstanding midfielders of Korean football with 62 appearances for the national team, scoring 12 goals and participating in many major Asian football tournaments.
In club colors, Kim Do-heon went through a memorable period in the Premier League when playing for West Bromwich Albion in the 2008-2009 season. He made 25 appearances - an achievement that not many Korean players achieved at that time.
After retiring in 2019, assistant coach Kim Do-heon switched to coaching and is considered one of the promising young strategists of Korea.
A noteworthy detail that is often overlooked is that he used to work in the coaching staff of Chengdu Rongcheng club in the Chinese Super League. His time working in China helped Mr. Kim Do-heon access a modern football environment with high intensity, applying data science, performance analysis and the pressing trend that is popular in Asia.
The strength of this assistant is grasping the players' psychology. This will be an important detail that coach Kim needs from his compatriot assistant. Remember, the Vietnamese team is strongly changing personnel.
However, the connection between individuals who have not had much time attached to the Vietnamese team is a challenge for coach Kim Sang-sik's team. And a good assistant who "wins people's hearts" like Mr. Kim Do-heon promises to help Mr. Kim solve the problem of integration and team cohesion.
