Ngoc Hai and Hung Dung are out of breath.
Two veteran players Que Ngoc Hai and Do Hung Dung did not appear in the list of players called up to the Vietnam national team. In information provided to the press, VFF explained: “Recently, Ngoc Hai has not been in the best physical condition, leading to his inability to show a performance that could convince coach Kim Sang-sik.
The same is the case with Do Hung Dung. The problem of age becomes a barrier that makes it difficult for him to achieve the highest performance as expected."
Mr. Kim's decision to remove Ngoc Hai and Hung Dung received sympathy from fans. In 2024, the two players showed signs of physical decline as well as the effects of injury.
Que Ngoc Hai has had knee problems twice in the past. Doctors and fitness experts have also assessed that he can only play well for about 1 hour.
Most recently, coach Hoang Anh Tuan of Binh Duong team had to withdraw the central defender born in 1993 from the field at the beginning of the second half, in the match against Hanoi FC.
"He cannot handle every situation and I need a player with better physical strength like Tan Tai," the coach from Khanh Hoa shared in the post-match press conference.
Meanwhile, Hung Dung is no longer a "warrior" like in the 2019 - 2021 period. In the first 8 matches in V.League, he was taken off the field 5 times. Hung Dung's ability to handle the Hanoi FC midfield is no longer the same as before.
In the Vietnamese national team, apart from the two matches against Iraq and Japan, Hung Dung has not played the full 90 minutes, either under his predecessor Troussier or the current Kim Sang-sik.
It is not difficult to explain why Mr. Kim removed Hung Dung and Ngoc Hai from the AFF Cup preparation strategy. It is not necessarily a story of rejuvenating the force, simply because the physical strength of both no longer meets the tactical requirements set by the coaching staff of the Vietnam team.
Cong Phuong was eliminated.
Cong Phuong is a rare star in the First Division who is not called up to the national team this time. Meanwhile, Quoc Viet, Thanh Binh, Hoang Duc, and Van Lam of Phu Dong Ninh Binh are still on Mr. Kim Sang-sik's list.
Remember, Cong Phuong scored 4 goals and 1 assist at Binh Phuoc club. No striker has exploded like the 29-year-old striker, including Quoc Viet, Thanh Binh or Hoang Duc in this tournament.
But that was still not enough to convince Mr. Kim to call up Cong Phuong. If there is one thing to explain, Cong Phuong is at a disadvantage because he has not had the opportunity to work with the new Korean coach.
With only 3 weeks left until the start of the 2024 AFF Cup, Mr. Kim prioritizes using people who have been familiar with his philosophy since June 2024 until now.
Except for the three new recruits Doan Ngoc Tan, Tran Bao Toan and Truong Tien Anh, the remaining 27 names all understand Mr. Kim's habits, style and working perspective.
This is the second consecutive time Cong Phuong has participated in the AFF Cup. Two years ago, he voluntarily asked not to participate because of his plans to go abroad. After two years, his journey at Yokohama FC was unsuccessful and Cong Phuong also continued to lose the opportunity to compete in the AFF Cup.
In 2024, the striker from Nghe An has not played once for the Vietnamese national team.
Some other regrettable absences
Hung Dung, Ngoc Hai, Cong Phuong are among the "veterans" who have been removed from the list. But on the contrary, many potential names have not been called up for this gathering. A Mit, Nguyen Thanh Long (Thanh Hoa) or Vo Hoang Minh Khoa (Binh Duong) are 3 players who receive the expectations of fans.
Thanh Hoa’s success at the top of the table does not only depend on the “lungs” of Doan Ngoc Tan. It also comes from the energetic “heart” named A Mit and the sturdy “skeleton” of Nguyen Thanh Long.
A Mit and Thanh Long themselves are not inferior to their teammates in the same position such as Ngoc Quang, Van Truong (midfielder) or Tien Dung, Duy Manh (center back). In fact, in terms of performance, they are even slightly better at this time.
Vo Hoang Minh Khoa is also a promising name but missed the appointment with the Vietnam team. Coach Hoang Anh Tuan highly appreciates this attacking midfielder.
Compared to Hai Long of Hanoi, Minh Khoa is not inferior in passing and finishing ability. Unfortunately, this young midfielder has not been able to gain the trust of Mr. Kim Sang-sik.
