The long journey back
After finishing his contract with Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Cong Phuong moved to Japan to play with a period considered the most deadlocked in his career. This player hardly played for Yokohama FC. In total, he has played less than 90 minutes in a few rare matches, not scoring or assisting in 2 years.
Faced with the difficult situation, Cong Phuong bravely decided to return home and be relegated to the First Division to compete. At the time of saying goodbye to Yokohama FC, the striker born in 1995 could not return to V.League teams because the transfer market was closed.
In case of luck, the amount of 18 billion VND for 3 seasons is attractive enough for Cong Phuong. At Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc, he was the centerpiece of the Southeast region football team's playing style. Near the end of the season, Cong Phuong scored 7 goals - leading the list of top scorers and had 3 more assists.
Of course, this number is not an absolute advantage like some stars who have played in the First Division, but it is enough to become a ticket to bring Cong Phuong back to the national team.
The last time he played an official match for the Vietnam team was in July 2023. The following year, Cong Phuong focused but said goodbye before the 2024 Asian Cup due to injury.
What do you expect from Cong Phuong?
Coach Kim Sang-sik called Cong Phuong to the Vietnam national team not to please the public. If so, the Korean coach would not mind calling up Van Lam, Hung Dung, Que Ngoc Hai and a few other "veterans". Mr. Kim must have had calculations when bringing Cong Phuong back to the national team.
The Vietnamese team is facing serious problems in attack when Xuan Son is injured. Of the 7 goals scored against Cambodia and Laos in March, the strikers could not put their names on the scoreboard, the goalscorers were defenders and midfielders.
Overall, the Vietnam team needs a striker who knows how to hold the ball until his teammates come up to support. In addition, the striker needs to be more flexible, coordinating and finishing better. This is Nguyen Cong Phuong's strength. The 1995-born boy's set-pieces promise to be dangerous.
Above all, Cong Phuong still had shining moments as a star. However, he had difficulty playing 90 minutes at high intensity.
Coach Kim Sang-sik needs to have specific calculations on the plan to use his student. Otherwise, a bad match could cause Cong Phuong to once again leave the national team.
