All necessary procedures for Xuan Son to be eligible to play for the Vietnamese team at the AFF Cup (newly named ASEAN Cup) 2024 were completed by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) in mid-November. This is the reason why this player appeared in the preliminary list of the Vietnamese team. The VFF announced that it is only waiting for the final decision from the Southeast Asian Football Federation.
However, even if Son is allowed to play, he can only start the tournament with the match against Myanmar. Xuan Son did not attend the very important training session of the Vietnamese team before the tournament. This is the problem that coach Kim Sang-sik is really worried about.
It is true that the striker born in 1997 is the most classy star in V.League at the moment. Last year, he scored 31 goals and became the top scorer. This year, Xuan Son "carried" Nam Dinh from V.League to AFC Champions League Two. He has both achieved good form and a real desire to contribute to the Vietnam national team.
That is a necessary but not sufficient condition to ensure Nguyen Xuan Son's success at the national team level. Any star needs time to adapt to new tactics and new football philosophies. Not to mention, playing for the national team is always very different from playing for a club.
In the Vietnam team, Xuan Son does not have Hendrio, Mpande or Hendrio Araujo. The striker born in 1997 is not good at holding the ball from midfield and then breaking through, passing 4-5 defenders to score. He needs satellites of sufficient quality.
Despite the possibility of Xuan Son being in the squad, coach Kim Sang-sik still has to prepare a plan without the Brazilian star. Up to now, strikers considered key players such as Nguyen Tien Linh and Pham Tuan Hai have taken turns scoring. Moreover, Son's appearance will make it impossible for the aforementioned players to play.
Coach Kim Sang-sik clearly has to calculate to have the most harmonious way to use the stars. It will not be until the last match of the group stage that Nguyen Xuan Son (if called up) can play. If the domestic strikers maintain their form and shine, it will be difficult for the Korean coach to leave them out of the squad.
Therefore, Xuan Son, despite his class and excellence, is still a "gamble" for Mr. Kim Sang-sik at the AFF Cup 2024. In the following training sessions, when Son has enough time to get acquainted with his teammates and adapt to his new role, he will definitely be an important piece.
