On the afternoon of November 28, at Ba Ria Stadium (HCMC), coach Kim Sang-sik had an open discussion with the press about the final preparation process for U22 Vietnam to participate in the 33rd SEA Games, especially the finalization of the official list of 23 players.
The Korean coach admitted the pressure from the personnel problem: " Tomorrow (November 29), U22 Vietnam will announce the official list. As a head coach, this is really difficult. I lost sleep while thinking about finding the best squad to participate in the SEA Games. I want to take all the players. They are practicing and living hard. I try to be cautious and find the best lineup to announce tomorrow".
One of the biggest challenges for coach Kim Sang-sik is finding a replacement for Van Truong - an important midfielder who was injured in China and had to say goodbye to the 33rd SEA Games.
He shared: "Van Truong has contributed throughout the recent preparation process, from the 2025 U23 Southeast Asian Championship to the 2026 U23 Asian qualifiers, contributing to the success of the U22 Vietnam. His injury is a regret that hurts my heart. We are trying to find a replacement for Van Truong. Today, we are practicing, tomorrow we will play domestically. I will evaluate and find a suitable replacement. I saw the image of Van Truong who had just had a successful surgery. Because I am busy with work at U22 Vietnam, I have not been able to visit directly. Through the translator, I will send a special gift to encourage him".
Coach Kim Sang-sik also emphasized that selecting the final squad is a difficult process because he wants to keep all the players in the team, but must ensure professional efficiency for the upcoming 33rd SEA Games journey.
