Is Van Quyet a temporary solution?
In the list of the Vietnam National Team gathered for FIFA Days in October, coach Kim Sang-sik named 6 strikers. Among them, there are 2 factors at the peak of their careers, Nguyen Van Toan and Nguyen Tien Linh, 3 young factors, Nguyen Dinh Bac, Bui Vi Hao and Nguyen Quoc Viet. Finally, there is Nguyen Van Quyet, 33 years old, a veteran striker, high quality and also high performance of Vietnamese football.
Looking at this selection, experts can see a reasonable combination of generations. However, the story of the Vietnam National Team at this time is not exactly like that. This is the first time Mr. Kim Sang-sik has called Van Quyet. From a positive perspective, this is an opportunity, the last hope for the Hanoi club striker to assert himself. But, from a skeptical perspective, people still have to ask, what is the intention of the Korean coach when calling up this striker?
People still know that in the national team, the 2 Golden Balls and 2 Silver Balls that Van Quyet won mean nothing. All foreign coaches have implemented a similar method - calling him up in the early stages and then not using him because he is "not suitable". Therefore, even when Van Quyet is in good form, has a lot of experience and is very competitive, many people are still afraid that coach Kim Sang-sik will follow that path.
The hypothesis that Van Quyet was “temporarily” called up is completely plausible. One is that Mr. Kim Sang-sik heard some advice and summoned him to appease public opinion. Two is that he also wants to work directly with the striker who has scored 18 goals for the national team before making his own conclusion. Three is that Van Quyet can be considered a solution for the ASEAN Championship at the end of this year, when the naturalized striker Nguyen Xuan Son is only eligible to join the national team from January 2025.
How to use Van Quyet properly?
Assuming that Mr. Kim Sang-sik really needs Van Quyet to transfer the skills, abilities, and roles he demonstrated at Hanoi club to the national team, what is the reasonable solution?
Van Quyet's strengths are striker and winger, he does well in any position, which has been proven throughout his career. However, at the age of 33, some qualities have worn out over time, making it difficult to expect him to create breakthroughs from his speed on the wing or his pressing power in the role of a central striker. However, Van Quyet's technique and skills are still there, and his experience is increasing, so if trusted, placing him in the position of a "number 10" behind the striker is a solution.
There, Van Quyet will be the conductor, keeping the rhythm of the attack and also taking advantage of his ability to appear in the right position and finish from a distance. There, he should be given more freedom. But, the problem here is, Mr. Kim Sang-sik may need to change the tactical formation - to 3-4-1-2 or 4-2-3-1. Not only that, some teammates will also have to accept "taking a step back" to serve Van Quyet's playing style.
In the current squad, Van Quyet is the oldest, but people are not sure he will receive the highest respect. Moreover, with conductors like Nguyen Quang Hai and Nguyen Hoang Duc, losing their position, role and influence is very difficult to accept. No star is above the team, but for the common good - especially the national team, players need to put themselves behind. However, the story of "this team, that team", "your team, my team" is deeply ingrained in Vietnamese football...
