Pity for Cong Phuong and Ngoc Hai, but coach Kim has his reasons.

Fitness problems of Cong Phuong and Ngoc Hai

The list of the Vietnamese team for the training trip to Korea (from November 23 to December 3) was announced by coach Kim Sang-sik on the afternoon of November 18. Among the 30 players participating, stars such as Que Ngoc Hai, Do Hung Dung and Nguyen Cong Phuong were not on the list.

Vietnam national team list no longer includes Cong Phuong and Ngoc Hai

This is a surprising choice by Mr. Kim. Hung Dung is the captain of the Vietnamese national team in the 2022-2023 period, playing an important role in the midfield for 5 consecutive years. Ngoc Hai is the leader of the defense, holding the role of captain in the 2019-2021 period and has nearly 10 years of playing for the national team. Cong Phuong also has 8 years of playing for the national team, is one of the most experienced attacking players.

If Cong Phuong, Ngoc Hai and Hung Dung do not participate in the AFF Cup 2024, this will be the first time in 10 years that the Southeast Asian playground will no longer have at least one of these three names competing. This is also the AFF Cup where the Vietnamese team will have the strongest squad.

The common point for the two cases of Hung Dung and Ngoc Hai's absence lies in the story of physical fitness. The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) explained: "In the recent past, Que Ngoc Hai has not been in the best physical condition, leading to his inability to demonstrate a performance that can convince the Korean coach. The same is true for Do Hung Dung. The problem of age has become a barrier that makes it difficult for him to achieve the highest performance as expected."

Que Ngoc Hai made a mistake in the match against India

Ngoc Hai returned after a persistent injury suffered in 2023. Despite his class and experience, the central defender born in 1993 has not yet reached his best physical condition.

At Binh Duong Club, Coach Hoang Anh Tuan once arranged for Ngoc Hai to practice separately with a fitness coach, not letting his student play in the matches against Binh Dinh (National Cup) and The Cong Viettel (V-League) after the measurement results from the GPS device showed that the central defender ran an insufficient number of kilometers. Ngoc Hai then reappeared in the matches against HAGL, Da Nang and Hanoi, but once again, fitness was a barrier. Coach Hoang Anh Tuan affirmed that his student could not control the situation, so Binh Duong had to replace him with a stronger player.

Similarly, Hung Dung has played all 8 matches for Hanoi FC since the beginning of the tournament, but only played the full 90 minutes in 3 matches. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his assistants have carefully studied his student's performance and assessed that the 31-year-old player can no longer "work hard" at the intensity he requires.

The most regrettable case is probably that of Cong Phuong. The striker born in 1995 scored 4 goals and assisted 1 goal in the first 5 matches with Binh Phuoc Club. However, 2 years playing in Japan made Cong Phuong's physical condition an obstacle. Although he has improved, the large gap between the Vietnamese team and the first-class playground does not allow Mr. Kim to put his trust in him.

Cong Phuong tried, but it was not enough.

PHOTO: BINH PHUOC CLUB

Continue to compete

Coach Kim Sang-sik has 30 players for the training trip to Korea. With about 3 or 4 players from Nam Dinh Club joining the team next month, the number of players on the Vietnamese team is around 34.

However, only 26 players will participate in the AFF Cup 2024. That means Mr. Kim will have to cross out at least 8 more names. The training days in Korea promise to be very intense and fierce, when coach Kim Sang-sik has to train his players physically and tactically.

The last 3 friendly matches with draws and losses show that the Vietnamese team still has a lot of inertia. The players either lack motivation or have not been able to upgrade their physical strength to match the playing style.

The motivation problem is solved by the increasing number of new recruits. Coach Kim has been ruthless in eliminating "veterans" who have lost their desire to contribute to open the door for new recruits. As for physical strength, the cold weather and the promised very heavy physical training program will help coach Kim change the pale face of the Vietnamese team.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tiec-cho-cong-phuong-va-ngoc-hai-nhung-thay-kim-co-cai-ly-cua-minh-185241118194324395.htm