SINGAPORE – In December 2006, Vietnamese soccer hit its nadir when the nationwide workforce slumped to 172nd on the planet rankings. But in simply 15 years, the Golden Dragons have managed to raise themselves not simply out of the doldrums however right into a golden period.
Ranked 99th now, they’re the one Asean workforce within the high 100 and the third spherical of the World Cup qualifiers. Whereas they’ve misplaced all their matches towards Saudi Arabia, Japan, Australia, Oman and China, they proved onerous to beat and by no means misplaced by greater than two targets.
Having rubbed shoulders with Asia’s elite, Vietnam followers will count on their workforce to retain their Suzuki Cup title.
Soccer advisor Dzung Le, who was additionally the previous chief government of V.League 2 aspect Pho Hien, mentioned: “The present Vietnam nationwide workforce are the most effective we’ve had. Our closest competitors will most likely be Thailand however for those who ask anybody from Vietnam, they may inform you that they absolutely count on us to win the Suzuki Cup this yr.”
Youth improvement
The important thing to their outstanding rise may be traced to the Central Highlands, the place the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Academy – the nation’s first soccer coaching centre – was arrange in 2007 underneath a partnership with English Premier League aspect Arsenal, French soccer faculty JMG Academy and Vietnamese conglomerate Hoang Anh Gia Lai.
Thirty gamers are hand-picked yearly, and it’s mentioned that these pre-teens begin off barefooted and are allowed to put on boots solely after they’ve mastered juggling the ball.
Thereafter, they practice 5 hours a day on the state-of-the-art facility with manicured pitches and swimming swimming pools, and in addition obtain high quality educational schooling on website.
The kids dwell in villas and usually graduate after seven years to hitch V.League groups; a minimum of 10 from the inaugural batch of trainees are with V.League 1 aspect Hoang Anh Gia Lai FC now.
Different personal academies adopted, such because the Promotion Fund of Vietnamese Soccer Expertise (PVF) Soccer Academy which enlisted Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs to be its director to coach and consider senior coaches.
Final yr, it turned the primary soccer academy in South-east Asia to be conferred the best grade of three stars by the Asian Soccer Confederation. The grading is a part of the regional physique’s Elite Youth Scheme geared toward lifting improvement programmes in AFC member nations.
Academies are rated on 20 efficiency classes spanning throughout administration, amenities and programmes, in addition to player-centric components akin to welfare, psychology and schooling.
V.League golf equipment Viettel and Ha Noi additionally hopped onto the bandwagon, organising academies so as to add to the conveyor belt of younger expertise. Such funding in youth improvement paid off when the Vietnam Below-23s completed second within the AFC U-23 Championship and fourth on the 2018 Asian Video games earlier than successful the 2019 SEA Video games gold.
Some gamers have emerged to grow to be idols and function fashions like “Vietnamese Messi” Nguyen Cong Phuong, who went on to play in Japan, South Korea and Belgium.
Vietnam soccer analyst Quan Tran Tue advised The Straits Instances: “The academies actually modified the panorama of the game within the nation. The success of the primary one had knock-on results as a result of golf equipment and different organisations noticed the function of youth improvement by way of enhancing the scene right here and adopted swimsuit.”
He pointed to the examples of Cong Phuong and central midfielders Nguyen Hoang Duc, who’ve drawn curiosity from golf equipment in Thailand, Spain and South Korea, in addition to extensive ahead Nguyen Quang Hai, voted essentially the most beneficial participant on the 2018 Suzuki Cup.
Mentioned Tran Tue: “Due to the academies, Vietnamese gamers at the moment are technically superior in comparison with what we had up to now and tactically, they’re additionally smarter.”
Coach the important thing
Vietnam had been additionally in a position to translate the outcomes to senior degree by successful the 2018 Suzuki Cup, and plenty of have credited South Korean coach Park Hold-seo for guiding the senior and U-23 groups to a different degree since taking up in 2017. Sights are already set on making the 48-team World Cup in 2026.
“Right here, he’s an icon already – the most effective supervisor we’ve had. We are able to at all times really feel and see the eagerness from him and we all know how a lot he desires the nationwide workforce to do effectively,” mentioned Van Tien, a 38-year-old Vietnam fan based mostly in Hanoi.
The no-nonsense 64-year-old Park was assistant to Guus Hiddink within the South Korean nationwide workforce that completed fourth on the 2002 World Cup, and whereas he has been recognized to yell at his gamers, the Korean has the power to deliver the most effective out of them as they appear to him as a father determine.
Park mentioned: “Vietnamese gamers have their very own distinctive particular qualities by way of tempo, energy and approach that I don’t see in Japanese or South Korean gamers.
“I do not know why individuals hold saying that being small is a weak level for Vietnamese gamers. Small gamers are faster, and as well as, Vietnamese gamers are sensible, they will perceive my methods simply and adapt to them in a short time.”
Nonetheless, with the latest string of seven straight losses, there was criticism of an “overly pragmatic” strategy together with his 5-4-1 counter-attacking philosophy.
Nonetheless, it could be instructive to notice that these defeats had been all towards higher-ranked opponents, a few of whom are continental powerhouses, and Vietnam are unbeaten in 17 matches towards Asean rivals since Park got here on board.
For this Suzuki Cup, they’re drawn into Group B the place they may play Laos (Monday), Malaysia (Dec 12), Indonesia (Dec 15) and Cambodia (Dec 19) on the Bishan Stadium, and they’re anticipated to return with their third AFF Championship on New 12 months’s Day.
Mentioned Le: “We have now the most effective technology of gamers now and after a nasty run in the previous few matches, Vietnam soccer followers and the workforce are in search of constructive outcomes. The strain is on the coach to ship for certain. As a nation, we count on nothing lower than being Asean champions once more.”
