Popov's star-studded squad will help U.23 Vietnam play with more passion

The 'young shoots' being trained at Thanh Hoa Club can add fighting strength to the U.23 Vietnam team of coach Kim Sang-sik.

Cool breeze in U.23 Vietnam

After winning the U.23 Southeast Asian Championship twice in 2022 and 2023, this playground is no longer a place where U.23 Vietnam is forced to win.

To return to the Asian level, Vietnamese football needs to adapt to the mindset: youth tournaments are just a place for young players to gain experience and accumulate, while U.23 Vietnam is purely a "training ground" for coach Kim Sang-sik to discover potential factors for the Vietnamese team.

From this perspective, Mr. Kim calling up many new players is a positive sign. The Korean coach wants to "pave the sand for gold", not missing any talent. Among them, both old and new factors from Thanh Hoa such as Nguyen Thai Son, Nguyen Ngoc My and Le Van Thuan are worth watching.

Thai Son (red shirt) used to play for the Vietnamese national team

PHOTO: MINH TU

Thai Son has been a familiar face since 2023. Although he did not have a ticket to the Doha Cup, the first tournament that coach Philippe Troussier took charge of the U.23 Vietnam team, Thai Son had a ticket to the 32nd SEA Games, and was then promoted straight to the Vietnam national team after only a few weeks of working with the French coach.

Thai Son's story is similar to that of his senior Doan Ngoc Tan in the Vietnam team at the AFF Cup 2024. Both were overlooked from the beginning, only appearing at the last minute, then rising to become pillars. Thai Son's strength, like Ngoc Tan's, is his tenacious fighting spirit, his ability to run across the field to stick with, intercept and develop the ball. Thai Son can run about 10 km/match, a number that not many Vietnamese players can achieve.

A former youth coach once commented that Thai Son still has limitations, such as the effectiveness of his runs is not high. "Running a lot is good, but you cannot just run behind your opponent, you have to have the mindset to move, run in a smart position, and know how to choose the right time," this coach affirmed to Thanh Nien Newspaper. Thai Son's competitive mentality is not yet complete, when at the 2023 Asian Cup, Coach Troussier once took Thai Son off the field in the match against Indonesia because his student was tense.

However, that was when Thai Son had just turned 20. After 2 years, Thanh Hoa's young talent has improved. Thai Son played 49 out of 52 maximum matches in the last 2 V-League seasons for Thanh Hoa. At the age of 22, Thai Son is the youngest pillar, contributing to Thanh Hoa winning 2 National Cups and 1 National Super Cup in 2 years.

Coach Popov is good at inspiring

PHOTO: MINH TU

Coach Kim Sang-sik has called up Thai Son to the national team since 2024. Although he did not include his student's name in the official tournament list, the Korean coach has clearly understood his student's ability. Not yet able to compete with seniors like Nguyen Hoang Duc, Doan Ngoc Tan or Vo Hoang Minh Khoa in the national team, but at the U.23 level which is more suitable, Thai Son is capable of becoming the "brain" in the midfield.

Stars carrying Popov's fire

The common point of Thai Son and Van Thuan of Ngoc My is that they both grew up under the enthusiastic and fiery training of "fierce general" Velizar Popov.

"Coach Popov is always strict and meticulous. He is willing to stop training sessions to remind each student. We like his training sessions because they are always full of instructions and information," a player currently playing for Thanh Hoa shared.

Given the opportunity by coach Popov in the first leg of this season, scoring 2 goals in 16 appearances with remarkable progress, young player Le Van Thuan (born in 2006) affirmed: "I always bring the fighting spirit that coach Popov taught me to every field I set foot on. I am grateful to him for helping me improve every day. I think my strongest point is my fighting spirit."

Le Van Thuan shines at the age of 19

PHOTO: VPF

Nguyen Ngoc My in Thanh Hoa shirt

PHOTO: THANH HOA CLUB

Like Van Thuan, young talent Nguyen Ngoc My (born in 2004) has risen from winning the national U.19 championship with U.19 Thanh Hoa (also winning the title of best player of the tournament), to breaking into Thanh Hoa's first team this season.

Ngoc My scored 2 goals in 15 matches this season, including the "golden" goal that helped Thanh Hoa beat The Cong Viettel in the first leg.

Although the 21-year-old striker still has many things to improve, such as his ability to choose a position or make a wall, he possesses an impeccable fighting spirit, something that Ngoc My, as well as Van Thuan and Thai Son, are fueled by every day thanks to coach Popov, who has now moved to The Cong Viettel.

The young stars from Thanh Hoa will add more fighting power to U.23 Vietnam. Let's wait and see!

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dan-sao-mang-thuong-hieu-popov-se-giup-u23-viet-nam-choi-mau-lua-hon-18525070309565389.htm