U23 Vietnam is on the right track

One of the most encouraging signs for Vietnamese football in the 2025/26 V-League season is that young players under the age of 23 are being given more and more opportunities to play.

No longer just rare starting positions or occasional substitute appearances, now more than half of the U23 Vietnam squad are important players, even pillars at their home clubs.

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Many stars of U23 Vietnam are being tested regularly and officially in V-League.

From Khuat Van Khang, Dinh Bac, Thai Son who have affirmed themselves over the past two seasons to Hieu Minh, Phi Hoang, Hong Phuc, Van Truong... who have been used quite a lot recently.

Weekly practice in the top domestic football environment helps U23 Vietnam players accumulate experience, improve their skills and maintain the best ball feel.

This is the most solid foundation that any coach would wish for. Instead of having to "force" young players into short-term training sessions, Mr. Kim Sang Sik has in his hands a generation of students who are being trained naturally and continuously at the club.

Is Mr. Kim Sang Sik brave enough to change blood?

The foundation of the current U23 generation is relatively good, so the question is: Is coach Kim Sang Sik brave enough to speed up the generational transition process in the Vietnam team?

The generation that made history and brought about many successes is gradually passing the other side of its career, or no longer has the same ambition as before, so a rejuvenation plan and a change in the force is a must.

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This will be the basis for coach Kim Sang Sik to carry out the blood transfusion of the Vietnamese team sooner.

The question is, will coach Kim Sang Sik dare to speed up this transition process in the near future as well as give opportunities to the U23 generation who are eager to show off, carrying within them the youthful energy with the hope of helping the Vietnamese team become fresher.

However, a comprehensive personnel revolution is unlikely and carries a very high risk, which happened under coach Troussier, so it is difficult for Mr. Kim Sang Sik to follow.

Therefore, the most feasible and optimal solution would be a "50/50" formula. That is, building the Vietnamese team with a framework consisting of half experienced veterans, playing a leading role, and the rest with the best young talents of the U23 generation would probably be much more reasonable.

This combination ensures both continuity and creates a new vitality for the team. However, to do this, Mr. Kim Sang Sik needs a great deal of courage. That means he must be brave enough to let go of the veterans and give them a chance, as well as be willing to accept mistakes when using the U23 players.

If coach Kim Sang Sik can do it, Vietnamese football will not only possess a promising young generation, but also have a well-prepared future, ready to go far.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-co-dot-chay-giai-doan-cho-u23-viet-nam-2444756.html