Coach Kim Sang-sik revealed the surprising reason for not including Tran Thanh Trung's name.

On the afternoon of September 2, at the press conference before the 2026 U.23 Asian qualifiers, coach Kim Sang-sik revealed the reason for removing Vietnamese-American midfielder Tran Thanh Trung.

Coach Kim Sang-sik wants to save Tran Thanh Trung for the future.

In the list of 23 players participating in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers, coach Kim Sang-sik decided to leave midfielder Tran Thanh Trung.

"Regarding the case of overseas Vietnamese player Tran Thanh Trung not being registered for the tournament - he has the determination and desire to contribute to the team and I believe that Thanh Trung will have a bright future with the national team in the future. Regarding Le Viktor's ability to play, the coaching staff will calculate and have appropriate options so that he can best demonstrate his ability in each match against specific opponents."

Thanh Trung (second from left) has not yet convinced coach Kim Sang-sik.

PHOTO: VFF

At the same time, the U.23 Southeast Asian Championship also gives coach Kim Sang-sik reason to put his trust in the current players, who are playing effectively and cohesively. According to Mr. Kim, Thanh Trung has the ability and strength to return in the next training sessions.

"In the past few days, I have evaluated and analyzed Tran Thanh Trung's ability. He has good technique and determination, and will be a quality player in the future. Thanh Trung will have a bright future in the national team. I hope Thanh Trung can participate in the next tournaments," coach Kim Sang-sik emphasized.

Overseas Vietnamese midfielder is not physically fit, what other 'cards' does U.23 Vietnam have left?

U.23 Vietnam determined to win

"First of all, I would like to send my best wishes to all Vietnamese people on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of National Day. With what Vietnam has achieved in the past 80 years, I believe this is the motivation for the players to compete well in the upcoming qualifying round," coach Kim Sang-sik shared before the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers.

The 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers will officially take place on September 3. The Vietnam U23 team is in Group C, facing Bangladesh U23 (September 3), Singapore (September 6) and Yemen (September 9). Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team's goal is to win the top spot in the group to qualify directly for the finals. Vietnam U23 has continuously participated in the AFC U23 Championship finals since 2016.

Coach Kim Sang-sik prioritizes safety

PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG

"U.23 Vietnam has achieved many successes with the U.23 Southeast Asian Championship. This is the motivation for my players to play well in this tournament. No player has any specific injury, only Van Khang is a bit stiff but can still play tomorrow's match.

The coaching staff of U.23 Vietnam has researched the opponents. Of these, U.23 Yemen is the strongest opponent in this group. However, the whole team has prepared technically and tactically for the match with the goal of achieving the best results," Coach Kim Sang-sik shared.

When asked why Le Viktor was not a starter in the U.23 Vietnam team, coach Kim Sang-sik commented: "Le Viktor is a quality player, but the reason I have not chosen him is because of his technical skills and tactics. The coaching staff calculates and selects for each match so that Le Viktor can maximize his potential."

Tomorrow (September 3), U.23 Vietnam will play the opening match of the 2026 U.23 Asian qualifiers against U.23 Bangladesh at home stadium Viet Tri.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-he-lo-ly-do-bat-ngo-khi-gach-ten-tran-thanh-trung-khong-phai-vi-chan-thuong-185250902182156314.htm