Illustrative photo (Photo: vietnam.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – Head coach Philippe Troussier has decided on a shortlist of 30 players of the national men’s football team to attend training in Qatar ahead of the 2023 Asian Cup finals, according to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF).
Some experienced players will not be able to join training this time due to injuries, including Dang Van Lam, Que Ngoc Hai, Nguyen Tien Linh and Nguyen Hoang Duc.
Troussier said that he has trust in the selected players and affirmed that the whole team will try their best.
Not only the Vietnamese team, but other teams such as Japanese and Thai teams also have some of the key players absent due to injuries.
Over the past eight months, the French coach has worked with about 80 players, so when a player is injured, he can have an alternative.
The coach selected the players for the Qatar training trip based on their expertise as well as the qualities shown on the field.
He said he has a set of criteria to select players including spirit, attitude, expertise, and versatility, adding that he does not give opportunities to young players but good ones.
The team are scheduled to depart for Qatar on January 5 for further training and will engage in a friendly match against Kyrgyzstan on January 9. The list of 26 official players to play in the 2023 Asian Cup finals will be announced on January 13.
The 2023 Asian Cup finals will take place in Qatar from January 12 to February 10, featuring 24 teams divided into six groups. Vietnam is in Group D and will face Japan on January 14, Indonesia on January 19, and Iraq five days later./.
