Vietnam 's U-16 football team will be going for broke to qualify for the quarter-finals at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U16 Championship in Tashkent , Uzbekistan , from October 24 to November 7.
Team coach Hoang Van Phuc said Vietnam will face tough opposition in Group C against Japan , Australia and East Timor .
The championship will see 16 teams compete in four groups with the top teams qualifying for the semi-finals.
The four semi-finalists will also compete at the FIFA U-17 World Cup next year.
"It's a hard job for us, but then nothing is impossible in football. I've told our players to work hard in preparation for the championship," said Phuc.
"The team is the strongest ever squad that we've recruited from local youth training centres. All the players are ready to fight for the AFC championship," he said.
Last week, his U-16 squad edged China 1-0 to win the ASEAN Football Federation Championship in Indonesia .
Phuc, who is coach of Hanoi T&T's youth team, said six key players including playmaker Dang Anh Tuan, Nguyen Xuan Nam , goalie Nguyen Son Hai and Huynh Tan Tai will be eligible to play in the national premier league in the next three years.
He added the teenagers need more practise with the national team in order to improve their skills tactically and mentally.
The team received a cash-bonus of 330 million VND (17,000 USD) from the Vietnam Football Federation and sponsors at an awards ceremony in Hanoi on October 5.
"The team's success was a sign of the progress of Vietnam 's youth training programme. We are proud of our youngsters and their glorious victory for Vietnamese football," said deputy head of the National Sports Administration, Pham Van Tuan.
The U-16 team are currently in training at the Vietnam Football Federation's Youth Centre in Hanoi./.
Team coach Hoang Van Phuc said Vietnam will face tough opposition in Group C against Japan , Australia and East Timor .
The championship will see 16 teams compete in four groups with the top teams qualifying for the semi-finals.
The four semi-finalists will also compete at the FIFA U-17 World Cup next year.
"It's a hard job for us, but then nothing is impossible in football. I've told our players to work hard in preparation for the championship," said Phuc.
"The team is the strongest ever squad that we've recruited from local youth training centres. All the players are ready to fight for the AFC championship," he said.
Last week, his U-16 squad edged China 1-0 to win the ASEAN Football Federation Championship in Indonesia .
Phuc, who is coach of Hanoi T&T's youth team, said six key players including playmaker Dang Anh Tuan, Nguyen Xuan Nam , goalie Nguyen Son Hai and Huynh Tan Tai will be eligible to play in the national premier league in the next three years.
He added the teenagers need more practise with the national team in order to improve their skills tactically and mentally.
The team received a cash-bonus of 330 million VND (17,000 USD) from the Vietnam Football Federation and sponsors at an awards ceremony in Hanoi on October 5.
"The team's success was a sign of the progress of Vietnam 's youth training programme. We are proud of our youngsters and their glorious victory for Vietnamese football," said deputy head of the National Sports Administration, Pham Van Tuan.
The U-16 team are currently in training at the Vietnam Football Federation's Youth Centre in Hanoi./.
