Coach Troussier names initial 41-man squad for SEA Games

Phan Tuan Tai has been a mainstay of the U23 side recently and has been included in the initial 41-man squad for the upcoming SEA Games in Cambodia in May. (Photo vtc.vn)

Hanoi - Philippe Troussier, the newly appointed head coach of Vietnam’s national and U23 football teams, has announced an initial squad of 41 players for the upcoming SEA Games which will be held in Cambodia in May.

Having previously trained the Vietnamese U19 team in the 2020 AFC U19 Championship, Troussier did not face any difficulties in selecting players this time.

The French coach named many outstanding players from the current U23 team, including Vu Tien Long, Phan Tuan Tai, Luong Duy Cuong, Tran Quang Thinh, and Nguyen Van Tung.

He also included several players he led in the U19 team, such as Tran Manh Quynh, Nguyen Huu Nam, Nguyen Thanh Khoi, Vo Minh Trong, Ngo Duc Hoang, and Ho Khac Luong.

In addition, Troussier gave opportunities to players who are performing well in the V.League 1, such as Pham Dinh Duy, Hoang Vinh Nguyen, and Nguyen Ngoc Thang.

Younger stars such as Bui Vi Hao, Khuat Van Khang, and Nguyen Thanh Nhan will be absent due to their busy schedules competing in the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U20 Asian Cup finals in Uzbekistan.

The training for the U23 team in March will be divided into four phases.

The first phase will occur from March 1 to 7, where the new coach will evaluate the players' quality to prepare for the next training phase, which will occur from March 8 to 12.

The squad will be whittled down to around 32 players in the second phase.

Troussier will also begin moulding the team in terms of style and tactics.

By March 17, the squad will be further reduced to 24 players and three goalkeepers. The team will begin to follow a more in-depth game plan and will play friendly matches against V.League 1 clubs.

The final fourth stage will be from March 18 to 29, when the side will travel to the UAE to play friendly matches.

The squad may be further bolstered by young players from the AFC U20 Asian Cup finals, depending on their performances.

Coach Gong wants young players to get more V.League game-time Hanoi - After a campaign that saw U23 Vietnam cruise to the AFC U23 Asian Cup quarter-finals, Gong Oh-kyun has proved himself to be the right man for the job.

National, U23 men’s football teams to have new head coach in late February The Vietnam Football Federation said on February 16 that it had working sessions with Philippe Troussier on the post of the national and U23 men’s football teams’ head coach.