Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc: 'V-League and the Role of Young Players'

24/10/2025 06:53:00 TrophyTracker

Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc states that from the reality of the LPBank V-League 2025/26, it is evident that the season is starting to show positive professional signs for Vietnamese football.

Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc acknowledges that this is exactly what we need from the V-League: "Because only then will the competition promise to present a vibrant picture for Vietnamese football fans. The league is expected to provide a solid foundation for the country’s football in general, especially for the U23 team with many critical upcoming tasks.

Each round creates intense 'shocks' within every team regardless of their objectives. This means that although the V-League’s professional quality is not yet as high as expected, it has generated fierce rivalries, thereby increasing its attractiveness. Hopefully, over time, the V-League will bring more positive signs for Vietnamese football since domestic competitions will build a strong foundation for all levels of the national teams.

Clearly, in any football system, the professional league structure is always the base and springboard that must be solidly reinforced. We all understand that to have a strong senior and U23 national team, the 'backbone' of football—the domestic league—must have quality."

Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc feels that looking at the latest round’s developments, one can see many positive signals from the impressive performances of young talents and U23 Vietnamese players: "In various ways, players like Nguyễn Quốc Việt, Đinh Xuân Tiến, Lê Nguyên Hoàng, Xuân Bắc, Anh Quân, Văn Thuận, Ngọc Mỹ, Hiểu Minh, Thanh Nhàn have sparked hope for a more solid U23 Vietnam team. It is very encouraging to witness the strong presence of the youth generation in the main squads of the V-League.

The fact that U23 players such as Xuân Tiến (19 years old) regularly play and shine in their club’s V-League matches is very positive news for Coach Kim Sang Sik. Photo: Hoàng Linh

Coach Kim Sang Sik is likely pleased to see his U23 players improving day by day. More importantly, the young players are not only given chances to play but also know how to seize those opportunities to make an impact. Regular participation in the demanding environment of the V-League helps these young players build resilience, accumulate experience, enhance their ability to handle pressure, and improve their professional skills.

With less than two months until SEA Games 33 begins, the strong performances of key U23 players are a positive sign for Coach Kim Sang Sik. Participation in the upcoming four-nation international tournament in China this November, competing against U23 teams from South Korea, Uzbekistan, and the host China, will be a valuable chance for the players to sharpen their skills, serving as another preparation step for SEA Games 33 and the AFC U23 Championship. Therefore, competition for starting positions in the U23 Vietnam squad will remain fierce, but this will motivate each player to keep striving.

Besides the Asian Cup qualifiers, Vietnamese football will have two important campaigns: SEA Games 33 and the AFC U23 Championship, where Coach Kim Sang Sik will evaluate his players’ capabilities. These two competitions are key platforms for experts to assess the next generation’s level, since youth football is not only about results but also about producing a quality successor generation for the senior national team.

To prepare for these two youth tournaments, Coach Kim Sang Sik has gradually implemented a 'staggered' strategy, mixing young players with experienced ones in moderate amounts during the 2025 national team training camps. Allowing generations to guide each other is the most suitable path for development.

The performance of the young generation will determine the shape of Vietnamese football over the next ten years. This is not just a test for the youth players but also an opportunity and a platform for them to prove they are ready to take on the responsibilities of the senior national team in the coming years. The future of Vietnamese football begins today, right at this moment."

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