U23 Vietnam - U23 Iraq: Waiting for a new look
* U23 Vietnam - U23 Iraq: 2:45 tomorrow 23/3, Hanoi time.
The 2001-2003 generation of players is eager to play and prove their ability. Coach Troussier himself admitted that he was excited for the first match with Vietnam, and more importantly, to see the results after three weeks of practice.
The French military leader emphasized that he inherited what his predecessor Park Hang-seo had done, including a 3-4-3 diagram. The difference, according to coach Troussier, will lie in the way the ball develops from the goalkeeper, the ability to press intensely and constantly adjust and adapt to a variety of game tempos. At the same time, the new U23 Vietnam coach also wants to see the attack improve its handling ability in one-third of the opponent's goal - a stage that is considered hasty and lacks sharpness in training sessions.
Through the 2023 Doha Cup, coach Troussier wants to see how well the students grasp the philosophy, not the results. Therefore, the excitement for a new U23 version does not go hand in hand with the expectation of victory. "We are just starting out, so we can't ask for perfection," explained the U23 Vietnam head coach.
Iraq U23 has the same view on long-term preparation, considering this friendly tournament only as an opportunity to check the quality of players to improve towards the future. "We don't take the result of winning or losing in the Doha Cup seriously, and are ready to accept any criticism," Iraq coach Rani Shenaishil said before the match.
After the last training session last night on March 21, coach Troussier once again wanted the players to put aside the pressure of results and be ready for three things: go out on the field to show their ability, calmly deal with all variables and compete. in any location, though unfamiliar. With the same philosophical understanding, the above factors can be considered as bullet points to evaluate players, instead of just focusing on results with the spirit of winning at all costs.
With a friendly nature, the Doha Cup 2023 regulations allow each team to change six players per game. Coach Troussier affirmed that he will make the most of the right to substitute to give opportunities to his students.
The difficulty with U23 Vietnam lies in the late game time. The match against Iraq U23 took place at 22:45 local time, ie 2:45 am Hanoi time. To adapt, the team practiced at the same time frame several times over the past three weeks. That is also the advantage of Troussier's teachers and students against their Iraqi opponent, who have only gathered since March 19 and had three training sessions together.
