Stalwarts out as Troussier names young team for Asian Cup

He has replaced them with new young players.

Only eight are left from the last event, including goalkeeper Dang Van Lam, defenders Do Duy Manh, Nguyen Thanh Chung and Que Ngoc Hai, midfielders Nguyen Quang Hai and Do Hung Dung and strikers Nguyen Van Toan and Nguyen Tien Linh.

Those left out include players like defenders Doan Van Hau, Bui Tien Dung and Ho Tan Tai, midfielders Luong Xuan Truong and Pham Duc Huy and attackers Nguyen Cong Phuong, Phan Van Duc and Ha Duc Chinh.

Hau and Duc are injured, but the rest have been dropped due to advancing age, declining form and inadequate playing time.

Troussier has opted for players suitable for his football philosophy, the most notable being Vietnamese-Czech goalkeeper Nguyen Filip, who played for eight years in Czechia and completed his naturalization earlier this month.

He will compete with Dang Van Lam for the number one position.

Goalkeeper Nguyen Filip has received his first call-up to the Vietnam national football team. Photo by VnExpress/Lam Thoa

The average age of the squad is 24.9. The oldest player is Nguyen Dinh Trieu at 32 and the youngest is Nguyen Dinh Bac, 19.

The team will gather in Hanoi on Dec. 31 and start training at the Vietnam Football Federation headquarters.

They leave for Qatar on Jan. 5, and play a friendly against Kyrgyzstan on Jan. 9.

In the 2024 Asian Cup they will play Japan on Jan. 14, Indonesia on the 19th and Iraq on the 24th.

The tournament will be held from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 at nine stadiums in five cities.

The 24 participating teams are divided into six groups, with the top two in each and the four best third-placed teams advancing to the round of 16.