As the team just went on a 12-hour journey from Hanoi to Doha, the coaching staff let them do light exercises at the hotel to recover their stamina instead of hitting the training ground.
Coach Troussier also joined his players in training.
Before that, he had a quick meeting with the team to announce the schedule for the first day and encourage them to give their best in preparation as the Asian Cup is near.
Vietnamese-Czech goalkeeper Filip Nguyen got his first call-up to the national team after obtaining Vietnamese citizenship last month.
With the absence of main goalkeeper Dang Van Lam due to injury, Filip is likely to become the number one choice for the national team.
Defender Bui Hoang Viet Anh is Vietnam’s biggest hope at the back line when many key defenders like Que Ngoc Hai, Nguyen Thanh Chung and Bui Tien Dung could not go to Qatar due to injuries.
The weather in Qatar during this season is favorable for training, with the average temperature around 17 to 25 degrees Celsius.
Ho Tan Tai was initially on the backup list, but with the current personnel crisis on the team, he might get more game time. He can play as a left-back, center-back or winger.
Defender Do Duy Manh has just recovered from injury, and he has not hit the training ground since last month. However, the doctors said he can return in time when Vietnam play Japan on Jan. 14.
Midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh struggled with muscle problems and he had to practice with a doctor and a physical expert.
Midfielder Do Hung Dung (R) is one of the five remaining players from the 2019 Asian Cup where Vietnam reached quarterfinals. However, his form recently was not good.
For the midfielder position, Troussier has recently prefered the 20-year-old Nguyen Thai Son. Three years ago, Son captained the U18 team of Vietnam, coached by Troussier.
Nguyen Quang Hai (L) is a great hope for Vietnam in attacking. With midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc’s absence, Hai might have to drop lower and be a playmaker.
On the flanks are Nguyen Van Toan (L), who is on form with three goals and two assists in the league this season, and Pham Xuan Manh, who can play as a full-back and a winger.
With the absence of key striker Nguyen Tien Linh, Pham Tuan Hai (R) has become the number one choice for the striker position.
The team will play one last exhibition match on Jan. 9, against Kyrgyzstan, before entering the final tournament.
The 2024 Asian Cup will take place in Qatar from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10 with 24 participating teams, divided into six groups.
The top two teams of each group and the four third-placed teams with the best records will qualify for the round of 16.
