Phan Tuấn Tài 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

HÀ NỘI — Philippe Troussier, the newly appointed national and U23 football coach, has announced an initial squad of 41 players for the upcoming SEA Games in May, which will be held in Cambodia.

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 Vũ Tiến Long, Phan Tuấn Tài, Lương Duy Cương, Trần Quang Thịnh, and Nguyễn Văn Tùng.

He also included several players he led in the U19 team, such as Trần Mạnh Quỳnh, Nguyễn Hữu Nam, Nguyễn Thanh Khôi, Võ Minh Trọng, Ngô Đức Hoàng, and Hồ Khắc Lương.

In addition, Troussier gave opportunities to players who are performing well in the V.League 1, such as Phạm Đình Duy, Hoàng Vĩnh Nguyên, and Nguyễn Ngọc Thắng. 

Younger stars such as Bùi Vĩ Hào, Nguyễn Thanh Nhàn, Khuất Văn Khang, and Nguyễn Thanh Nhàn 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.

Coach 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. VNS