Midfielder Huỳnh Tấn Tài (centre) is among four players Sài Gòn FC icoach Vũ Tiến Thành believes are ready for the national team. — Photo laodong.vn

HÀ NỘI — The chairman and coach of Sài Gòn FC believes four of his team are ready to play for the Vietnamese national team.

Vũ Tiến Thành says he thinks the time has come for Nguyễn Quốc Long, Huỳnh Tấn Tài, Cao Văn Triền and Phạm Văn Phong to represent their country.

"If I am allowed to recommend, players, the likes of Long, Tài, Triền and goalkeeper Phong deserve to be in the Vietnamese national team," Thành said after the 3-0 victory over Thanh Hóa in the V.League 1 on Sunday.

"They are good professionals who play hard and keep up their form. However, the decision belongs to head coach Park Hang-seo, and each coach has a choice of players in accordance with their philosophy."

South Korean coach Park was in the stands at the  Thống Nhất Stadium to see the match. Unlike the previous games that he usually sat in the VIP area, this time he chose to sit at the top of the stand A alongside his assistants to watch the match.

Among the players that Thành nominated, only Long has played with the national team with coach Phan Thanh Hùng in 2012.

Tài represented the U23 team under Japanese coach Toshiya Miura. Goalkeeper Phong and midfielder Triền have never been called up to the national side.

So far this season, all four players have played well, especially Long who is the captain of the team.

Triền shined in the role of central midfielder and Tài has found the net on numerous occasions from his right wing position.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Phong has also had an outstanding season, conceding just three times in nine matches so far.

Unbeaten after nine games, Sài Gòn FC are top of the league, surprising many pundits.

“Our initial goal was to be in the top five, but after applying the new competition format due to the effect of COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to be in the top eight," said veteran strategist Thành.

"We will continue to set the target of reaching the top five. But in football, anything can happen because of the points gap between the teams is very tight and everything can change with just one bad result.”

In their next outing, Sài Gòn will meet Nam Định at Thống Nhất on July 17. — VNS