Coach Kim Sang Sik and the legacy of Vietnamese football

04/11/2025 15:08:00 esportapi

In a recent conversation with Sports Seoul, Coach Kim Sang Sik revealed details about his tenure in Vietnam and his connection with Coach Park Hang Seo. Two notable points emerged from Coach Kim Sang Sik’s statements.

Firstly, Coach Kim was handed nearly all possible information about Vietnamese players by Coach Park, including their habits, personalities, and even private matters, to the point that Coach Kim regarded Coach Park as his "personal mentor" in Vietnam.

Secondly, besides making full use of the data provided by Coach Park, Coach Kim on one hand "tries not to disturb him" (meaning Coach Park Hang Seo - editor’s note), while on the other hand, Coach Kim applies his own distinct methods with the Vietnamese team, mainly based on the philosophy of "always valuing skill over age or fame."

This is a stark contrast to Kim Sang Sik’s predecessor, Philippe Troussier. When he first accepted the role of leading the Vietnamese national team, Troussier largely ignored all that Coach Park Hang Seo had established, even though Park left as the most successful foreign coach in Vietnamese football history, with an

AFF Cup 2018 title (now ASEAN Cup), a quarterfinal spot in the 2019 Asian Cup, and the first time reaching the third round of World Cup 2022 qualifiers in Asia, along with runner-up in the 2018 U23 Asian Championship, fourth place in the 2018 Asian Games men’s football, and two gold medals at SEA Games 30 and 31.

Coach Kim Sang Sik has excellently fulfilled the task of inheriting the best that Coach Park Hang Seo left behind. Photo: Tuan Pham

Naturally, different approaches lead to different results, as the Vietnam U22 and senior teams under Coach Troussier lost consistently, eventually causing the French coach to be dismissed by the VFF, whereas Coach Kim Sang Sik brought two titles to Vietnamese football in just over a year: the 2024 ASEAN Cup championship and the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship trophy.

Certainly, there are many similarities between Coach Park and Coach Kim, but Coach Kim demonstrates that while he always respects what Coach Park left behind, he still makes his own decisions, making it clear that he is not a mere replica of Coach Park. Hence, the achievements Coach Kim has gained with Vietnamese football over the past year are by no means accidental.

Meanwhile, had Coach Troussier approached his work by respecting what his predecessor had done and only implemented changes gradually, things might have been much smoother, but unfortunately, the French coach did not do so.

From the experiences of Coach Kim Sang Sik and Coach Troussier, it is evident that continuity in football is crucial, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that the way Coaches Kim and Troussier began their roles partly foreshadowed the outcomes they would later achieve.

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