Coach Kim Sang Sik unexpectedly changes plans for the Vietnam national team

Coach Kim Sang Sik decides to adjust the training schedule of the Vietnam national team to allow players additional recovery time ahead of the 2026 AFF Cup.

The Vietnam national team is entering an important preparation phase for the 2026 AFF Cup under the guidance of Coach Kim Sang Sik. To help players quickly regain their physical condition after a long season, the coaching staff has decided to modify the training schedule and reduce the training load before the team departs for a training camp in South Korea.

According to the new plan, instead of maintaining the usual training time at 5:00 PM, the Vietnam national team will now train at 10:00 AM on June 27. After this session, the team will have the afternoon off as well as the entire day of June 28 to allow players to recover their fitness. This is considered a reasonable adjustment given that most players have just gone through a dense V.League and National Cup season.

Coach Kim Sang Sik and his staff are also developing training plans tailored to each group of players. The coaching team prioritizes recovery exercises and gradually increases intensity to help players reach peak condition before the training camp in South Korea. According to the schedule, the team will train in Hanoi until July 1 before departing for South Korea from July 2 to 14.

Sharing about the early days of the gathering, young defender Nguyen Nhat Minh stated that adjusting the training schedule is necessary as many players have not yet reached their best physical condition. He said: “The V.League and National Cup have just ended after a long season. Many teammates are still tired, and the weather in Hanoi is quite hot, which inevitably affects the training process.” Nevertheless, the young national team player affirmed that the training atmosphere remains very positive.

Additionally, Nhat Minh assessed that the team has sufficient squad depth to maintain training quality, even when some players are still recovering from injuries. The defender born in 2004 also aims to make the most of every training session to impress the coaching staff and compete for a spot in the 2026 AFF Cup. “My goal is to train as hard as I can to have a chance to be included in the tournament squad. As for further goals, I will continue to strive in the coming time,”Nhat Minh shared.

The schedule adjustment shows that Coach Kim Sang Sik is being very cautious in the preparation process for the Vietnam national team. Not only focusing on professional aspects, the South Korean strategist also prioritizes ensuring a solid fitness foundation and minimizing the risk of injuries, thereby helping players reach their best condition before entering the final sprint toward the 2026 AFF Cup.