Coach Hoang Van Phuc: 'Vietnam team needs to defeat Malaysia to prove its capability'

Coach Hoang Van Phuc believes that even though Vietnam has officially secured a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup Finals due to AFC's disciplinary ruling against Malaysian football, the Vietnamese team still needs to aim for a direct victory on March 31 to demonstrate its capability.

* Sports & Culture: The Asian Football Confederation has issued a penalty against Malaysia for using players without proper eligibility in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. What we have been waiting for has finally arrived: justice for the Vietnamese team?

- Coach Hoang Van Phuc: Thus, the legal disputes over the past period between the Malaysian Football Association (FAM) with FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the case of 7 naturalized players have concluded. Ultimately, the personnel misconduct in Malaysian football has been officially announced. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decided to penalize Malaysia according to the AFC Disciplinary Committee regulations.

The strict penalty from AFC concerning Malaysia's player naturalization violations brings fair results not only for the Vietnamese team in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers but also for regional football. We often joke that "justice has been served" after eagerly awaiting this outcome for so long.

* Following the entire progression of the incident, FAM should have known to stop earlier, but unfortunately they did not, leading to the AFC penalty at this moment?

It can be seen that the Malaysian national team being ruled to lose 0-3 in matches against Vietnam and Nepal in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers is a direct consequence of the scandal involving ineligible naturalized players.

No one believes that the 7 players (Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel) did not understand the regulations regarding valid or invalid eligibility in a lifelong commitment game. No one believes that the entire FAM organization, as a member, "accidentally" violated FIFA's most fundamental prohibition.

FAM should have known to stop earlier, but unfortunately they did not, and the consequences could be worse than what CAS ruled. This includes not only FAM and the 7 players being forced to comply with FIFA's financial penalties, the 7 players being banned for 12 months, but also AFC ruling the Malaysian team to lose 0-3 in matches against Nepal and Vietnam.

* This penalty causes the Malaysian team to lose 6 points, eliminating them from the race, and severely shakes the fans' trust in FAM's management strategy?

For Malaysia, this is considered one of the biggest "incidents" in the country's football history. Being ruled to lose not only nullifies the players' efforts on the field but also seriously affects FAM's reputation on the continental football map. Notably, the 0-3 loss to Nepal also shows the extent of AFC's broad scrutiny of matches involving violating players. Besides the point penalty, AFC is likely to continue considering additional disciplinary measures through administrative penalties against FAM.

Currently, FAM is carefully considering appeal options to salvage its interests. However, given the conclusions of serious tournament regulation violations, experts assess that Malaysian football's chance to reverse the situation is very slim. This paper defeat leaves a costly lesson for Malaysian football in personnel management and international regulation enforcement.

* This event also leaves a lesson for Vietnamese football and other countries in the region because sustainable development must still rely on youth training and developing quality domestic players, rather than depending on the "shortcut" of mass naturalization?

Indeed, this event serves as a "mirror" reflecting Vietnamese football and its development policies. On a broader scale, the incident also creates a positive impact for Southeast Asian football. National teams in the region gain more opportunities for fair competition, reducing the excessive disparity caused by Malaysia and Indonesia's mass naturalization policies. Simultaneously, it reminds football associations to be transparent and comply with international regulations to avoid severe penalties.

* It can be seen that the rapid changes in Southeast Asian football with player naturalization policies pose an urgent question for Vietnamese football: Should it prioritize traditional identity or boldly change to pursue international achievements?

Given the current context, Vietnamese football must choose a development "strategy" rooted in its own foundation, a journey requiring time, patience, and systematic investment. Vietnamese football must have policies, legal frameworks, and persistence to develop professional football, ensuring professional clubs become wealthy and strong. Strong domestic clubs produce excellent players. With excellent players, the national team becomes formidable.

Vietnamese football should leverage its advantages well, continue building youth forces, and persist with a sustainable and transparent development path. The lesson from Malaysia shows that success cannot rely solely on short-term solutions but must come from long-term, serious investment and adherence to international rules. This is the foundation for the Vietnamese team to aim for major goals and affirm its position on the continental stage.

All will serve as a "mirror" reflecting Vietnamese football comprehensively, not only in personnel aspects but also in structure, mindset, and long-term ambitions. Long-term, we still need a strategy based on domestic human resources. Among these, the most crucial is continuing strong investment in youth training and enhancing the V-League to create a strong national team.

* The Vietnamese team benefits from AFC's penalty by leading the qualifying group and securing a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup Finals. However, from a professional and psychological perspective, Coach Kim Sang Sik very much wants to win, even win convincingly in the return match against Malaysia itself?

Indeed, this is a battle of honor, trust, and affirmation of Vietnamese football's status. For Coach Kim Sang Sik and his team, victory in the upcoming match affirms status, class, and also represents integrity. For the Malaysian team, it is about restoring trust after the recent heavy "incident."

Given this special nature, the match will certainly not be relaxed by either side. The 0-4 loss in the first leg remains painful for Vietnamese football fans. A fair victory on the pitch is the only way for the Vietnamese team to prove its true strength and honor. The Vietnamese team's goal is not just 3 points but also a resounding affirmation of Vietnamese football's strength on the continental map before entering the 2027 Asian Cup campaign.

* Thank you sincerely for the conversation!