Coach Yutaka Ikeuchi finalizes Vietnam U20 squad for AFC U20 qualifiers: Lessons from failure and ambitions for rebuild

On the morning of August 31, at the headquarters of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), head coach Yutaka Ikeuchi officially announced the 23-player squad of Vietnam U20 for the 2026 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers. The press conference took place in an unusual atmosphere. There was no excitement of a new campaign, but rather the contemplation of a team that had just experienced a shock. Just three months earlier, Vietnam U19 (the core of the current U20 team) suffered a regrettable failure at the 2026 U19 Southeast Asian Championship. That failure still lingered in this closed meeting room. Japanese coach Yutaka Ikeuchi entered the meeting room with a thick folder of documents. He did not avoid questions about the past. "The failure at the SEA Championship is a lesson. We have analyzed thoroughly what happened. Now, we don't talk about the past anymore. We talk about the future," he said in fairly clear Vietnamese, a small detail showing his serious commitment to the job in Vietnam. In fact, the 23-player squad announced carries a clear tactical imprint. In the hands of coach Ikeuchi, he has a mix of experience and youth. The two most prominent names are midfielder Nguyen Le Phat and defender Dinh Quang Kiet. Both have experience playing for the national team. Dinh Quang Kiet was even part of the squad that won the ASEAN Cup. Their presence in the U20 team is not just about strengthening the squad quality, but also a signal that the VFF is taking this campaign more seriously than ever. But looking deeper into the squad, I noticed something interesting. Coach Ikeuchi has selected players who are capable of playing aerial balls and withstanding physical challenges. This is not a coincidence. Vietnam U20's first opponent in the group stage is North Korea U20, a team famous for their physical fitness and intense pressing style. Next are Palestine U20 and Iran U20. All three opponents have superior physical attributes compared to the general level of Southeast Asian youth football. During the press conference, coach Ikeuchi made a notable statement about how to approach the match against North Korea. He said: "North Korea is a team strong in both physicality and mentality. We respect them, but we are not afraid of them. We will rely on experience and existing data to prepare as best we can." That statement made me think. Experience and existing data. What does that mean? As a tactical analyst who has followed Vietnamese football for over a decade, I understand that the lack of information about opponents is a major blind spot. In modern football, opponent data is a crucial weapon. If the coaching staff only relies on experience and existing data, they may face surprises against tactical changes from opponents. Gaps don't disappear on their own; they just change their name to failure. And in youth football, where tactical differences can create big margins on the pitch, this becomes even more dangerous. Back to the 23-player squad. The team captain is defender Nguyen Quoc Khanh. Choosing a defender as captain shows that coach Ikeuchi wants to build a team with a solid defensive organization. This makes perfect sense when facing teams with superior physical attributes. However, I am concerned about the over-reliance on Nguyen Le Phat in midfield. He is the most creative player, but if he is marked out of the game, who will create the spark? Tran Gia Hung and other midfielders need to share this burden. The context of this campaign is also special. The failure at the 2026 U19 Southeast Asian Championship has created significant pressure on the coaching staff. Coach Ikeuchi was with the team since that time, so he understands what needs to be fixed. Pressure from public opinion is inevitable. Vietnamese fans have become accustomed to successes of youth football in recent years: the ASEAN Cup title of the national team, the bronze medal at the U23 Asian Cup. Expectations are high. But I want to look at this realistically. Vietnam U20 is not the top contender in this group. Iran U20 and North Korea U20 are rated higher in many aspects. However, football is not decided on paper. Between two plays, time reveals decisions that the naked eye misses. Those decisions in the 2-3 seconds before the ball changes possession: positioning choices, head turns, the movement direction of defenders. This is where the experience of Nguyen Le Phat and Dinh Quang Kiet can make a difference. Another bright spot in the squad is the presence of several players currently playing at clubs in V-League and First Division. This shows that Vietnam's youth training system is making certain progress. Young players competing in a professional environment will develop far beyond their peers in tactical thinking compared to those only playing in youth leagues. However, I also see a potential risk. The gap in experience between players can create an invisible distance in the dressing room. Players who have played for the national team will have a different status, while younger players may feel pressured or overshadowed. Coach Ikeuchi needs to be skillful in managing the dressing room, turning this disparity into motivation rather than a barrier. Looking at the match schedule, Vietnam U20 will have three matches in nine days. This is a dense schedule, requiring proper physical distribution. The first match against North Korea U20 on August 28, then Palestine U20 on September 3, and Iran U20 on September 6. Without proper squad rotation, the risk of injuries and physical decline is high. During the press conference, when asked about specific goals, coach Ikeuchi answered cautiously: "Our goal is to advance. We will do everything we can to achieve that." The answer was short but full of determination. However, I believe the real goal lies in how the team will perform against strong opponents. Will they have enough courage to withstand the pressure from Iran U20? Will they have enough strength to resist the pressing style of North Korea U20? I remember a few years ago, when I was working in South Korea, I had the opportunity to watch South Korea U20 matches at the Asian qualifiers. What impressed me most was not the individual technique of the players, but the thorough preparation of the coaching staff. They had a dedicated data analysis team, filmed every opponent match, analyzed every set-piece situation. That is a systematic investment that Vietnamese youth football still lacks. Reputation doesn't protect you; it only tells opponents what to exploit. When facing North Korea U20, they will know that Vietnam U20 has experienced players, but they will also know that our weakness lies in the ability to withstand physical pressure. They will exploit that. So what is the solution? I believe Vietnam U20 needs to play smarter, rather than trying to trade blows with physically superior opponents. They need to accept having less possession, but being more effective in counter-attacks. They need to maximize set-piece situations, where focus and organization can make a difference. Every tactic is a hypothesis until the opponent forces you to answer. And the answer will be given on the pitch, in the decisive moments. While preparing for this article, I had the opportunity to exchange with some colleagues in South Korea who have faced North Korea U20 at regional tournaments. They told me that the strongest point of this team is not individual technique, but the ability to maintain playing intensity for the full 90 minutes. They run without getting tired, they press without stopping. This places a great demand on the physical fitness of Vietnam U20 players. Has the coaching staff prepared thoroughly for this issue? I don't have specific information, but I hope they have considered this. Because if not, 90 minutes against North Korea U20 will be a nightmare. Another notable point is the presence of overseas Vietnamese players in the squad. This shows that the VFF is pursuing a strategy to expand the player pool, not just limited to Vietnamese territory. This is a correct direction, in line with the development trend of modern football, when many countries are taking advantage of diaspora players. I also want to mention the role of clubs in developing young players. The fact that U20 players regularly play in the V-League will help them accumulate valuable experience. However, there needs to be close coordination between the VFF and clubs to ensure young players are not worn out due to playing too many tournaments at the same time. Looking further into the future, the success of Vietnam U20 in this qualifying round will have a positive impact on the entire youth training system of the country. It will confirm that the VFF's direction is correct, and will encourage clubs to invest more in youth training. Conversely, if they fail, it will be a heavy blow to the mentality of young players and could lead to a review of the entire system. During the press conference, there was a moment I cannot forget. A young reporter asked coach Ikeuchi: "Do you think we can get through the group stage?" He paused for a moment, then smiled: "Why not? Football is a sport of the impossible." That answer made the whole room burst into applause. Indeed, football is a sport of the impossible. And perhaps, that is exactly why we love this sport so much. For me, this campaign of Vietnam U20 is not merely a tournament. It is a test of courage, of resilience, of the ability to overcome adversity. It is a story about young men who stumbled, but are getting up to continue writing their story. An empty stand doesn't lose the match; it strips away the decoration of emotion. And on the pitch, only real performances can speak for everything. I will closely follow every match of Vietnam U20 in this qualifying round. I will observe how they cope with pressure from strong opponents, how they handle difficult situations, how they get up after mistakes. Because that is where the true nature of the team is revealed. Data only matters when we ask the right questions at the right time; ask wrongly, and every number is noise. And the time to ask the right questions is approaching fast.