Japanese coach cuts numerous young players from Vietnam national team

Coach Yutaka Ikeuchi will have to drop 10-15 players from the Vietnam U19 team and supplement approximately 10 additional names relative to the original roster.

To prepare for the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship and further ahead for the 2027 Asian U20 Qualifiers, the Vietnam U19 national team will hold its first training camp of 2026 with 31 players. This gathering is considered a crucial initial step to assess the squad's strength, while also providing young players an opportunity to showcase their abilities before entering intensive preparation phases for international objectives.

According to the plan, Vietnam U19 will assemble from March 17 to March 29 at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center. During this period, the entire team will conduct training sessions and evaluate each player's form to build a core framework for upcoming tournaments.

Coach Yutaka Ikeuchi stated that the coaching staff will not limit personnel to the initial 31-player list. After about a week of training, the team is expected to undergo screening and reduce its numbers, potentially parting with 10 to 15 players.

Alongside trimming the squad size, the coaching staff also plans to call up approximately 10 additional players outside the original list. This approach aims to foster a highly competitive environment within the team and provide the coaching staff with more data for a comprehensive assessment of the squad.

This training camp roster also draws attention due to the absence of the "prodigy" Tran Gia Bao. The forward born in 2008 is regarded as one of the most outstanding players of his age group, having even played two seasons in V-League despite his youth – an achievement no other player in the current list has attained.

However, a member of the coaching staff revealed that Gia Bao remains part of the team's plan and will join the camp in the second week of training. Additionally, familiar faces such as Quoc Khanh, Viet Anh, Duy Khang, Van Bach, Quang Anh, Van Khanh, and Hong Phong are also expected to join later, during the period from March 23 to 29.

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