Two training sessions and a campaign: Kim Sang Sik's time puzzle

On Saturday afternoon, September 21, I stood in the hallway of the Vietnam Football Federation training center. Players dragged their suitcases into the dormitory one by one. Most faces were familiar — the same men who had won the regional title not long ago. But something caught my eye: the clock. Only two days until departure to Indonesia, then three days later, they would step onto the pitch for the opener against the Philippines. I checked the training schedule: two sessions. Just two sessions before a competitive match. I remembered the 2026 winter transfer window, when I sat at La Commanderie watching a young trialist, and I knew that time is the scarcest resource in football. This time, it's even scarcer. The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 — that's the official name, though I still have some doubts about this title. According to the schedule, Vietnam is in Group B alongside Thailand, the Philippines, and Pakistan. The goal: top the group and reach the final. Coach Kim Sang Sik has chosen this tournament as his first real test since taking charge. He kept the core of the title-winning squad, adding a few new names without disrupting the structure. The key issue is time: the team gathers on the 21st, flies to Indonesia on the 23rd, and plays the Philippines on the 26th. Three days apart, but only two on-field sessions. In contrast, their main rival Thailand had a full week of preparation. I believe this is not merely a logistical issue. It is a deliberate tactical choice. Coach Kim is betting on continuity. He retains the championship core because they already know the tactical intent, requiring little time to absorb it. This mirrors how European clubs keep their squad after a busy transfer window — they trust that stability becomes the fastest catalyst. But there is a weakness: the midfield. Van Vi is injured, Hoang Duc's fitness is uncertain. If Hoang Duc is not ready, Vietnam loses its only conductor capable of dictating the game's tempo. The team would then resort to simpler play, relying heavily on the flanks and transitions — a style easily exposed if Thailand has done their homework. From 38 years of following transfer deals, I've learned a rule in Vietnam's domestic player market: when a key man is absent, his replacement not only carries the technical load but also the weight of expectation. In a short tournament, that expectation can become a burden. The 7 AM training session at the center told me more than any press conference — I saw the players jogging, playing small-sided games, but their eyes were distant. They knew they were short on time. The contrarian angle here is that keeping the same core is not necessarily an advantage. In a tournament where the strongest opponent has had longer preparation, tactical 'staleness' can be a weakness. The opponent has had time to decode your patterns. Moreover, the name 'FIFA ASEAN Cup' leaves me puzzled: is this an official FIFA-backed competition, or a friendly event? If it's friendly, the pressure on Coach Kim lessens, but if it's official, an early failure could shake his position. From the stadium stands, I can sense a deal before it is announced — but this time, the deal is the preparation for an entire campaign. The 2026 winter market started with a 7 AM training session when no one was watching. This campaign is no different. If Vietnam tops the group, it signals that stability has triumphed. If not, questions about Coach Kim's future and team rejuvenation will resurface. The next domino is not a player, but an entire generation.