Coach Park: 'We want to repay the debt before Thailand'

*Vietnam - Thailand: 19:30 Friday, January 13, on MetaSports.

At the beginning of the press conference, coach Park Hang-seo hinted that the team had completed the goal set out before the tournament. "Before the tournament started, I had a group discussion with the players," the Korean strategist shared. "We brought up the topic, with such draw results, what is the goal of the group stage and how to achieve that goal. The players avoid talking about the championship, they only talk about the final. We discussed, clearly determined how to achieve the goal and so far, fortunately, we have reached the final."

However, Coach Park also affirmed that he and the team were not satisfied. "Now, we have a new target," he said. "The team still has work to do is to play well in two finals with Thailand. In the 5 years I led the U23 and national teams, I only lost one match against Thailand, which was the semi-final first leg of the AFF Cup. 2020. The goal is to pay this debt. The second goal is that in my last tournament, I want to bring the championship trophy with the players to the people who have supported us over the past two years, as well as the players. Fans".

Before the final of the AFF Cup 2022, since being led by the Korean military, Vietnam overwhelmed Thailand at both the national team and U23 levels, with four wins, four draws and only one loss. Considering the confrontation between the two coaches Park and Mano Polking in the past two years, the results are even. Polking and Thailand won 2-0 in the semi-final first leg, drew 0-0 in the semi-final second leg of the AFF Cup 2020, but Coach Park and U23 Vietnam won 1-0 in the 31st SEA Games final at My Dinh Stadium. Thailand will be Mr. Park's last opponent as the coach of the Vietnamese teams.

The contract between Mr. Park and VFF will expire at the end of January 2023, and the two sides agree not to sign any more. After captain Do Hung Dung said that the whole team wanted to win the championship as a gift to his teacher, the 65-year-old coach interjected: "I think the players shouldn't be under pressure because of me. As a national player, you must win. For the people, that's important. If it's my job to put pressure on players, it shouldn't be, it should be motivation."

Vietnam reached the final with an impressive defensive record, not conceding a goal since the beginning of the tournament. In the semi-finals, the team drew Indonesia 0-0 at the "fire pan" of Bung Karno, before defeating this opponent 2-0 in the second leg at My Dinh home. Tien Linh is the team's best goalscorer with five times to tear the opponent's net, including a brace against Indonesia in the second leg of the semi-finals.

When the reporter mentioned that the teams said that Vietnam played well but did not look good, Coach Park thought of the opponent Vietnam had just defeated in the semi-finals. "Teams say we play rough football, I think there is one team that talks the most," said the coach of the Vietnamese team. "I don't know if my guess is correct, if it is correct, it must be that team. They should review themselves first. Football is a contact and collision sport, but I do not agree with students causing injuries and harm to teammates. I would also like to end saying my team plays this way and that."

Vietnam have four players with yellow cards and will be suspended in the second leg if they receive more cards in the first leg. When asked if this will affect the approach to the game, Coach Park did not answer specifically because he thinks the question affects player psychology. "Our goal in the first leg is to win," he asserted. "We prioritized this goal so we didn't think about the penalty card."

At the AFF Cup 2022, Thailand lacks some pillars like Chanathip or Supachok, while Vietnam has the strongest squad. But according to Coach Park, that is not Vietnam's advantage. "Thailand is not too many people, mainly Chanathip," Coach Park continued. "Vietnam also lacks Cong Phuong. If football is analyzed clearly and detailed, it is not necessarily true."

In the last tournament to lead Vietnam, Coach Park also shared that he was focused on the team, but the way to prepare for the final was not much different from the previous matches. "I'm not working personally this time," he said. "I'm always alert to do well. It's the same for any match. Me and the players are both pressured, but I don't put pressure on the players through actions and words. The good thing is the team. There were no injuries in the team. We have finished analyzing Thailand. Last night I also consulted with the Malaysian coach, Mr. Kim Pan-gon. He is a Korean, also has experience against Thailand in the last two matches. via".

In the semis, Malaysia wins Thailand 1-0 at your turn, but lost to 0-3. Thailand is the best working team to solve 16 tables. According to Coach V Mano Polking, Thailand attacked or Vietnam had good goods. Coach Park doesn't totally agree with the point of his colleague on the other side. The Vietnam hasn't breached the grid yet but also 14, he says. "If I look at the number of two teams between the two teams that say we're just good guys, I don't agree, we're good at it, but the Thai guys have a different way to play separately, with the separate teams in two wings, and the three winnings. But not enough to scare us. It's true how we play a little bit of a problem on the middle line. Thai peaches are strong by the support of Theerathon, Sarach and Peeradol. If we secure these three players, I don't think there's a problem with the Vietnamese players."

The final first leg will take place at My Dinh Stadium at 19:30 tomorrow 13/1, the second leg will take place three days later at Thammasat Stadium in Bangkok.