Coach Kim Sang Sik and the Vietnam national team begin their title defense on July 24 in Thailand with high expectations.

More than confidence

Vietnam's preparations show that Coach Kim has achieved much before the tournament.

After a month of training, the team won four games and didn't get any bad injuries, which helps their title defense.

The team's confidence in themselves and their coach is the most valuable asset for the tournament.

Coach Kim is happy with the variety of attacking options available to him.

Xuan Son is still scoring many goals, and Dinh Bac is doing well in his new role.

Hoang Hen is doing well, and experienced players can play in many positions.

This team's flexibility is different from previous Vietnam teams.

Coach Kim can change his tactics for different opponents, which could be important in a short tournament.

The real journey begins now

Everything Vietnam did in the past month was just preparation for the ASEAN Cup.

Vietnam's wins over Korean teams and Myanmar were good signs, but they don't mean everything.

Coach Kim wants to turn the team's promise into good performances, starting with the first game against Timor-Leste.

The team still has areas to improve.

The friendly game against Myanmar showed some gaps in the team's defense.

The trip to Thailand means Coach Kim's decisions will be judged by the results.

Vietnam has confidence, a deeper team, and more tactical options, and they want to keep their ASEAN Cup title.

Vietnam needs to play well against Timor-Leste to show they are ready to defend their title.

Duy Nguyen