Coach Troussier’s Controversial Tactics: Abandoning Best Performing Players

One day after the defeat in Jakarta, the Vietnamese national team regroups at Noi Bai airport ahead of their return match against Indonesia. However, questions loom over coach Philippe Troussier’s strategy, particularly his choice to bench star player Nguyen Quang Hai in the previous encounter.

Despite being in peak form in the recent V-League season, where he topped the scoring charts for domestic players with 5 goals, Quang Hai was surprisingly left out of the crucial match against Indonesia. This decision by Troussier has left many perplexed, as it seems to contradict the common logic of fielding your best players in important games.

This isn’t the first time Troussier has made such controversial selections. In previous instances, standout performers like Nguyen Hoang Duc and Ho Tan Tai were also overlooked for crucial matches, causing disappointment and confusion among fans and experts alike. The coach’s tendency to sideline top performers in favor of unproven youngsters has become a recurring theme in his tenure.

While Troussier claims to prioritize players in good form who regularly feature for their clubs, his actions on the field suggest otherwise. Whether this is a deliberate tactical move or a display of authority remains unclear. However, one thing is certain – Troussier’s decisions have had a detrimental impact on the overall strength and performance of the Vietnamese team.

For now, the enigmatic French coach’s motivations behind these perplexing choices remain a mystery. As the team prepares for their upcoming matches, only time will tell whether Troussier’s unorthodox approach will yield success or further fuel the growing skepticism surrounding his management style.