Vietnam vs Hong Kong: visitors downplay Philippe Troussier factor as they build towards Asian Cup
- Away side’s coach Jorn Andersen insists Hong Kong must play ‘offensive, aggressive football’ as they test themselves against higher-ranked opposition
- Troussier, making his first appearance in the Vietnam dugout, says his new charges will face ‘a very motivated team’
Hong Kong coach Jorn Andersen will look to shut out the home fans’ excitement over Philippe Troussier’s debut at the helm of Vietnam as his team continue to sharpen their focus on next year’s Asian Cup.
Thursday’s meeting at Lach Tray Stadium in Haiphong will be the Frenchman’s first in charge of the hosts since replacing the hugely successful and adored Park Hang-seo and the 68-year-old’s arrival presents an additional challenge for Andersen.
But while the fervour locally is building over the start of the Troussier era, Andersen is keeping his eyes trained on his own side’s continued development.
“Of course I know him, he has big experience,” Andersen said of the well-travelled Troussier, who led Japan to the Asian Cup title in 2000 and the knockout rounds of the 2002 World Cup. “He was a head coach in Asia, Africa and Europe and he’s a good coach.
“We don’t know how he will manage the team, which tactics we are expecting, but we hope we will be more focused on our own game. Mr Troussier has his way to play and we will try to find a way to play against his tactics.”
The international friendly pits Hong Kong, 147th in the Fifa rankings, against 95th-placed Vietnam, and Andersen is hoping the meeting with a side that reached the quarter-finals of the 2019 Asian Cup will help his squad improve further as January’s continental finals in Qatar inch closer.
“It’s a big experience for us to come here to play against a team as strong as Vietnam, but we want to really do it because we have to get used to playing against strong opponents,” the Norwegian said.
“We always want to take experience against good teams. Vietnam [are] a good team but we want to play our way – we have a way to play that we have started when I arrived. I want to play offensive, aggressive football. We want to attack and win the game.”
He added: “I see we are improving in every game and learning in every game and we still have some months to learn and improve until the Asian Cup.
“That’s our main task, to have a good team there, to have good tactics there and that’s why we are playing against good teams like Vietnam and Thailand.”
For all the positives during Andersen’s time in charge, his side have been struggling in front of goal, netting just once since a 3-0 win over Cambodia in India last June qualified them for the Asian Cup finals for the first time since 1968.
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The coach faces issues, too, in defence. On Thursday, Hong Kong will be without Dalian Pro defender Vas Nunez, who is struggling with a hamstring issue, while Yue Tze-nam of Meizhou Hakka is unlikely to start because of hamstring and calf problems.
Vietnam hold few surprises for Andersen, who has kept an eye on their fortunes since leading North Korea against them in 2017. He also coached Vietnam forward Nguyen Cong Phuong at South Korean club Incheon United in 2019.
Troussier, meanwhile, was not allowing complacency to slip in despite the perceived gap between the sides.
“I heard the Hong Kong coach say they are behind us in the Fifa rankings, but we know football is not played on paper,” he said.
“We know Hong Kong have already qualified for the Asian Cup … and we know Hong Kong will prepare for the first stage of World Cup qualifying in October.
“It’s clear we face a very motivated team and that’s why we have a big respect for this team.”
