Vietnam's national football team is scheduled to assemble on November 9 to prepare for matches against Chinese Taipei and Kyrgyzstan during the FIFA international window in Ninh Binh province.

These fixtures will provide valuable preparation for Vietnam ahead of the Asian Cup in early 2027.

However, head coach Kim Sang Sik is unlikely to field his strongest possible squad and could even omit forward Dinh Bac from the upcoming training camp.

Such a decision would undoubtedly spark debate, but it would be understandable given the player's current workload.

Since the 2026 ASEAN Cup, Dinh Bac has played more than 1,300 minutes across 19 appearances for Vietnam and his club, CAHN, as of the period before the fourth round of the V-League.

If he features in all six upcoming matches across domestic competitions and the AFC Champions League, his total will rise to 25 appearances.

Of course, the number of matches and minutes alone cannot determine whether a player is suffering from excessive fatigue.

This is particularly true for a young footballer like Dinh Bac, whose physical recovery is generally faster than that of older players.

Nevertheless, playing continuously over a demanding schedule makes it difficult for any footballer to maintain peak physical condition.

What is Kim Sang Sik planning?

Dinh Bac has become an increasingly important player for Vietnam's national team.

However, Kim Sang Sik understands that taking unnecessary risks with key players could prove costly, particularly after witnessing several national team players suffer injuries associated with excessive workloads.

Protecting Dinh Bac's fitness may therefore be a priority.

Beyond injury prevention, leaving the forward out would also give Kim an opportunity to assess alternative attacking options and reduce the team's dependence on a small number of individuals.

Vietnam need to identify other players capable of fulfilling similar attacking roles rather than relying solely on Dinh Bac.

At this stage, Kim's challenge is not simply to select the strongest lineup for November's two international friendlies.

He must also ensure that his most important players remain fit and physically prepared for longer-term objectives.

A training camp without Dinh Bac could temporarily weaken Vietnam's attacking strength.

In return, however, the South Korean coach would gain an opportunity to evaluate backup options and potentially experiment with different tactical approaches in the absence of key players.

Vietnam will need Dinh Bac more at the 2027 Asian Cup than during November's FIFA international window.

For that reason, leaving the CAHN forward out of the upcoming squad could be a sensible decision as Kim balances immediate preparations with the team's longer-term ambitions.

Duy Nguyen