The U23 squad may play practice matches with the national team as they will no longer take part in the Pre-SEA Games Competition.

National and U23 team coach Henrique Calisto said that he would talk with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) about choosing which teams the U23s would play against in training sessions.

The Portuguese tactician said it could be some clubs or the national team, which will gather in October to prepare for the Ho Chi Minh City Cup.

If the national team is selected, the U23s will play the older squad after the young players return from a training trip in China from September 16-26.

In that case, Calisto will coach the U23s against the national team coached by his assistant Le Huynh Duc, who led V-League club Da Nang to the 2009 season championship.

Previously, participation in the Pre-SEA Games Competition in early October was part of the training plans of the U23 squad to prepare for the 25th South East Asian Games in Vientiane in December.

However, VFF last week decided to send the U19s to the friendly tournament instead of the U23s after Thailand made the same decision.

Calisto described the decision by the Football Association of Thailand as unprofessional, but added that “we still have other options because life always requires flexibility.”

VietNamNet/Thanh Nien