HLV Myanmar: 'Naturalized players create the difference for the Vietnam national team'

Coach Jorn Andersen admitted that Myanmar still has plenty of tasks ahead following their defeat to Vietnam, and he highly commended the well-structured play of Kim Sang Sik's squad and the caliber of the naturalized footballers.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, the Norwegian tactician said he was not overly disappointed, having only spent a few days working with the Myanmar team. According to him, the whole squad needs more time to address their shortcomings.

"There are some small things we have to change; we must learn. Let's wait and see if we can do better next time," Coach Jorn Andersen shared.

Assessing the opponent's performance, the 62-year-old manager affirmed that Vietnam is one of the best tactically organized teams Myanmar has faced. He believes that upcoming matches in the 2026 ASEAN Cup will present different challenges, and Myanmar will have a chance to show a more positive side.

"I don't think we will face a team as tactically strong as Vietnam in every match. So in the next game, we might perform better."

Besides tactical factors, Coach Jorn Andersen also mentioned Vietnam's naturalized players. According to him, having players eligible to represent the national team is a common trend in many football nations and brings significant advantages.

"I don't want to say anything wrong, but if you can have foreign players represent the country and improve the team's quality, that is a huge advantage. We don't have any foreign players in our squad, but this is not unique to Vietnam.

Other teams are also doing it. If you can make it happen, it benefits the nation and is good for the team. These players sometimes make the difference."

Coach Jorn Andersen was appointed to lead the Myanmar national team about a week before the match against Vietnam. Therefore, the 0-4 defeat in his debut was not the result the Norwegian coach had hoped for ahead of the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

Meanwhile, the big win over Myanmar gave the Vietnam national team a smooth warm-up and boosted the confidence of Kim Sang Sik's side as they set out to defend their Southeast Asian championship title.