Kim Sang Sik Returns to South Korea After Father's Death: Tactical Gap and VFF's Dilemma

On the morning of October 5, at Noi Bai International Airport, Coach Kim Sang Sik appeared in a gray coat, his face distraught. He did not answer any questions from reporters, silently walking through security. That was the image I captured, and it reminded me of a line I once wrote: "In the stadium tunnel, the noise fades completely. Only the heartbeat of the match remains." At this moment, the heartbeat of Vietnamese football is beating in irregular intervals. Coach Kim Sang Sik's father has passed away. The information was confirmed by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) in a brief announcement, accompanied by deep condolences. The 54-year-old South Korean coach immediately departed for his home country to handle funeral arrangements. He is expected to stay in South Korea for about a week before returning to Vietnam to continue his work. The VFF President, in a rare move, personally encouraged him to return home and put family above football. This is a kind act, and it reflects the good relationship between the VFF and Kim Sang Sik. But behind that kindness, a difficult issue emerges: Does Vietnamese football have enough time to fill the gap he leaves behind? The ASEAN Cup 2026 will kick off from September 24 to October 5. Vietnam is in Group A with Thailand, the Philippines, and Pakistan. This is an important tournament where Kim Sang Sik's team is expected to go deep, even win. Since his appointment in May 2026, Kim has devoted most of his time to work, leading both the U23 and senior national teams to positive results. He is regarded as disciplined, meticulous, and capable of inspiring. But football waits for no one. In the context of increasingly competitive regional tournaments, the absence of the head coach, even for just a week, can create unpredictable consequences. Tactical training sessions, team meetings, physical and mental checks of players – all require the hand of the leader. Without Kim, how will the team operate? Watching Vietnam's matches under Kim Sang Sik, I noticed a notable point: this team plays cohesively and with clear structure, but depends heavily on the coach's in-game adjustments. Kim frequently changes formations flexibly, from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, depending on the opponent. Those adjustments require his direct presence on the bench. If he is absent, the assistants will have to shoulder this responsibility. Do they have enough authority and sharpness to make timely decisions? On the other hand, we need to look at the specific schedule. If Kim returns after a week, he will have about more than a month before the ASEAN Cup kicks off. That is neither too long nor too short a period to re-establish the plan. The problem lies in the fact that during that time, the team is expected to have important friendly matches. Those matches are not only to test the lineup but also to build trust and understanding among players. Without the head coach, training sessions may lose direction. I once wrote: "The training ground does not lie. It only waits for those who know how to listen." What happens on the training ground this week will reveal a lot about the coaching staff's adaptability. Kim's assistants, who are rarely mentioned in the media, will have to prove their capability. They can maintain the lesson plans, but cannot completely replace Kim's authority and vision. The difference between a training session with the head coach and one without him is enormous, even in small details like how he stops a session to correct a movement or how he communicates tactical requirements. In football, people often talk about the "substitute effect." But here, there is no substitute. Only interim leadership. And interim leadership always comes with risks. It is worth noting that the VFF handled this situation quite skillfully. They did not pressure, did not set rigid deadlines. Instead, they showed sympathy and trust. This is a civilized way of acting, but also a double-edged sword. It creates goodwill while setting an expectation that Kim will repay with results. If the team performs poorly during his absence, condolences will quickly be replaced by criticism. There is another, somewhat counterintuitive perspective: Kim's short absence could actually be an opportunity for the Vietnamese team to demonstrate self-reliance. In many teams, when the head coach is absent, players tend to self-organize and bond more. They are forced to communicate more, adjust positions themselves, and support each other. Sometimes, that creates an invisible bond that no tactical meeting can provide. Of course, this only holds if the coaching staff maintains discipline and basic direction. However, we should not romanticize the absence. Modern football is a sport of details. A week without the head coach means a week without specific tactical adjustments, without opponent-simulation drills, without private conversations with individual players to address psychological issues. Those things cannot be replaced by Zoom or phone calls. And with a short tournament like the ASEAN Cup, where every match can decide fate, that absence becomes even more concerning. Looking back at history, many coaches have been absent during important periods for personal reasons. Some returned and succeeded, others did not. The line between success and failure is sometimes just a few timely decisions. With Kim Sang Sik, he has proven his ability over the past year. He has the respect of players and the trust of the VFF. But football does not live on the past. I once wrote: "Thirty pages do not save anyone, but the one who reads it is the one who keeps the rhythm." Now, no thirty pages can replace Kim's presence on the training ground. The ones keeping the rhythm now are the assistants and the players. They must find their own rhythm again. So what will happen in the coming week? The Vietnamese team will train without Kim. The assistants will run the sessions. The players will have to adapt. And the VFF will monitor every step. This is a test for the entire system, not just for Kim. When Kim returns, he will face a team that may have changed slightly, and a dense schedule. He will have to quickly grasp the situation, re-establish order, and communicate his philosophy again. Will he have enough time? The answer lies in how the assistants and players kept the rhythm during his absence. Ultimately, perhaps the most important thing is not the result of a few friendly matches, but how Vietnamese football treats a person going through loss. The VFF chose a humane path. That is admirable. But in elite sports, humanity often must go hand in hand with results. And results are always measured by what happens on the pitch, where emotion is only a very small part of the story. Will Kim's absence create an unfillable gap? Or will it be a catalyst for the Vietnamese team to grow? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: during this period, every training session, every small decision, will be recorded and evaluated. Because, as I once wrote, "The training ground does not lie. It only waits for those who know how to listen."