Vietnam U20 Faces Relegation Risk Due to Outdated Tactics and Inexperience of Coach Ikeuchi Yutaka

In the last two matches of the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers, Vietnam U20 suffered a 0-3 defeat to North Korea and a 1-2 loss to Palestine, placing the team at risk of relegation if they lose to Iran on September 6, 2026. According to former VFF official Duong Vu Lam, the main cause is not a lack of naturalized players but the outdated and uninnovative tactics of Japanese head coach Ikeuchi Yutaka, especially when compared to the recent strong performances of Vietnam U23 and U17 teams. The most evident problem is poor coordination on the pitch. The team fails to exploit the strengths of its squad, despite having experienced V-League players such as 1m95 centre-back Đinh Quang Kiệt, Tran Gia Bao and Nguyen Le Phat. Đinh Quang Kiệt, who is effective at marking tall strikers, sees very little playing time, wasting his aerial advantage and game reading ability. Meanwhile, young midfielders and forwards often become isolated due to lack of connection through the middle, leading to frequent turnovers and an inability to create dangerous chances. In contrast, Vietnam U23 under Kim Sang Sik and Vietnam U17 under Cristiano Roland have shown smooth cooperation, high pressing intensity and flexible use of players according to the game plan. This indicates that the issue lies not in the quality of the player pool but in how the current head coach deploys them. Although Ikeuchi Yutaka holds Japanese coaching licenses, he is considered to lack practical experience in handling unexpected situations at U20 level, especially in making in‑game tactical adjustments to counter opponents. Duong Vu Lam stressed that blaming naturalized players for the defeat is incorrect. He cited the successes of U23 and U17, both of which achieved continental and regional titles without any naturalized players. "Fairness lies in seeing whether the head coach can optimise the current resources," he said, and in the case of Vietnam U20 the shortcoming is Ikeuchi’s inability to adapt to the strong personalities of V‑League players, who tend to play a direct, ball‑oriented style. Public pressure is also rising. Experts and fans alike criticise Ikeuchi Yutaka for failing to create a positive team atmosphere and question VFF’s decision to appoint a coach with limited experience at national youth level. While pressure on the players is rated low because they have not been blamed, there is a risk of dressing‑room discord if players feel undervalued. Should Vietnam U20 actually be relegated from the U20 Asian Cup qualifiers, the consequences go beyond missing the final tournament; it could negatively affect the entire youth development system. Academies and training centres might lose confidence in current methods, and frequent coaching changes could disrupt the long‑term progression of talents such as Đinh Quang Kiệt, Tran Gia Bao and Nguyen Le Phat. Nevertheless, there is still a valuable window before the Iran match. If the coaching staff can conduct an urgent tactical review – shifting from a rigid system to a more flexible model that combines Đinh Quang Kiệt’s height in defensive situations and uses him as a focal point in set‑piece situations – the team still has a chance to improve results. Additionally, providing Ikeuchi with extra tactical support, such as an experienced local assistant coach or a data analyst, would help him better understand the mentality and playing style of V‑League players. Ultimately, the lesson from this case is clear: the success of U23 and U17 has proved that Vietnam’s youth development system can compete without naturalized players. Maintaining stability in coaching selection and optimising the existing human resources will be the key for Vietnam U20 to overcome the Iran challenge and continue on the road to the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup.