As a nation very much on the rise not just in Southeast Asian terms but also in the broader sphere of Asian football there is pressure on Vietnam to deliver a second AFF Suzuki Cup title ten years after their first and the playing group is embracing that weight of expectation.

Blessed with a generation of technically gifted stars and boasting an impressive blend of youth and experience, the man tasked with leading the side on the pitch is captain Nguyen Van Quyet and he’s claimed that nothing less than the title is good enough for Vietnam.

“The AFF Suzuki Cup is the most competitive and attractive tournament in Southeast Asia, that’s no surprise and in the ten years since we won the title in 2008 we haven’t been able to get that feeling back again.

“Therefore, the 2018 edition comes with high expectations from both the Vietnamese fans and the team itself.”

“Instead of just thinking though how we can reach the final we have to focus on solving one match at a time but of course, as a player, every time I enter the pitch I have confidence in victory.”

Even though the team has earned plaudits right across Asia for their technical capabilities and recent achievements at both senior and youth level, Van Quyet plays down the notion that Vietnam can be considered amongst Southeast Asia’s finest until they have the trophies to match, with adding to their Suzuki Cup collection very much the aim this year.

“We have only been the champion once in this tournament and that’s a very modest figure compared to Thailand and Singapore and whilst we know that anything can happen in football we always give our best in any game and try to show our playing style to the fans.”

If the team needs any more motivation to do well later this year they can draw on the heartbreak of being bundled out in the semifinals by Indonesia two years in front of their home fans in Hanoi in a match where they impressed for large stretches.

“Even now, I still have feelings of regret that we lost that semifinal and I felt it was a game where we deserved to progress as I thought we were the better team but that’s football.

“Now we have to accept reality and learn how to stand up after defeat and I hope this year that we will be able to get better results.”

If they do that means reaching the final where many have them pegged to possibly face Thailand with the two nations the top seeds for next month’s draw but for the Vietnamese captain he’s not especially fussed with whichever nations they draw.

“Honestly, I’m not too concerned about whether or not we were going to be together with Thailand because we are determined to go to the final and that means having to overcome the strongest opponents.

“The gap between the top and the bottom in Southeast Asian football has narrowed so I’m sure each group will have its own difficulties.”