In the AFF Cup 2022, despite a lot of expectations after the “study abroad” trip from Pau FC, Quang Hai did not meet the fans’ expectations. The 25-year-old midfielder played quite faintly and could not join his teammates to reclaim the throne from the great rival Thailand. Commenting on Quang Hai’s recent tournament, former coach Steve Darby frankly said:
“First, I think it was a mistake to let Quang Hai play with Vietnam at the AFF Cup 2022. It would be better for him to stay in France, practice and compete in a professional environment like Europe. Also, returning to the AFF Cup put him at risk of injury.
Actually, I think Quang Hai is also a type of media player. Names like Messi Vietnam put pressure on him and make the audience have unrealistic expectations about the player. He is a good player in Vietnam, sometimes at the Southeast Asian level, but he has never stood out in big international matches.”
Coach Steve Darby assessed Quang Hai as a product of the media.
However, also in sharing with the press, coach Steve Darby also said that there is still time for Quang Hai to improve and perfect himself in the future:
“Quang Hai is still in the process of development and needs to learn many more things, such as defensive skills or movement without the ball.
I don’t know what Quang Hai is thinking, does he really want to contribute. It’s up to him to be satisfied with his talent, to be a good player at Vietnam level or to try his best to become a top star. However, Quang Hai will come back stronger, I believe.”
Currently, Quang Hai has returned to Pau FC and has also been included in the list of 20 Pau FC players to visit the Stade Pierre-Mauroy stadium of Lille Club (in Ligue 1). After spending time with Vietnam at the AFF Cup, the match against Lille will be the most suitable opportunity for Quang Hai to prove himself.