“ I can’t do it forever. It’s inevitable that bamboo will age and new bamboo will grow, it’s time for me to rest. I’ve decided that after my contract ends this year, I will rest ,” Coach Mai Duc Chung shared with the media on the morning of October 23.
The Vietnamese women's team is about to enter the second qualifying round of the 2024 Paris Olympics on October 26. Coach Mai Duc Chung and his team are in the same group with hosts Uzbekistan, India and Japan. The qualifying round has the participation of 12 teams divided into 3 groups, the 3 group winners and 1 second-place team with the best results will enter the third qualifying round.
Coach Mai Duc Chung did not renew his contract with VFF.
This can be considered the last tournament that Mr. Mai Duc Chung leads the Vietnamese women's team as head coach. After finishing the second qualifying round of the 2024 Paris Olympics, the players of the Vietnamese women's team will return to their clubs, preparing for the 2 home and away matches of the 2023 National Women's Championship.
When asked about his successor, coach Mai Duc Chung recommended expert Akira Ijiri. The Japanese coach is currently coaching the youth teams of Vietnam's women's football.
Coach Mai Duc Chung said: “ The advantage for the Japanese expert is that he has many years of experience training and coaching young players and understands the culture and lifestyle of Vietnamese people. Along with the professional issue, that is also a very favorable factor. We will not have to hire a foreign coach who does not understand the culture here. I think that is good for Vietnamese women's football .”
Whether coach Mai Duc Chung will participate in the role of advisor for the Vietnamese women's team or not will be arranged by the VFF leadership. Mr. Chung confirmed that he will only complete his work in 2023 and then rest and recover his health. This veteran coach feels tired and his health is not good when having to do too much work for a long time. Mr. Chung is 72 years old this year.
“ Vietnamese women’s football has many good successors. For example, right now at VFF, there are two U14 and U16 training groups, and then there are young players at the clubs. I think that is a good resource. And I also hope that more women’s football classes will be opened.
In my heart, I always wish that the Women's National Championship would have 14 teams instead of 6-8. Then, the coaches would have more options. I think the fans are also looking forward to that, to help Vietnamese women's football develop further and achieve more great achievements in the future, " the strategist from Hanoi added.
Mai Phuong
Source
Comment (0)