Coach Akira Ijiri says goodbye to Vietnamese women's football
Coach Akira Ijiri's journey with Vietnam's women's football has ended after 5 years of association. The Japanese strategist's contract with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has ended and both sides have decided not to renew it.
Mr. Akira Ijiri signed a contract with VFF in December 2019, with two main tasks: coaching the U.20 and U.17 Vietnamese women's teams to create the next generation for the national team, and teaching A and B coaching courses.
During his 5 years in Vietnam, Coach Akira Ijiri's best achievement was helping the Vietnam U.20 women's team qualify for the 2024 Asian U.20 Women's Championship. This is also the first time the Vietnam U.20 women's team has reached the highest level of Asian football.
Coach Akira Ijiri
Previously, the Vietnam U.19 women's team finished second in the 2023 Southeast Asian U.19 Women's Championship. Unfortunately, the Vietnam U.20 women's team could not cause a surprise in the final round earlier this year when they were drawn into a very difficult group. Coach Akira Ijiri also led the Vietnam U.17 women's team to compete in Southeast Asian tournaments and the Asian qualifiers. However, the team's performance was not as expected.
However, coach Akira Ijiri has made a great contribution in shaping the next generation of talented players for the Vietnamese women's team. The 2001 generation with Tran Thi Hai Linh, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha, Ngan Thi Van Su, Nguyen Thi Tuyet Ngan... is the first generation of U.20 women that Mr. Akira Ijiri has guided.
The modern tactical thinking and discipline of the Japanese strategist helped the young players mature, then step up to the Vietnamese women's team.
It was the talented young generation that helped Vietnamese women's football win the 31st and 32nd SEA Games and win a ticket to the 2023 World Cup.
Finding a new direction for women's football
Currently, the 2004 and 2005 generation of coach Akira Ijiri with typical faces such as Ho Thi Thanh Thao, Tran Nhat Lan, Ngoc Minh Chuyen, Le Thi Bao Tram... are all highly appreciated by coach Mai Duc Chung for their expertise.
Mr. Chung always takes advantage of training sessions to test the young talents that Mr. Akira Ijiri has coached. The U.17 group (born in 2008 and 2009) with "locomotive" Ngan Thi Thanh Hieu, who just helped the Ha Nam women's team reach the semi-finals of the Women's National Cup, is also an example of the results of persistently cultivating people.
Captain Le Thi Bao Tram of the U.20 women's team has found a place in the Vietnam Coal and Minerals team.
However, all fun must come to an end. After 5 years, Coach Akira Ijiri is looking for a new direction, and VFF also wants a new chief architect to train more talented successors.
Vietnamese women's football is about to enter a turbulent year of 2025. Coach Mai Duc Chung will work until the end of this year, with 3 main goals: pass the 2026 Asian Cup qualifiers, win the 2025 AFF Cup and defend the 33rd SEA Games gold medal.
The Vietnamese women's team is entering a transitional phase, requiring careful planning in terms of training and personnel preparation. Coach Mai Duc Chung is currently assisted by Mr. Hoang Van Phuc, former coach of the Vietnamese team. Mr. Phuc is also the person "chosen" to succeed the head coach of the Vietnamese women's team.
At the youth level, VFF still needs good experts to build a good foundation for female players. Vietnamese women's football needs to invest properly like 5 years ago to continue to reap success.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tam-biet-thay-nhat-tan-tam-cua-bong-da-nu-viet-nam-185241211115538814.htm
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