On the morning of September 30, Thai Nguyen T&T Women's Club announced the contract with Coach Van Thi Thanh. The former Vietnam Golden Ball 2003 will take over the position of head coach, while Mr. Doan Viet Trieu will step down as assistant. Thai Nguyen T&T Women's Team also added former goalkeeper Dang Thi Kieu Trinh of the Vietnam women's team to the position of goalkeeper coach.
From October 3 to 7, Coach Van Thi Thanh will debut her new team in an international friendly tournament with the participation of Beijing FC (China), Manila Digger FC (Philippines), Hanoi and Thai Nguyen T&T. In an interview, the first female coach in Vietnam to have an AFC Pro certificate affirmed that she will strive to complete the task.
Coach Van Thi Thanh joins Thai Nguyen T&T Club
"I used to be a player so I will understand my students"
- What goals did the leaders of Thai Nguyen T&T Club give you this season?
Thai Nguyen T&T Club has made progress in recent times, as evidenced by the historic bronze medal (third place) in the 2024 national championship. I want to continue to develop the team with the players, maintaining a position in the top 3 women's football teams in Vietnam. This is the goal assigned by the leadership.
There is always pressure in the position of head coach, but I am not afraid to face the pressure, but always ready to overcome it.
- You are the first female coach in Vietnam to have an AFC Pro license, but real-life training is another story. Are you mentally prepared?
From 2010 to 2016, I worked in professional football as the head coach of Phong Phu Ha Nam team. 10-15 years ago, Vietnamese women's football was just developing, so someone with little experience like me could take on the role.
After 10 years, I attended the AFC Pro course and became a lecturer for the VFF's C-license coaching course to gain experience. However, women's football has now developed more. The progress of football is cyclical, spread out over the years, so as a football player, I have to grasp it.
Van Thi Thanh is one of the few Vietnamese coaches with an AFC Pro license.
I used to coach, play youth football, and play the role of assistant head coach of the Vietnam women's team... But being the head coach of an ambitious team like Thai Nguyen T&T is a difficult challenge. I have prepared myself mentally and tried my best.
With the help of the team's coaching staff, I will be able to continue on the upcoming journey, shortening the time to integrate with Thai Nguyen women's football.
- With women's football, will female coaches have an advantage over men?
Accepting the offer to coach Thai Nguyen T&T Club, I want to enhance the role of female players, then retire and become head coach, continuing to contribute to national football.
For example, Coach Doan Thi Kim Chi grew up as a player, then won many championships with the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club as head coach. I have to learn a lot from Coach Kim Chi. Chi was very successful as a player and also affirmed her ability as a coach.
I want to follow the same path. As a player, I proved myself. So as a coach, with the experience of playing as a player, learning from coaching classes... this is the time for me to do it.
Women's and men's football are basically not much different, and coaching women or men's players is the same. The only difference is speed. I used to be a player, so I understand the psychology of women players better.
However, male coaches also have their own advantages. Combining male and female coaches in the coaching staff is the "best policy". Don't think that men should only do this job, or women should only do that job. Once you enter the job, gender is not important. You have to train together to create a good team. When the coaching staff is united, the players can confidently make an effort.
- Are you afraid of the pressure from the expectations of the board of directors and fans?
In football, success and failure are always intertwined. Today you can be successful, but tomorrow you can also be a failure. That is my motto when I started my football career.
I am not afraid of failure. I always try my best and only care about what I can do to contribute to Thai Nguyen T&T Women's Club.
Coach Van Thi Thanh aims to keep a position in the top 3 for Thai Nguyen T&T Club
Will design appropriate lesson plans
- With the experience accumulated while studying for the AFC Pro certificate, will you bring a new look to Thai Nguyen T&T Club?
During the 5 years I studied for the AFC Pro Coaching Certificate and had experience supporting coaches Mai Duc Chung (Vietnam women's team) and Akira Ijiri (Vietnam U.19 women's team), I mixed studying and coaching.
I learned how to design a workout, what steps are needed to prepare for a new season, and how to train to best suit the players.
For example, I want to design training sessions so that players don’t have to wait too much, and that they are always stimulated to think. The head coach will not tell the players what to do or what to do. Instead, when they step onto the pitch, the players have to make their own decisions, sometimes in just a few seconds. I want the players to be responsible for their actions. That is the core element.
- What is the goal that Thai Nguyen T&T Club sets for the international friendly tournament with teams from the Philippines and China?
Thai Nguyen T&T's opponents in the friendly tournament in early October are all very strong. The Philippines representative has many good players from the US and Canada. The Chinese representative comes from a strong women's football background in Asia. These are two quality opponents. In addition, the Hanoi Women's Club also has a new coach, and sometimes I can't "read" their intentions.
However, this is an opportunity for Thai Nguyen T&T Club to prepare for the Women's National Cup taking place in December. I want to create confidence for the players before this important tournament. As for how to prepare, that is a matter behind the scenes that the head coach like me has to take care of.
Thanks for the chat!
Van Thi Thanh is a famous name in Vietnamese women's football. The former player born in 1985 from Ha Nam was selected to the Vietnamese women's team when she was only 17 years old. Van Thi Thanh was the one who scored the decisive goal that helped the Vietnamese women's team win the gold medal at the 22nd SEA Games (2003) at home.
Van Thi Thanh received the Vietnam Golden Ball award in 2003, the Silver Ball award in 2005 and was one of the 10 outstanding athletes of Vietnam sports in 2003 and 2005. After retiring, Van Thi Thanh pursued a coaching career and is currently the only female coach in Vietnam with an AFC Pro certificate (the highest certificate of AFC for professional coaches qualified to lead national teams - organized by VFF and AFC).
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/qua-bong-vang-van-thi-thanh-dan-dat-doi-thai-nguyen-tt-toi-khong-ngai-ap-luc-185240930121837876.htm
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