1. I do not hesitate to call coach Mai Duc Chung a legend of Vietnamese football, because first of all, he possesses extremely special qualities.
As a player, with the nickname Chung "xe ca" (nickname associated with the first football team: Hanoi Xe Ca Enterprise), his playing style was very modern, both kicking and heading the ball were excellent, he was once a leading striker in the team of the General Department of Railways - the first Northern football representative to go to the South to play a friendly match in 1976, a historic match with the meaning of "North - South reunion" with the Saigon Port team (including all famous players before 1975). He continued to join other famous players of the General Department of Railways such as Le Thuy Hai, Hoang Gia, Le Khac Chinh... to win the national championship in the first time it was held (season 1980 - 1981).
Coach Mai Duc Chung (middle) and his outstanding achievements with Vietnamese women's football
After retiring in 1984, he continued to work for the General Department of Railways as a coach until the team was dissolved (in 1999). But the most special thing in his coaching career is his success in both men's and women's football - something that no other Vietnamese football coach has achieved.
Before the 19th SEA Games in 1997 in Indonesia, while he was working in men's football, he was suddenly "assigned" to lead the national women's football team. Everyone in the football world at that time was surprised, because the reason behind it was unclear. The thing is, the women's team in its early stages was just a "patchwork" of two teams, Hanoi and District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Letting a coach from either team lead the team would easily cause controversy and internal discord. So coach Mai Duc Chung was "chosen" because he not only had good expertise, but also had a gentle personality, a simple, easy-going style, and was easier to work with than his other colleagues. In that tournament, the Vietnamese women's team only won the bronze medal, but it was enough to become a "boost" to encourage the movement, laying the foundation for the birth of the first national women's football championship 1 year later (1998).
The golden generation of Vietnamese women's football was also led by coach Chung.
Students forever remember the great contributions of the great teacher.
The fate with women's football came to him unexpectedly, and then it came back surprisingly when he was invited for the second time to prepare for the 22nd SEA Games campaign in 2003, replacing expert Jia Guangtuo (China). The team successfully defended the gold medal, when the Southeast Asian Games took place for the first time on home soil. Then at the 23rd SEA Games in 2005 in the Philippines, once again he and his students won the highest position, which was also the third consecutive time that women's football eased the "sadness of men's football"...
Just like that, he became the most special coach of Vietnamese football, being able to work for both clubs or the men's team, and also ready to lead the women's football team in international arenas. Fans still have not forgotten the achievement of leading Binh Duong Club to the AFC Cup semi-finals and winning the V-League runner-up position in 2009.
Kind to students
Then in 2015, after Binh Duong won the V-League, he became the third person to win the national championship both as a player and as a head coach (after coaches Le Thuy Hai and Le Huynh Duc). Not only that, he also led the U.22 men's team to win the 2008 Merdeka Cup, joined the national team's coaching staff and led the team to the 3rd place match at the 2007 SEA Games when head coach Alfred Riedl resigned. In 2017, he was the interim head coach of the national men's football team for the second time in the World Cup qualifiers (before this "hot seat" was handed over to coach Park Hang-seo)...
Winning six gold medals as head coach (out of eight SEA Games championships for the women's football team) is an exceptionally outstanding achievement. But the pinnacle of his illustrious career is still the achievement of winning a ticket to the 2023 World Cup, a tournament that has put his name in the history of the FIFA World Cup as the oldest coach to lead a football team (both men's and women's) at the World Cup finals!
2. I still remember in 2017, the leaders of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) were wondering whether to invite a famous foreign coach or continue to invite coach Mai Duc Chung after FIFA announced that the 2023 World Cup would increase the number of participating teams from 24 to 32 (at the same time, the DPRK was "banned" from international tournaments for a period of time). And finally, the VFF put their trust in him with a new mission: to make the "World Cup dream" come true. Diligent, open-minded, patient and very meticulous in work, he and his students finally succeeded...
Two coaches have influence on Vietnamese football
More than anyone else, Coach Mai Duc Chung understands the difficulties and challenges facing women's football in the country. And as the burden of age becomes more and more burdensome, Coach Chung wanted to stop right after the 31st SEA Games last year - more than a year before the 2023 World Cup. However, with the encouragement of VFF leaders and his students, he agreed to continue in the historic campaign at the highest arena of world football recently.
Despite his illustrious career, resounding achievements, and respect and love from generations of students and fans, he is also known for his simplicity and modesty. Coach Mai Duc Chung also always knows how to win people's hearts with his straightforward yet gentle and professional demeanor.
At the age of 74, he really needs to rest and "enjoy the countryside" in the true sense. His family home - where his hard-working wife has been silently behind his illustrious career for many years - is always waiting for the famous general of Vietnamese football to return.
"Famous players since ancient times are like famous generals...". Being both a "famous player" and a "famous general", devoting himself to his work to succeed in both women's and men's football as well as him, no one knows when there will be a second person. Thank you and wish the legendary general of Vietnamese football good health and a life full of joy!
Source link
Comment (0)