Senior coaches like Mai Duc Chung, Phan Thanh Hung and Le Thuy Hai want to replace Falko Goetz to lead the national football team.

Mai Duc Chung.

Previously, Vietnamese coaches said that they were busy and not eager to instruct the national football team but they have unexpectedly changed their attitude.

Mai Duc Chung, who has just left Navibank Saigon FC, stated that he is willing to instruct the national squad of Vietnam.

Chung was the chief coach of the women’s national team for a long time. His team won the Southeast Asian championship twice. After that, he was the assistant of the chief coach of the men’s national team, A. Riedl. 

In 2007, Chung led the Vietnam Olympic squad to the third qualifier round of the Olympic 2008. In 2008, the coach and the U22 Vietnam team won the Merdeka Cup.

Phan Thanh Hung (right).

The German coach Falko Goetz was fired last December, nearly a month after the failure of the U23 squad at the Southeast Asian Games 2011. The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) stated to recruit a domestic coach for the team. 

VFF Chairman Nguyen Trong Hy said that the federation would pay the selected domestic coach up to $10,000 per month. VFF’s idea has been warmly supported.

Mai Duc Chung said if the VFF invites him to instruct the national team, he will accept because this is a meaningful task. The coach stated that he is willing to work under pressure and take responsibility if the team plays unsuccessfully.

According to Chung, Vietnam’s goal at the AFF Cup 2012 should be entering the quarterfinal round only. The coach also said that VFF’s offered salary of $10,000 is good for local coaches.

Chung is now the coach of the U19 national team and the top candidate for the selection of the chief coach of the U22 national squad, which will represent Vietnam at the Asian Championships 2012.

Phan Thanh Hung, the coach of Hanoi T&T FC, said that he is willing to join the national squad if his current FC allows. Since Hung instructed Hanoi T&T, this FC has become a strong team. The FC was the V-League 2010 champion, ranked second at V-League 2011 and it is taking the lead at V-League 2012. With the results, Hanoi T&T will not let him go.

Le Thuy Hai.

Another senior coach, Le Thuy Hai, has stated to be ready to join the national team. Hai is highly appreciated for taking Binh Duong FC to the championship of V-League 2007-2008. 

Experts said that young coaches Le Huynh Duc of SHB Da Nang and Nguyen Huu Thang of Song Lam Nghe An FC are also qualified for the position.

According to a source from VFF, Mai Duc Chung and Phan Thanh Hung are the most promising candidates.

VFF will choose a new domestic coach for the national team and its Secretary General in February. The name of the new coach will be made public in February.

Source: VNN