The story of the three foreign coaches of Vietnamese football.
(Baonghean.vn) - However, those who have followed Vietnamese football for the past six decades agree that Karl-Heinz Weigang, Henrique Calisto, and Park Hang-seo are the names that have made the most lasting impression.
Starting in 1995, Vietnamese football began hiring foreign coaches, the first being Edson Tavares from Brazil. At the 1995 Independence Cup, he led both Vietnam 1 and Vietnam 2 teams to the semi-finals. Just as Vietnamese football was basking in this initial success, he mysteriously left without a word, after only 42 days in the job.
However, upon his return to Vietnamese football in 2004, his tenure lasted only nine months before the VFF terminated his contract in the middle of the 2004 Tiger Cup. Coach Tran Van Khanh was appointed to replace Tavares and lead the remaining matches of the tournament. Besides the Brazilian coach, Alfred Riedl and Henrique Calisto also coached the Vietnamese national team twice.
Highlights of the 2008 AFF Cup
Coach Riedl brought home the most medals, but Coach H. Calisto was the first coach to bring the 2008 AFF Cup championship to Vietnamese football. The Portuguese coach's "first love" with the VFF lasted only from August to December 2004, with the achievement of finishing third in the 2002 Tiger Cup. This coach, known for his hot temper, led the team in 10 matches, winning 5, drawing 3, and losing 2, associated with names like Tài Em and Minh Phương.
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| The 2008 AFF Cup championship was the pinnacle of Coach Calisto's coaching career in Vietnam. Photo: Zing. |
Most successful
With the SEA Games 30 gold medal and the 2018 AFF Cup gold medal, Coach Park Hang-seo is the foreign coach with the most achievements to date. Furthermore, the South Korean coach is considered open, friendly, and has won the affection of his players, colleagues, the press, and Vietnamese fans.
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| Park Hang-seo is the most successful coach in Vietnamese football. Photo: VFF |
Speaking about his achievements, Mr. Park remarked, "Now, after two years, the fact that my contract has been renewed is already a success." Quite humorous.
German spirit
Karl Heinz Weigang was the second foreign coach to work in Vietnam since 1995. At the age of 31, this German coach led the South Vietnamese national team to victory in the 10th Merdeka Cup in Malaysia in 1966, winning against Singapore 2-1, Japan 2-0, Taiwan 3-0, and Burma 1-0 in the final. The captain of the South Vietnamese team at that time was Pham Huynh Tam Lang – the former husband of actress Bach Tuyet.
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| Coach Karl Heinz Weigang (1995-1997, one year and eight months) was the person who elevated tactical discipline in Vietnamese football. |
Thanks to his personal connections, he arranged for the team to play a dozen matches during their training camp in Germany, which transformed the team at the 1995 SEA Games. He helped Vietnamese football achieve its first regional success with a silver medal at the 1995 SEA Games.
By 1997, he had left after irreconcilable conflicts with the VFF and his assistants, leaving behind for Vietnamese football a silver medal at the 1995 SEA Games and third place in the 1996 Tiger Cup. According to statistics, he coached 17 matches, winning 9, drawing 2, and losing 6, with a goal difference of 37-33.
