Coach Huu Thang: 'It's a good thing that fans criticize me and the team'

The strategist of the Vietnamese team shared after the meeting summarizing the AFF Suzuki Cup 2016 with the leaders of the Vietnam Football Federation on the morning of December 15.

“After the team was eliminated in the semi-finals, many people criticized me and the team, even using harsh words. I was happy about that, because that means they still love football and want the team to improve. One day the fans don’t even talk about the team, that’s the scary thing,” said coach Nguyen Huu Thang.

The strategist born in 1971 said that if fans see someone capable of replacing him and helping the team to be better, they have the right to speak up. The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) also has the right to discuss terminating the contract early if they see a need for change. Coach Huu Thang himself, after calming down, decided to continue leading the U23 team and the Vietnam national team to conquer unfinished dreams.

“I was very sad that I could not fulfill my dream of reaching the top at the AFF Suzuki Cup 2016. So right after the semi-final, the thought of giving up my position to someone else appeared in my mind. However, after returning to my family and calming down, I felt that I should continue,” he added.

In 2017, Coach Huu Thang had three important tournaments: SEA Games 29, U23 Asia qualifiers and ASIAN Cup qualifiers. Photo: Lam Thoa

On the morning of December 15, Coach Huu Thang had a three-hour working session with the VFF. He gave his assessment of the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup campaign and discussed preparations for 2017.

“The coaching board highly appreciates the fighting spirit and solidarity of the players. The team’s playing style has also been clearly established. However, in terms of performance, it has not met the requirements. In particular, individual errors have appeared in important matches,” said coach Huu Thang.

“In this year’s tournament, my plans were disrupted many times due to my players’ mistakes. For example, in the match against Cambodia, I planned to let Cong Vinh play for only 20-30 minutes, then give the field to the young players. But Dinh Luat’s early red card ruined everything. In the second leg of the semi-final against Indonesia, I also did not expect a good player like Nguyen Manh to act rashly, leading to his dismissal. At that time, if I had the right to make a substitution, I would have put in a good goalkeeper, and we would have had a chance to turn the game around.”

Coach Huu Thang and VFF also agreed to rejuvenate the squad. Young players will be given priority in the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers so they have more opportunities to compete, gain experience, mature quickly, and be able to contribute to the team long-term.

The parties also agreed that when the team gathers, it is mandatory to have a law expert lecture the players so that they understand what to do and what not to do, to avoid receiving cards in international competitions. The VFF also agreed that in domestic tournaments, it will strictly punish rough play so that players will give up this habit.

According to VNE