Coach Huu Thang cried in the press conference room.

The Vietnamese national team's strategist took full responsibility after the 2-2 draw against Indonesia, which resulted in his team's elimination in the semi-finals of the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup.

"Cong Vinh retires from his career, calls Thuy Tien and cries uncontrollably."

During the post-match press conference at My Dinh Stadium, coach Huu Thang couldn't control his emotions. He stated that he was the first person responsible for this disappointing result and hoped that fans would be understanding of the players' mistakes.

"On behalf of all the players and members of the team, I offer our sincerest apologies to Vietnamese football fans. We had some unlucky moments in this match. Furthermore, our utmost efforts did not yield the results the fans desired. I apologize on behalf of the team," said Huu Thang.

Huu Thang was filled with regret...

...with red, teary eyes in the press conference room. Photo: Duc Dong.

Prior to this tournament, Vietnam had two friendly matches against Indonesia. The team's defense frequently made mistakes when facing this opponent. In the match at My Dinh Stadium, errors by Dinh Dong and Nguyen Manh cost Vietnam dearly. However, Huu Thang argued that blame should not be placed on a few individuals.

"In football, many things happen unexpectedly. Before conceding the first goal, Indonesia had almost no opportunities to threaten Vietnam's goal throughout the first half. Through this, I want to say that fans and the media should be understanding of the players. This is a very difficult time for them to overcome. Looking for individual faults and blaming specific individuals is not very reasonable. As the head coach, I take full responsibility. I instructed the players, but there were moments when they lost focus, leading to the goal conceded. I hope everyone can help my players overcome this difficult time. I take responsibility. I apologize to the fans," he said.

In the post-match press conference, Alfred Riedl expressed his wish for the VFF to keep Huu Thang in his position. The Vietnam national team coach stated that the idea of ​​relinquishing his position had briefly crossed his mind.

"Given my nature and personality, I never blame others when the team fails to achieve its goals, even when fans have high expectations. A thought crossed my mind: if the team doesn't perform well, if the team doesn't play well, I will hand over the responsibility to someone who can improve the team. That would be appropriate," Huu Thang expressed.

The former Vietnam national team center-back also revealed that he and the players "cried like men" and just wanted to be alone in their room with their two sons tonight.

Huu Thang's reaction when Nguyen Manh received a red card. Photo: Duc Dong.

"After the match, I received encouragement from Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam. The team was emotional because of the loss, but he still came to encourage each member: 'You must stand up!' That sentiment was worthy of the tears of a man. I and the players shed tears. Those were tears of having done everything we could but not achieving our goals. The road ahead is long. In future tournaments, the team will try even harder. I don't know what my future holds."My two sons are here today, and I just want to be in my room with them tonight," he said.

"Earlier, the Deputy Prime Minister said that he has been following Vietnamese football for 20 years, and this is the time when the fighting spirit has been most clearly demonstrated. If we reach the final, it would be a miracle. Even if we don't advance, it will still show the never-give-up spirit of the Vietnamese people. That would make me happiest. The players would also be somewhat comforted by the fans' understanding and sympathy," Huu Thang continued.

Regarding the referee, Huu Thang believes the decision to give Nguyen Manh a red card was somewhat harsh. "The referee called a foul on Nguyen Manh, awarded a penalty, and gave him a red card. I was far away and couldn't see clearly, but showing him a red card was too harsh," he said.

According to VnExpress