Trying to find a coach for the Vietnamese women's team at the 2023 World Cup

Although the VFF has not yet made a final decision on coach Mai Duc Chung’s request to “stop playing”, it is clear that the 72-year-old coach’s opinion is quite reasonable. The Vietnamese women’s team needs a more qualified and younger coach to participate in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which will take place in July 2023. The VFF has plenty of time to choose the most reasonable option.

Korean teacher

It is not difficult for the Vietnamese press to choose many options to say that Coach Song Jong Choi is leading the Hanoi I Watabe Club. First of all, with 14 Championships and 8 runner-up times, the Hanoi I Watabe Club is setting a record for Vietnamese women's football, so of course their coach deserves the most attention. Currently, in the Southeast Asian region, Korean coaches are favored by national football federations and clubs.

Coach Song Jong Choi is the commander of Hanoi I Watabe Club. Photo: S442

Next to coach Song Jong Choi is the coach who made a name for himself in Korean women's football before coming to Hanoi, I Watabe. Coach Song was born in 1971, was the head coach of the U20 women's team and led the Korean women's national team from 2010 to 2018. He led Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angles to win the Women's K.League 2020. The Korean coach has been quite successful in his career as a coach of Korean women's teams, participating in the Asian Games twice and the Women's World Cup four times.

Korean experts consider him to be "good at" and have a lot of experience in women's football. In the 2021 season, he helped Hanoi I Watabe Club win the runner-up position in the national championship and the second place in the National Cup. The contract between Coach Song and Hanoi I Watabe Club will expire on December 31, which is an advantage for both sides if they intend to cooperate.

2023 Women's World Cup squad

If Mr. Song takes the position of head coach of the women's team, in addition to Mr. Mai Duc Chung playing the role of advisor, VFF can appoint coach Kim Chi of Ho Chi Minh City Club to take the role of assistant number 1. Previously, Kim Chi played professionally and was the most successful player of Vietnamese women's football (4 SEA Games gold medals, 1 Southeast Asian championship, 4 Vietnam Golden Balls). An admirable achievement of women's football in the region.

Coach Kim Chi has won 7 consecutive national championships. Photo: HTV

Starting her coaching career in 2015, Coach Kim Chi has won 7 consecutive national championships. In the 2021 season, Coach Kim Chi and her students won the double of National Championship and National Cup. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City Club also contributes the most personnel to the National team, 10 out of a total of 23 players. Among them, many players of this team are pillars of the Vietnamese women's team such as captain striker Huynh Nhu, center back Chuong Thi Kieu, goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh, midfielder Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy...

Working with a foreign coach with a lot of experience will be a stepping stone for Kim Chi to be able to take on the role of Head Coach of the National Women's Team in the future. Many domestic coaches of men's football such as Huu Thang, Phan Thanh Hung, Hoang Van Phuc have improved their skills when having the opportunity to work with foreign coaches. It seems that this will be a good solution for the National Women's Team after Coach Mai Duc Chung "hung up his sword" and we will participate for the first time in the 2023 Women's World Cup football festival.