What are the criteria for choosing a coach for Song Lam Nghe An?

The search to choose a coach needs to have a set of criteria based on science and practice, not on the emotions of some people.

“Without a teacher, you can’t do anything”, that is a popular saying from ancient times to the present. In fact, that saying has been drawn from practice over many years. It is the same in education, and it is no exception in sports.

Defense - counter-attack is the team's traditional style of play. Photo: Duc Anh

Looking at the reality in recent years, from the perspective of the National team, many coaches have been invited by the VFF to the hot seat of Head Coach, but the dream of winning the Southeast Asian Championship is still a dream.

After the failure of coach Huu Thang, with the same domestic athletes, but only a few months later, Korean coach Pack Hang-seo led the Vietnamese football team to achieve achievements that made Vietnamese football fans happy. Recently, the Hoang Anh - Gia Lai team was at the bottom of the table, when changing the driver, coach Kiatisak brought the team out of the danger zone to rise to the top group, with a series of consecutive wins.

That said, we can see how important the role and importance of a football team coach is, especially at this time.SLNAare at the bottom of the table in the first leg of the 2021 championship.

Coach Nguyen Duc Thang has prestige with SLNA players. Photo: Duc Anh

SLNA is undergoing a comprehensive restructuring, other issues are taking place sequentially. However, the hot seat is receiving public attention, which is also natural, because of the importance of its role. As someone who has spent many years with Nghe An sports in different positions, has been a head coach for at least ten years, managing and selecting coaches for the province's sports, including football. With my wishes and experience, based on scientific practice, I would like to present some thoughts below, to help with opinions for reference, hoping that SLNA will regain "the pride of the people of Nghe An".

1. In the current situation of SLNA, finding a Head Coach is an urgent matter. Because this teacher plays the role of commander-in-chief, tactician, strategist, and psychologist. They are not only teachers but also fathers, brothers, and more than that, friends who are always devoted to helping players in all daily activities.

On that basis, teachers and students wholeheartedly devote themselves to the goal of victory for the honor and colors of the homeland, united and determined to bring glory to the province, satisfying the wishes of fans.

Coach Nguyen Huy Hoang. Photo: Duc Anh

2. To find and select a good Head Coach for the team, we need to have criteria to evaluate the capacity and level of each coach. For a long time, people often only look at the person's achievements and whether their qualifications meet the standards set by the Vietnam Football Federation. In my opinion, that is not enough, because there are related factors that need to be considered comprehensively for a good football coach. To have enough practice and science in a truly objective assessment, on that basis, choose a coach with enough capacity to shoulder the heavy responsibility of keeping the SLNA team in the ranking. With that in mind, I would like to present the following 4 criteria for choosing a football coach:

Work results: As the proverb says: "Seeing is believing", work results (work efficiency) are a measure of a coach's level and ability.

When considering to choose a coach, the most obvious and attractive point is the coach's coaching record, what titles and awards he has won. Has the coach had any experience? That is the most basic criterion that cannot be ignored when choosing a coach. This criterion is indispensable, because philosophy has clearly stated: "Practice is the basis of cognition, the criterion of truth".

Coach Van Sy Son. Photo: FBNV

Professional qualifications: That is the level, ability, and professional measure for a coach. In any sport, a teacher must have a good level of that sport. Therefore, coaches often start from athletes with a level of that sport. In fact, after retiring from competition, athletes are trained to become coaches. Currently, the Vietnam Football Federation stipulates that to be a head coach of a professional football team, one must have an A-level certificate issued by AFC according to FIFA standards. In my opinion, in addition to the A-level standard for football coaching, that teacher needs a degree from a University of Physical Education and Sports. Because studying at a University of Physical Education and Sports, there is full scientific knowledge of psychology, physiology, training methods, training plans, athlete selection methods, sports management... to help the head coach have all the necessary knowledge to serve the work of training and managing athletes.

SLNA fell again at Lach Tray. Photo: VPF

Working time: A coach is also a teacher, a pedagogue. Therefore, the longer he teaches and coaches, the more experience he accumulates. Especially in coaching and directing football competitions. Going through many matches, many tournaments, meeting many different subjects and situations that occur in a match, in a tournament, will help the coach gain more and more experience to overcome and handle every time an unexpected situation occurs. In which, lessons of failure, mistakes in expertise, team arrangement, and substitution are extremely important. Day after day, match after match, they will have enough experience to overcome and handle immediately and accurately every time a situation occurs.

We remember the situation ofVietnam national football team, while the injured defender was taken out for treatment; due to lack of experience, he did not arrange a player to fill in that gap, so the opponent quickly took advantage of the opportunity, dribbling the ball through to score a goal. If he was a long-time coach with his experience, he certainly would not have made that fatal mistake.

Young SLNA players "powerless". Photo: Ky Luat

Work density:This is the time, effort and experience spent by a trainer. For a trainer A, a year of continuous training will definitely be valued higher than for trainer B who only works 6 months a year. Thus, a higher density of work will be valued higher. Because they put in more effort and the more they train, the more valuable experience they gain.

The above are scientific and practical criteria to be used to evaluate the capacity and level of sports coaches in general and football in particular. Each criterion is used to evaluate and compare each aspect, however, they have an organic and logical relationship with each other for a football coach.

I think, with the above criteria will help sports managers refer, especially with SLNA Club in the stage of searching for a head coach for the provincial team. Having good athletes must have good teachers to bring the provincial football to rise more and more to meet the expectations of the Party Committee and the people of the province.