Operating for nearly 30 years without any notable achievements or influence, what contribution did the National Coaching Council make in selecting Mr. Park Hang Seo and now Philippe Troussier to lead the Vietnam national team?
Who chose Mr. Troussier?
The answer is of course the Standing Committee of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF). However, is the decision made solely the subjective will of senior leaders or must it be made after consultation with a team of experts?
Coach Troussier signed a contract with the Vietnam Football Federation in February 2023.
First, it must be affirmed that the information appearing on social networks recently about the National Coaching Council not providing any advice to the VFF Standing Committee in the process of appointing the head coach of the Vietnam national team is incorrect.
Responding to VTC News, a member of the VFF Executive Committee of the 9th term said: “ The National Coaching Council has consulted with the federation leaders about finding a replacement for Mr. Park Hang Seo. The Council also expressed its opinion that Mr. Troussier is a reasonable choice.”
When Mr. Park Hang Seo leaves Vietnamese football in December 2022, this is also the time when the 9th VFF Congress takes place. On January 3, 2023, the National Coaching Council for the 2023-2026 term was elected at the 9th National Coaching Delegation Conference.
The task emphasized by VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan is to choose a replacement for Mr. Park Hang Seo to lead the Vietnam national team. In which, the National Coaching Council plays an advisory role.
“The process of advising the VFF Standing Committee to choose Coach Troussier was built on the opinions of many experts, not just a few people. He was the best among the candidates at that time. When choosing Mr. Park, the National Coaching Council also participated in consulting and selecting,” a member of the National Coaching Council confirmed to VTC News.
In fact, right from when the Vietnamese team was competing in the semi-finals of the AFF Cup 2022, information about Mr. Troussier's selection began to "leak". The French coach soon connected with a series of former assistants in Vietnam. He asked about the work situation as well as the ability to contribute to the team of each person. Many people believe that this was Mr. Troussier's preparation before signing the contract.
However, in a media response on February 19, 2023, a VFF leader said that negotiations would only be accelerated after consulting with the national coaching council. The timing was when the AFF Cup 2022 ended. Thus, a month before the VFF advisory team "got to work", Mr. Troussier had already started building the team.
Members of the National Coaching Council include coaches Mai Duc Chung, Phan Thanh Hung, Nguyen Sy Hien, Le Huynh Duc and Doan Thi Kim Chi.
Does the French coach have grounds to be certain of his appointment? If so, what influence does the National Coaching Council have in this process? This is a question that only the VFF leaders - who have the power to decide who to sign a contract with - can answer.
Apart from the advisory board, there are also doubts about Mr. Troussier from other figures in the VFF apparatus as well as the clubs. Someone “gently reminded” that Mr. Troussier has not led any national team for a long time. A representative of a club in the VFF executive board once questioned whether age was a barrier for Mr. Troussier.
Regarding Coach Troussier's plus points, the experts' opinions are similar to the analysis of the media and fans. The French coach has worked in Vietnam before, has a good record with many achievements in the past.
The National Coaching Council, within its scope of activities, tries to analyze both the opportunities and risks when cooperating with the coach born in 1968. However, the impact of the analysis results and recommendations of the advisory group is a big question mark.
Coach Troussier "lonely"?
"We advise and support based on Mr. Troussier's request. The head coach's program and plan are presented to the VFF leadership and the National Coaching Council. He is the main person responsible. We do not interfere in the work of the coaching staff," a member of the National Coaching Council told VTC News.
The head coach has full authority to make professional decisions for the team. However, that does not mean that the voice of the National Coaches Council is not valuable. Advice is never redundant, especially when the captain is in trouble.
However, the role of the advisory board of the Vietnam Football Federation in monitoring, supporting and criticizing the head coach of the national team remains unclear.
The head coach of the Vietnam national team lacks professional critics.
“Perhaps in reality we have not done this yet or have done it but have not made it public. Fans do not know and have many questions. For example, what are the potential and risks of Coach Troussier's current style of play that emphasizes ball control, and how is it being criticized?" , football expert Vu Manh Hai raised the question.
According to VTC News, in a year working with the national team and U23 Vietnam, Coach Troussier rarely received necessary support or professional advice from his colleagues. Even the presence of council members with the Vietnam team rarely happened.
Expert Vu Manh Hai stated: “The National Coaching Council seems to have a name but lacks real power. It is not easy to find information about the council over the years. We have recently been confused in responding to Coach Troussier’s way of doing things. We let him take care of everything himself.
Will the professional department, including the National Coaching Council, criticize or give advice to Mr. Troussier? We have not created a relationship between the council and the head coach for many periods. Previously, Coach Park Hang Seo was so successful that the advisory role of the Coaching Council was not noticed."
In fact, Coach Troussier, with his world-class abilities, may not need advice from his colleagues. However, outside expertise is not without value. Criticism and questioning can help the French coach see the problem more clearly, from more angles or come up with more ideas. On the other hand, although Mr. Troussier has worked in Vietnam for several years, he cannot understand the environment better than domestic coaches.
However, the interaction between the head coach and the advisory board still has both subjective and objective barriers, the reasons for which have been stated in the article Nearly 30 years of living in oblivion of the National Coaching Council. The National Coaching Council needs to be proactive and demonstrate its role in the apparatus more clearly.
The lack of criticism, or the lack of publicity, further deprives the national coaching council of its inherent value, such as its name and stature. At the time when the Vietnamese team showed signs of decline under Park Hang Seo, a V.League boss once said that the Korean coach lacked a critical voice. That is continuing to happen with his successor.
The VFF Standing Committee is the one who needs to step up and solve this problem. Don't let Coach Troussier and the entire National Coaching Council be alone in their own offices. Mr. Troussier needs to feel that his criticism has weight.
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