Thailand's leading sports daily Siam Sport wrote: "Coach Mai Duc Chung announced that he will end his role as head coach of the Vietnamese women's football team when his contract expires at the end of this year. Mr. Chung has no plans to extend it, although the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) is willing to do so."
"Coach Mai Duc Chung, 73 years old this year, said he has seen signs of age weighing on him. Mr. Chung also introduced a replacement candidate, Coach Akira Ijiri (Japanese).
Coach Mai Duc Chung announced his departure from the Vietnam women's team after his contract expires at the end of this year (Photo: ASEAN Football).
The person introduced, Akira Ijiri, has been working for the Vietnamese women's U16 - U20 teams since 2019. The Japanese coach understands the culture and lifestyle of Vietnamese people and Vietnamese players, so Akira Ijiri does not need to adapt like other coaches," Siam Sport added.
According to comments from Thailand's leading sports daily, the impressions that coach Mai Duc Chung left on the international women's football world cannot be forgotten.
Siam Sport wrote: "Coach Mai Duc Chung's contributions during his time leading the Vietnamese women's team were enormous. Under Mr. Chung, the Vietnamese women's team won the SEA Games in a total of 6/8 times they participated.
The team won the 2019 Southeast Asian Women's Football Championship and will enter the World Cup finals for the first time in 2023.
"At the 2023 Women's World Cup, Coach Mai Duc Chung set a FIFA record. Mr. Chung is the oldest coach ever to appear at a World Cup (both men's and women's). When the Vietnamese team met the US team, Coach Mai Duc Chung was 72 years, 1 month and 11 days old.
Mr. Chung broke the record of 71 years and 317 days of coach Otto Rehagel (Germany) at the 2010 Men's Football World Cup. At that time, Mr. Otto Rehagel was leading the Greek team", these are still the lines written in Siam Sport newspaper.
Coach Mai Duc Chung sets a record as the oldest coach to ever lead a team at the World Cup (Photo: AFC).
Currently, although he is 73 years old, coach Mai Duc Chung has not stopped yet. Siam Sport shared: "Currently, coach Mai Duc Chung's Vietnam women's team is competing for tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Coach Mai Duc Chung will follow the team this last time before retiring."
"The excellent performance throughout her career has made coach Mai Duc Chung a great legend of Vietnamese women's football," Siam Sport affirmed.
Meanwhile, the ASEAN Football page lists the achievements of coach Mai Duc Chung and the Vietnamese women's football team.
ASEAN Football said: "Under the coaching of coach Mai Duc Chung, the Vietnamese women's team has become the most successful team in Southeast Asia. They have had notable achievements including reaching the 2023 Women's World Cup, finishing in the top 4 of the 2014 Asian Games, winning 5 SEA Games gold medals (actually 6 gold medals), and winning the Southeast Asian women's football championship once."
"The 2024 Olympic women's football qualifiers in Asia will be the last tournament coach Mai Duc Chung leads the Vietnamese women's football team as head coach. Mr. Chung will leave the team after his contract expires at the end of 2023," ASEAN Football expressed regret.
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