Coach Mai Duc Chung will leave the women's national team after the 2026 Asian Cup.
Three years ago, as I sat with coach Mai Duc Chung in the team's hotel lobby in Auckland (New Zealand), before the team's first match at the 2023 Women's World Cup, the first World Cup in Vietnam's history, Coach Chung told me about leaving the team after the tournament.
But there seemed to be a hint of regret in his voice, as if he were about to leave, but he would still not refuse another invitation from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF).
That happened. And the team's journey continued under "Coach Chung" with many successes, until they failed to defend their gold medal at the 2025 SEA Games and then failed to advance beyond the group stage of this year's Women's Asian Cup.
Those who have followed the women's national team long enough can understand that this farewell by Coach Chung, at the age of 75, and with a golden generation that has achieved numerous victories with him over the years entering a period of decline, will be his final farewell, after 10 years of leading the Diamond Girls to become the queens of Southeast Asian football.
Chung's influence on this team is immense. Many even believe that whenever women's football is mentioned, Chung's name is synonymous with it.
It will be immense pressure to achieve results for anyone brave and talented enough to be appointed to replace Mr. Chung, who not only has to steer the team back to success but also build a young team to replace the aging veterans.
He also had to be a tactful, sensitive, and refined person who knew how to treat the female players in a special way – something that Mr. Chung did by treating them like a teacher, a father, and a friend.
The current women's team has reached the end of its successful run with its core group of players, and it's necessary to refresh itself with breakthroughs in thinking and a younger generation.
The question of who could replace him is not new, and the replacement of Mr. Chung has been raised many times each time he has spoken about leaving.
It's not that the VFF (Vietnam Football Federation) doesn't see the problem of the next generation in the women's team, as finding young talents in a national championship with a very small number of teams is not easy, nor is it that they haven't considered major changes in the coaching staff, but the safe solution of maintaining performance is perhaps the factor that has prevented a revolution in the women's national team.
Now that Coach Chung's journey with the national team has come to an end, the VFF will have to carefully consider the options they have. A safe option with Coach Hoang Van Phuc, a bolder approach with female coaches, or a revolutionary move with a foreign coach?
All of these options, however they may be, cannot rule out the possibility of a decline in performance in the short term, or even an unavoidable immediate downturn.
Fans probably need to prepare themselves mentally for this, and so should those involved in football, given the risk of declining performance. But perhaps the VFF (Vietnam Football Federation) has already foreseen the problems of a transition period.
After five years under Park Hang Seo, it was a turbulent and devastating year under Philippe Troussier – a failed revolution. After 10 years under Chung, perhaps the most important thing is a safe, shock-avoiding solution, before any revolution?
The story of Troussier and the subsequent era of Kim Sang-sik serves as a powerful lesson about transitional periods.
I still think the void left by Mr. Chung is huge, but not unfillable. And who knows, after Mr. Chung's departure, someone might overcome the pressure of achieving results, overcome the inevitable comparisons with Mr. Chung, and even overcome Mr. Chung's shadow, to lead the team to new successes; just like Mr. Kim is doing now with the men's team, only one year after Mr. Troussier's unfinished term.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cai-bong-cua-ong-mai-duc-chung-20260318083949685.htm
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