Choosing a head coach for the Vietnamese national team is not an easy task.

WHAT CONSTITUTES SUITABILITY?

In essence, "fitting" means that many separate elements, when combined, fit together seamlessly and perfectly. However, in the world of football in general, and in the selection of a national team's head coach in particular, the scope is much broader.

The first factor to mention is probably finances. Theoretically, everyone wants the Vietnamese national team to have a top-class coach, but with the current economic resources, Vietnamese football cannot afford a Mourinho or Zinedine Zidane, even if they are currently unemployed. With a salary range of $50,000-$60,000 per month, we can only afford a limited number of coaches and are forced to choose one from among them.

Coach Park Hang-seo ( right ) has been successful with Vietnamese football, while Coach Troussier has not.

The second criterion worth mentioning is a deep and thorough understanding of Southeast Asian football, especially detailed knowledge of Vietnamese football. Priority should be given to those who have previously worked in Asia or Southeast Asia. Many Vietnamese fans have preconceived notions about European or South American coaches, citing the failures of previous coaches like Edson Tavares, Dido, Falko Gotz, or Letard… But in reality, besides Park Hang-seo, considered the most successful coach from Asia, foreign coaches from Europe such as the late Karl Weingang, Alfred Riedl, or the charismatic Portuguese coach Calisto have also made enormous contributions to the development of Vietnamese football. Therefore, while nationality and ethnicity are factors to consider, the most important are professional expertise, knowledge, vision, and understanding of Vietnamese football.

Coach Calisto was successful in leading the Vietnamese national team to win the 2008 AFF Cup.

Another crucial factor is the need for a suitable playing philosophy, as Vietnamese football is currently lagging behind the rest of Asian and world football. Vietnamese players are far behind the top teams in terms of physique and fitness. While most Vietnamese players are agile, skillful, have good stamina, and a tenacious fighting spirit, their fundamental development is uneven. Only a handful possess a stable level of basic technical skill and modern footballing thinking, like Nguyen Filip, Ngoc Hai, Hoang Duc, Quang Hai, and Van Hau. Many generations of Vietnamese footballers have suffered from serious deficiencies, excelling in one area but lacking in another. This is also why Coach Troussier's proactive ball-control style of play has failed.

A VERY DIFFICULT CHOICE

Looking back at the most glorious periods of Vietnamese football, talented coaches like Park Hang-seo and Calisto shared a common trait: they built a united, cohesive team with high fighting spirit, giving their all for the national colors. In other words, they possessed the ability to "win hearts and minds," attracting the attention, respect, and affection of the players, and from there, leading and guiding the entire team to fight for a common goal.

Coach Riedl also made a special mark in Vietnam.

Furthermore, the emphasis on personnel management is also an effective approach used by these coaches. Coach Calisto emphasized freedom within a framework, encouraging players to boldly develop their full potential. He himself was always actively seeking out and discovering new talents. Coach Park, on the other hand, scientifically and meticulously assigned tasks to all members of the coaching staff, ensuring the team operated smoothly like a perfect machine. From the advisor and right-hand man to the head coach, each member had a specific role. This included warm-ups, individual training, correcting the posture and position of each player, meticulous attention to detail in every free kick and defending against opponent's free kicks.

Following Coach Troussier's departure, potential candidates include: Kim Sang-sik and Kim Do-hoon (South Korea); Akira Nishino (Japan); Roberto Donadoni (Italy); Mano Polking (Germany); and Luisma Hernandez (Spain). Even coaches currently working domestically, such as Chu Đình Nghiêm (Hai Phong FC), Velizar Popop (Thanh Hoa FC), and Kiatisak (Hanoi Police FC), are being considered.

Of course, there is still time for the selection process, and there may be more qualified candidates. But perhaps the most important issue for the selectors, specifically the VFF, is to quickly finalize the selection criteria. Because only with specific criteria and clear objectives for the Vietnamese national team in this new era can we choose the right coach.

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