Coach Mai Duc Chung: No stars, only a determined team

On the afternoon of December 4, at the press conference before the group stage of women's football at the 33rd SEA Games, coach Mai Duc Chung and representatives of the Group B teams were present in Chonburi. This is also a place that evokes many emotions for Vietnamese women's football, when they won the AFF Cup 6 years ago.

Coach Mai Duc Chung and coaches of the Malaysian, Philippine and Myanmar women's teams at the press conference. (Photo: VFF)

Coach Mai Duc Chung opened his speech with congratulations and a spirit of friendship to the other teams in the region. He recalled the memories of Chonburi in 2019, considering it a “spiritual support” but affirmed that the current team is aiming for a new goal.

Regarding the strength of the Vietnamese women's team, coach Mai Duc Chung said the rejuvenation process is taking place strongly. He said: "Some older players are injured, so we give opportunities to young faces. They progress every day and the coaching staff creates all conditions for them to mature."

According to Mr. Mai Duc Chung, women’s football in Southeast Asia is developing rapidly. Heavy investments have significantly narrowed the level between teams, creating a balanced and unpredictable group B. Despite the absence of key players such as Chuong Thi Kieu and Duong Thi Van, the team still maintains its cohesion and team spirit, which are its traditional strengths.

“We don’t have a star, but a united team. Huynh Nhu is still the exemplary captain. I still remember the moment she scored the goal that helped Vietnam win the AFF Cup in Chonburi 6 years ago. It was a beautiful memory, but now the team must focus on the SEA Games,” he shared.

Coach Mai Duc Chung emphasized that the opponents are all strong and well-prepared: “I do not consider Malaysia a weak team. They are progressing very quickly. We have to focus on each match and the ultimate goal is still to reach the final.”

In preparation for the 33rd SEA Games, the team had a series of friendly matches with many strong opponents to hone their competitive spirit. He assessed that Myanmar and the Philippines have both made great strides in development: “They have received strong investment. If we want to compete, we must be even more determined.”

At the press conference, the teams in the same group also expressed their views on the journey ahead.

Coach Joel Cornelli (Malaysia women's team) said that his team has prepared carefully for the friendly matches, including the match against Bangladesh. "We have shown clear progress and I am satisfied with the current squad," he said.

For his part, coach Mark Torcaso (Philippine women's team) highly appreciated the organization of the 33rd SEA Games and considered Group B "a real challenge", while affirming that the team was ready to compete fairly.

Meanwhile, coach Uki Tetsuro (Myanmar women's team) shared that the team has just returned from a training trip in Japan with three important friendly matches, helping the players gain experience. He said that Myanmar's goal is to perform their best in each match.

PHAN THACH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hlv-mai-duc-chung-khong-co-ngoi-sao-chi-co-mot-tap-the-quyet-tam-post928006.html