Cambodian football's strangeness: One coach leads both the men's and women's national teams

Coach Koji Gyotoku (small photo) will lead the Cambodian women's team

Mr. Koji Gyotoku is becoming the most influential football strategist in the land of pagodas. Because from 2019 until now, he has led all teams, from U17, U21, U23 to the Cambodian national team. Currently, his job is to lead the U23 team and the national team in parallel. But in the context that the women's team is about to participate in the Southeast Asian tournament without a head coach, the Cambodian Football Federation appointed Mr. Koji to lead the country's girls.

The Japanese coach's achievements have not been outstanding, but in terms of playing style, it is clear that the teams under his command have significantly improved in terms of physical strength and playing style. Perhaps because of the positive things that Koji Gyotoku has done for Cambodian football, the Cambodian Football Federation has made a rather surprising decision to transfer him to lead the women's national team.

This is probably just a temporary job because after completing the 2025 ASEAN Cup campaign, Mr. Koji Gyotoku will return to take charge of the U23 team and the national team. As for the Cambodian female players, they also do not have high expectations when participating in the upcoming campaign in Hai Phong . Cambodia is considered the weakest in Group A, which includes Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.

The recent decision reflects the fact that the Cambodian Football Federation does not invest long-term in women's football. They only appoint coaches when the tournament starts. On social media, fans expressed their disappointment, saying that the Cambodian Football Federation is doing business "temporarily".

In fact, after the 32nd SEA Games at home, Cambodia has not invested much in women's football. Their national championship has been interrupted, only resuming in 2024. Clubs have also had difficulty calling up their squads for the tournament because many female players have retired and moved on to more sustainable jobs.