Understanding the culture is key to success.

The success of coaches Park Hang-seo and Kim Sang-sik stems not only from their pure coaching abilities, but also from their unique management model: combining the rational foundation of Korean football with the emotional characteristics of Vietnamese culture, creating a rare and effective hybrid structure in regional football.

STRENGTH FROM A REASONABLE FOUNDATION

Korean culture, built on Confucianism combined with Western-style modernization, has created a highly rational form of governance: emphasizing discipline, systems, science , and efficiency. When taking over the Vietnamese national football team (in 2017), Park Hang-seo, and later Kim Sang-sik, relied on typical Korean management characteristics to establish collective discipline and order during a period when Vietnamese fans' trust was very low. Personnel selection was based on professional skills, training attitude, and ability to adhere to tactics, rather than reputation or regional affiliation. This created a fair and transparent competitive environment for all players.

Coach Park Hang-seo...

Coach Kim Sang-sik has been very successful in Vietnam.

Photo: Dong Nguyen Khang

The management models of coaches Park and Kim clearly demonstrate a systems-based, scientific mindset: from selecting highly specialized assistants and applying data analysis to standardizing lifestyle, nutrition, and training regimens. They don't work based on intuition or personal experience, but rather on modeling matches, analyzing opponents using data, and developing specific tactical plans.

In terms of philosophy, both Korean coaches chose a pragmatic, safe, but effective approach. Coach Park, with the principle of "don't lose before thinking about winning," built a three-center-back defensive system suitable for the physical condition and mindset of Vietnamese players. Coach Kim Sang-sik inherited that philosophy but implemented it more flexibly, calculating the timing of deploying strategic players, helping the teams he coached maintain stability even when key players were absent.

Coach Park Hang-seo and Coach Kim Sang-sik both understand Vietnamese players.

PHOTO: TT&VH

The rational approach of the South Korean team is also reflected in its consistent management style. While consulting with team members, the head coach is decisive in making decisions, not swayed by public opinion or personal emotions. This has helped the Vietnamese national team transform from a state of instability to a well-structured, efficient team that has achieved historical successes.

SUCCESS THROUGH CULTURAL HYBRIDIZATION

However, the key to the success of coaches Park Hang-seo and Kim Sang-sik lies not in rigidly imposing Korean rationalism, but in their ability to adapt and blend cultures subtly. In interviews with the media, both coaches consistently stated, "If you don't understand Vietnamese culture, don't expect success." Therefore, the effective strategy wasn't about imposing, but about harmonizing Vietnamese and Korean cultures. Vietnamese culture values ​​"personal relationships," so the Korean coaches proactively softened their leadership style, which is inherently pragmatic, disciplined, and respectful of hierarchy. Park Hang-seo didn't want to be a cold, aloof manager, but instead actively cultivated the image of a "close father figure" (papa leader). He not only cared about each player but also frequently inquired about, shared with, and even gave gifts to the families of his players. Meanwhile, Kim Sang-sik fostered open communication, listened to, and respected the personal feelings of his players.

Mr. Kim held his elders in high regard.

Coach Park and Coach Kim always strive to bridge cultural differences. They proactively Vietnamese-ized themselves in their daily lives, gradually adapting to Vietnamese cuisine and accepting the "afternoon nap culture" of Vietnamese players. Instead of publicly criticizing players as they did back home, the Korean coaches chose to subtly discuss player mistakes, carefully choosing their words to please each other, in line with the Vietnamese emphasis on saving face.

A cultural similarity between Vietnam and Korea is the view that family is the nucleus of unity. That's why Coach Park Hang-seo built the national team like a family, using community-oriented slogans like "We are Vietnam - We are one" to promote collective strength. This sense of community, a characteristic of Vietnamese culture, was exploited by both Coach Park and Coach Kim as a spiritual resource, creating collective strength whenever Vietnamese teams compete internationally.

This fusion has created a unique hybrid management model, seen as a "cultural fusion space between Vietnam and Korea," where discipline is no longer rigid, and emotions no longer overshadow professionalism. Two seemingly opposing cultural values ​​complement each other. The success of coaches Park Hang-seo and Kim Sang-sik shows that football needs not only tactics or talent, but also a management model that combines discipline, science, and an understanding of local culture.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thau-hieu-van-hoa-quyet-dinh-thanh-cong-185251223213621465.htm