'I am just a grain of sand in the desert'

I have to take sleeping pills every night.

Following the historic achievement, coach Mai Duc Chung expressed his gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support of the Vietnamese women's football team, not only at this SEA Games but throughout the years. "It is thanks to that wonderful encouragement that the players dedicated themselves wholeheartedly, bringing this amazing achievement to Vietnamese football," Coach Chung emphasized. He also shared that the four SEA Games championships are a miracle, achieved because the entire team was united, deeply caring for each other, treating each other like family, creating a strong sense of camaraderie and a joyful atmosphere. This is the strength of the Vietnamese women's team, a quality rarely found in other teams in Southeast Asia.

Coach Mai Duc Chung shared: "My emotions are overflowing with happiness! In this difficult context, with many players injured and young players recently promoted, I call it a miracle. Personally, I only have a small contribution, a 'grain of sand in the desert,' and I only vow to do my best and dedicate myself to Vietnamese football."

Coach Mai Duc Chung and his team returned to Vietnam on the evening of May 16th.

Coach Mai Duc Chung and the enthusiastic fans.

HLV Mai Đức Chung: 'Tôi chỉ là hạt cát giữa sa mạc' - Ảnh 1. — Coach Mai Duc Chung is a legend in Vietnamese women's football.

Coach Mai Duc Chung added that he had suffered from insomnia before the 32nd SEA Games due to pressure. Even after the team won the gold medal, he couldn't sleep and had to take two sleeping pills each night. But when he woke up, he said he still felt a sense of excitement and anxiety, and it took him a while to fully wake up: "It's over, we did it, we won the gold medal!"

Mr. Chung revealed that due to being extremely busy after the team's victory, he was constantly giving interviews to the press, so he only called home late at night. "I will dedicate this gold medal and this mascot to my wife and children, who have always understood and encouraged me so much because of the immense pressure of my work," he said.

Preparing for the 2023 World Cup

The Vietnamese women's national team is in Group E of the 2023 World Cup with very strong opponents: the USA, the Netherlands, and Portugal. Although they have qualified for the World Cup finals, the gap between the Vietnamese team and their opponents is quite large. Therefore, coach Mai Duc Chung said that they will prepare thoroughly and play with the best spirit to showcase a beautiful image of Vietnam and its people.

HLV Mai Đức Chung: 'Tôi chỉ là hạt cát giữa sa mạc' - Ảnh 2.

Currently, the Vietnamese women's national team only recruits players from 4 to 5 clubs, which Mr. Chung believes is too few, making it difficult to find many talented players. Mr. Chung hopes that in the future, women's football will receive more attention and develop better. "I hope everyone is willing to make sacrifices at the beginning when there isn't a good compensation system, so that later they can reap the rewards of their individual efforts," he said.

Coach Mai Duc Chung confirmed that the retirement of key players like Kim Thanh, Thuy Trang, and Tuyet Dung in the near future is normal and a natural progression. The important thing is to prepare a good successor generation to ensure that Vietnamese women's football always has a strong team to compete internationally. Regarding the losses to the Philippines in the two most recent encounters, the 74-year-old coach said it was just a normal occurrence in football. "Losing a match to win the tournament is the most important thing. In the future, if we meet the Philippines again, the Vietnamese women's team will still play confidently and win," he said.

After returning from the SEA Games, the women's team will have 6 days of rest before flying to Germany, then to Poland for training and friendly matches, actively preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2023.

Coach Mai Duc Chung clarified that he is 74 years old this year, not 72 as the press had previously mistakenly reported. Regarding his future, he said: "I'm getting old, and whatever happens, happens. While I have a contract with the VFF, I will work to the best of my ability, driven by my passion. But when I feel tired, I will decide to retire."

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