The 'rough' coaching careers of the 2008 AFF Cup champions: Rarely does anyone have a smooth ride!

Many former players who won the AFF Cup 2008 have started their coaching careers in the past 3 or 4 years, but very few have achieved success.

AFF Cup champions have not had luck yet

After retiring from their football careers, many former members of the Vietnam national football team that won the 2008 AFF Cup have chosen a new path: becoming head coaches.

With a wealth of experience, prestige and extensive football knowledge after many years of training, it seemed that the former Vietnamese players would quickly reap success. However, up to now, the number of people who have reached glory can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Among the former players who won the 2008 AFF Cup and turned to coaching, the most prominent are Duong Hong Son, Vu Nhu Thanh, Thach Bao Khanh, Nguyen Minh Phuong, Pham Thanh Luong, Phan Van Tai Em, Phan Thanh Binh, and Nguyen Viet Thang.

Coach Thach Bao Khanh parted ways with The Cong Viettel at the beginning of the 2023 - 2024 season

PHOTO: MINH TU

Former goalkeeper Duong Hong Son had a short period of association with Phu Tho Club (2020 - 2021). The once steadfast goalkeeper of the Vietnamese national team was assigned to coach Phu Tho team, which at that time had many young talents from Hanoi such as goalkeeper Quan Van Chuan or midfielder Vu Dinh Hai, to help the club soon play in higher leagues.

However, Duong Hong Son only worked for Phu Tho team for 1 year, then returned to play the role of assistant coach in Hanoi team. The former goalkeeper born in 1982 had 1 more season as interim coach in Quang Nam , before retiring to youth from 2022.

Also leading Phu Tho Club is Vu Nhu Thanh (2021 - 2023). Compared to Hong Son, Nhu Thanh has been in charge longer and has made a slightly bigger mark when helping the team stay in the first division in 2022. However, Nhu Thanh resigned at the beginning of the 2023 season when Phu Tho Club was at the bottom of the table. He returned at the beginning of 2024 and this time did not make any more mark.

Thach Bao Khanh (People's Police Club, the predecessor of Hanoi Police Club) and Nguyen Viet Thang (Ninh Binh Club) were more successful, having won the first division championship, but they had one thing in common: they both left as soon as their teams were promoted to the V-League. Thach Bao Khanh then coached The Cong Viettel, but only stayed with the team for 1.5 years. Viet Thang also left Ninh Binh after the first division season, because the ancient capital team decided to use a foreign coach in the V-League.

Coach Viet Thang leaves Ninh Binh Club

PHOTO: MINH TU

Both Minh Phuong (Da Nang Club) and Tai Em (Sai ​​Gon Club) have been coaches in the V-League, but they could not last a season. Thanh Luong just won the V-League with CAHN Club, but he only played an assistant role. As for coach Phan Thanh Binh, it was a series of "floating" days with Dong Thap Club.

Fire tests gold

Famous players of the same generation as the 2008 AFF Cup are also struggling to assert themselves in the head coaching profession.

Nguyen Anh Duc briefly led Long An Club, then arrived at Binh Phuoc before leaving to move to Binh Duong. However, there has not been any impression of the playing style, philosophy, or human management that Anh Duc left behind. Most recently, Anh Duc's Binh Duong Club lost to SLNA in the National Cup semi-finals and only finished 7th in the V-League.

Phan Nhu Thuat helped SLNA stay in the V-League and finish second in the National Cup, as well as develop many talented young players such as Dinh Xuan Tien, Ho Van Cuong, Nguyen Quang Vinh. However, in general, coach Nhu Thuat is still the type of "cut your coat according to your cloth", suitable for Nghe An football, instead of being able to develop his ability in other teams.

Huynh Quoc Anh also just tasted the first "bitter fruit" in his coaching career, when he and Binh Phuoc lost 0-2 to Da Nang in the play-off match.

It is not true that being a good football player means being a good coach, that is an obvious statement in all football countries, not just Vietnam. Former players need to accumulate more experience, training methods and tactical thinking to become good managers.

"Vietnamese football needs to develop better domestic coaches. They will decide the foundation for the fundamental success of football. We cannot just leave everything to foreign experts," expert Steve Darby shared with Thanh Nien Newspaper.

Recently, Coach Viet Thang and Coach Nhu Thuat have taken advantage of their time to study for a coaching degree, similar to Thanh Luong or Le Cong Vinh. This will be a solid foundation for these once-famous former players to become talented coaches.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nghiep-hlv-long-dong-cua-nhung-nha-vo-dich-aff-cup-2008-hiem-ai-suon-se-185250701141538794.htm