VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) on March 16 shortlisted five candidates for the prestigious management role.

 

French Coach Pierre Lechantre

There were many familiar and famous candidates but they were not chosen as finalists. These big names included Hristo Stoichkov, Alfred Riedl, David Booth and Peter Reid.

 

All five finalists have never worked in Southeast Asia. They are: Hans Juergen Gede and Franz Goetz from Germany, Pierre Lechantre from France, Steve Sampson from the USA and Eduardo Martinho Viganda from Portugal.

 

The French coach - Pierre Lechantre – is current favorite. He was very successful with the Cameroon national squad in 2000 (Olympic and African championships). He was also the national coach of Mali and Qatar and many big clubs in Western Asia and Africa, such as Al Ahli, Al Siliya, Al Rayyan, MAS Fes, Africa and Sfaxien.

 

Ranking second is Steve Sampson. He is the only coach in the list who participated in the World Cup and Copa America. He was assistant to then US coach Bora Milutinovic at the World Cup 1994. After Milutinovic resigned, Sampson became the chief coach of the US squad at the Copa America 1995 and World Cup 1998. He led the Costa Rican team from 2002-2004. After leaving Costa Rica, Sampson worked for Los Angeles Galaxy and was fired in 2006.

 

The third candidate is Eduardo Martinho Viganda, who has worked for many clubs in Asia and Europe, including the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia. He was the coach of the Portuguese national team and young team. His team ranked fourth at the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996. In 1996, he took Saudi Arabia to the Asian championship.

 

Hans Juergen Gede (Germany) was among the five finalists in the VFF’s selection of a coach for the national squad in 2008. Finally, VFF chose departed coach Henrique Calisto.

 

“Selecting five finalists from 25 applicants is difficult, but information verification and negotiation is vital,” said a VFF official.

 

The VFF will name the coach of the national team in late March.

 

PV