Much hope has been pinned on several foreign experts who are scheduled to arrive in Vietnam early this year to work with domestic football leagues.
Tanaka (second from the left) meeting with leaders of the VPF
Tanaka Koji to lead V-League
According to the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF), Tanaka Koji will arrive in Vietnam on February 7 to sign a contract which would make him the head of V-League 2014, the top professional football league in Vietnam.
VPF expressed hope that, with experiences as the manager of Japan's J-League, Koji will be able to help to make V-League more disciplined and professional.
Previously, concern was raised when Kazuyoshi Tanabe asked for indefinite leave because of health and family problems after working in Vietnam for only 3 months. The head of the V-League and head of the referees are two positions that face the biggest pressure.
This is the second time VPF has invited Japanese experts to Vietnam in the last two years, showing great confidence in their abilities.
Futsal coach Bruno Jose Garcia Formoso
When the 27th SEA Games ended, the Italian coach Sergio Gargelli also parted ways with the national team after four years.
Tran Anh Tu, head of the HCM City Football Federation, a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s Futsal team and Vietnam Football Federation's Futsal team, introduced the team to coach Bruno Jose Garcia Formoso.
Tu spoke highly of Formoso. According to Tu, Formoso led the Peruvian team before the Spanish team. In the 2011-2012 season, he won the Ramon Cobo, an award for best coach. In addition, he also helped Hangzhou Zhejiang Dragons Club win second place in the national tournament in China.
After signing a three-year-contract with Formoso, Tu even set the goal of making it to the final round of the Futsal World Cup Tournament. Formoso will take over the position starting February 10.
Graechen Guillaume tries to live up to hopes
Even though Guillaume helped to train many promising U19 players for Vietnam, he is not highly regarded for his strategy.
The fans also hoped that Guillaume would teach the team different playing styles instead of flashy techniques.
The team must be in the top four in the upcoming AFC U-19 Championship 2014 in order to qualify for FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015.
Dtinews