VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam Football Federation chairman Nguyen Trong Hy supports the use of local coaches for the national and Olympic teams but most Vietnamese candidates say they are not ready for the job.

Not interested: Le Huynh Duc says he's not ready to take charge of the national team as head coach. — File Photo

"The final decision will be made after the meeting," Hy said, "but I myself prefer local coaches because they don't have to waste time studying our football and players which a foreigner must do."

Hy said locals like Mai Duc Chung, Le Huynh Duc, Phan Thanh Hung and Nguyen Duc Thang had the knowledge and technique to manage the national and Olympic team.

However, Duc and Hung, who used to be Calisto's assistants, said they were not interested in the position.

"I'm not afraid of the responsibility or heavy pressure but I need time to prepare things," said Duc, who is manager of former V-League champion SHB Da Nang.

"I have to watch domestic tournaments to select players and then set up the playing style.

"But so far I have only watched the competitions that our teams are playing in so I would find it difficult and confusing if I suddenly accepted the coaching role for the national team."

Duc, who joined the V-League three years after retirement as a player, said taking charge of the national team was the dream of any coach but he hadn't been at it long enough to set up game plan for a national team.

"Building and managing a national team is much different to coaching in a club and I would have to stop working at my club.

"The national team is together for only about two to three months, which is not enough time for me to change tactics or correct mistakes. So if I was invited I would have to ask for a delay," Duc said.

Coach Hung, who is working for Ha Noi T&T, says he would only be available to coach the Olympic team.

"I know my own ability and know I could not coach the national team. There are several reasons: lack of confidence, contracts with clubs and I need more time to plan," said Hung, who managed the Olympic team at the 16th Asian Games last December.

"A local coach who becomes national coach should receive support and agreement from all leaders and partners. He must have the undisputed right to make decisions and be given a long-term contract to do the job, otherwise, things will be very difficult for him.

"If the federation asked me to coach the Olympic team I would agree because I worked with them in the SEA Games and ASIAD," he said.

Coach Chung, who has been the Olympic team manager, also raised the issue of salary, saying that a local coach should get a better salary, enough to make him eager to work. It should be at least one quarter or one third of what the federation paid a foreigner.

Calisto was paid about US$24,000 a month.

Chung, the deputy chairman of the National Coach Council, suggested the federation hire a foreigner for the national team and a local for the Olympic side.

The federation has received resumes on several foreign coaches including Peter Reid, former coach of the Thailand national team.

The final announcement will be made on March 17.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News