5 potential replacements for coach Troussier in Vietnam team

The Vietnam Football Federation may consider some domestic faces for the position of head coach in the Vietnamese national team, besides familiar names such as Park Hang-seo, Velizar Emilov Popov,..

Coach Hoàng Anh Tuấn (b. 1968, Vietnam)

After watching Vietnamese football , everyone knew that coach Philippe Troussier terminated his contract early, VFF chose coach Hoang Anh Tuan to lead Vietnam U23 at the U23 Asian Championship in April.

The Khanh Hoa-born coach previously helped Vietnam win the AFF U23 2023 tournament and led the Vietnam U17 team at the AFC U17 Asian Cup and the Vietnam Olympic team at ASIAD 19. Previously, he led Vietnam U19 and U20 teams and led Vietnam to the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup in Korea.

Some current Vietnam U23 players such as Nguyen Thai Son, Khuat Van Khang, Nguyen Van Truong, Quan Van Chuan, Nguyen Dinh Bac have played under the guidance of coach Anh Tuan in youth teams.

Park Hang-seo (born 1957, South Korea)

Mr. Park is the most successful coach in Vietnamese football history when he finished second in the 2018 AFC U23 Championship, won the AFF Cup 2018, reached the quarterfinals of the 2019 Asian Cup, won 2 gold medals in the 2019 and 2021 SEA Games and led the national team to the 2022 World Cup finals for the first time.

During his tenure from 2017 to 2023, Vietnamese football directly continuously maintained its position as the highest-ranked team in Southeast Asia. They are also the longest-lasting Southeast Asian team in FIFA's top 100.

With his impressive achievements, historical significance and deep understanding of Vietnamese football, Coach Park is expected to revive the team during this challenging period. He does not currently manage any clubs, apart from working at an academy in Hanoi and working as a senior advisor for second division club Bac Ninh FC.

Coach Lee Young-jin (born 1963, South Korea)

Lee is a close and long-time assistant of coach Park Hang-seo in the national team and Vietnam U23 team. Lee was then likened to Park's "brain" due to his deep involvement in analysis, tactical development and technical guidance.

Lee was a popular player for the LG Cheetahs (now FC Seoul), winning the K-League 1 championship in 1990 and being named in the K-League 1 Team of the Year in 1991. In 2003, he was selected for the K-League 90s All-Star Team. He represented South Korea from 1989 to 1994, earning 51 caps and playing in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. He currently works for the Korea Football Association (KFA).

- Velizar Emilov Popov (born 1976, Bulgaria)

The Bulgarian coach used to lead the Myanmar U23 team before coming to Thanh Hoa FC in 2023. He quickly made his mark by helping Thanh Hoa play ball control and attack beautifully, winning the National Cup and Super Cup. In the 2023-2024 V-League, his team continues to be a formidable force as they finish in 4th place after the start of the season.

The only obstacle for the Bulgarian coach is probably his temper, as he was repeatedly suspended for criticism and harsh reactions to V-League referees. The failure to control emotions when leading the national team can damage the face of Vietnamese football and negatively impact professional matters.

Coach Gong Oh Kyun (born 1974, South Korea)

Coach Gong led Việt Nam to the quarter-finals of the 2022 AFC U23 Championship, where he impressed with his attacking play and ball control. After the tournament, he left the U23 team to study for a FIFA Pro license.

At the end of 2023, the 49-year-old coach returned to Vietnam to lead Hanoi Police but left after only 7 weeks of playing because of a series of bad achievements. Gong publicly announced that he had lost control of the Hanoi Police because of interference in his affairs by the club's leadership. Gong has just returned to Vietnam but has not revealed his next club.

The Vietnamese team waits for coach Troussier's new version 2.0 Cương Bá13:40:21 14/03/2024Coach Troussier has plans to upgrade the Vietnamese team to become a better version with fewer mistakes and wiser in the match against Indonesia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.