Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Coach Mai Duc Chung is edging evercloser to his retirement from women's football with his contract expiring atthe end of the year.

The match against Japan in the second qualifying round of the 2024Paris Olympics marked the 72-year-old's last appearance as head coach of theVietnamese national women's team.

Having expressed his intention to retire after his contract endsin 2023, Chung considered the second qualifying round of the 2024 Olympics ashis final tournament this year.

After the conclusion of the Olympics qualifier, Chung took to hisFacebook page to bid farewell to the team, expressing gratitude to his playersand wishing them success in the future for the continued development ofVietnamese football.

While Chung's contract with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF)is set to expire at the end of this year, there have been no discussionsbetween Chung and the VFF.

Symbol of women's football

Coach Chung has become a symbol of Vietnamese women's football,and his career can be divided into three main periods, with two of themdedicated to women's football.

During the first period from 2003 to 2005, Chung led theVietnamese women's team to two SEA Games gold medals in 2003 and 2005, and theyfinished as runners-up in the 2004 Southeast Asian women's footballchampionship.

In the second phase from 2016 until now, Chung achieved remarkablesuccess in women's football. He guided his team to four consecutive SEA Gamesgold medals, setting a record for Southeast Asian women's football.

Additionally, he secured the title of the 2019 Southeast Asianwomen's football championship. However, Chung's greatest accomplishment wasleading the team to qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, marking ahistoric moment for Vietnamese women's football.

This impressive list of achievements may inspire any coach, but itwill inadvertently place pressure on Chung's successor. Women's footballcoaching requires a unique set of skills, where apart from expertise in thesport, the ability to manage people plays a crucial role. Chung excelled inboth aspects, not only in women's football but also in men's football.

He won the V.League 1 championship and the National Cup twice withBinh Duong and Navibank Saigon. Additionally, he played a pivotal role inhelping U22 Vietnam secure the 2008 Merdeka Cup.

Challenging transition

Chung's farewell to the team marks the beginning of a new phasefor Vietnamese women's football - a phase of rejuvenation.

The Vietnamese Football Federation (VFF) and Chung have beenformulating a plan to cultivate young talent for several years. However, thiscan be a challenging task.

Looking at the roster of the Vietnamese team in the past threetournaments, only Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang falls within the age group of 1996 to1999.

The lack of talent in this age range has resulted in heavyreliance on players around the age of 30, such as the recently retired Tran ThiThuy Trang, Huynh Nhu, Tran Thi Thu, Pham Hai Yen, and Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy.

In the next two years, it will be challenging for these veteranplayers to maintain their physical strength and performance. However, thecurrent crop of young players is relatively thin.

"I have observed over time and noticed that the next generationof footballers does not possess the same level of talent as their predecessors.To bridge this gap, we need to invest time," Dao Huy Hung, headof HCM City's women's youth teams, said.

"Currently, the VFF has plans and directions for U16 and U19tournaments to identify players for the national team. However, the number ofparticipating teams in these tournaments is too low. With such limitedparticipation, we do not have a sufficient talent pool for the national team."

Along with the internal challenges, external factors will alsoinfluence the future success of the Vietnamese women's team. Competitors withinthe region and the continent are growing stronger.

Previously, the SEA Games gold medal was largely contested betweenVietnam, Thailand, and partially Myanmar; but now, the Philippines have emergedas a formidable force not only in the region but also in Asia.

The chances of Vietnamese football participating in the 2027 FIFAWomen's World Cup will become even more difficult.

The DemocraticPeople's Republic of Korea (DPRK) team have returned to theinternational arena following the COVID-19 pandemic. Australia will compete fora place in the final round rather than participating as the host, as they didin the 2023 World Cup.

Uzbekistan has also emerged as a new challenge after showcasingtheir abilities by securing fourth place at the ASIAD 19. Recently, Uzbekistandefeated the Vietnamese team in the second qualifying round of the 2024Olympics.

Regardless of whether coach Chung retires or continues, theVietnamese women's team must enter a new era. This transition period is fraughtwith difficulties, but it is necessary for the development of the team./.