VFF announces Japanese technical director

The director, born in 1960, had played 19 matches for the Japanese national team in the period of 1980-1985. In the club shirt, Takeshi used to play for Nissan Motors Club (1983-1989) and Kanazawa Club (1990-1996).

The Japan Football Federation (JFA) evaluated Takeshi as one of the best experts with more than 30 years of experience in leading the youth teams of U22 and U18 of Japan.

He holds a Pro degree from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and has rich experience in training young players and has mainly been in charge of management throughout his career.

Speaking at the ceremony, VFF General Secretary Duong Nghiep Khoi said he believed Takeshi will effectively help develop Vietnam's youth football and improve training for young coaches at training centers and clubs in Vietnam.

Takeshi will also help clubs step by step strengthen their coaching staff to meet the AFC's criteria, he said.

For his part, Takeshi said that his mission is to successfully train Vietnamese coaches while helping them still conform to Vietnamese national characters and football.

The new technical director said in the short term, he will help those coaches get C and A diplomas from the AFC and FIFA, and in the long-term goal, they can pass on their knowledge to other coaches in Vietnam.

Regarding the plan to work with the coach of the Vietnamese national youth team, Takeshi said there is a Japanese coach, Akira Ijiri, who is leading the U20 women's team.

"Together with him [Akira Ijiri], we will cooperate more deeply with the Vietnamese youth team coaches," he said.

Takeshi added that he had met and discussed Vietnamese football with head coach of the national team Philippe Troussier.