Asian Cup winning coach to manage Vietnam U18

By Nguyen My   September 8, 2019 | 03:00 am PT
Asian Cup winning coach to manage Vietnam U18
Coach Philippe Troussier, who has had a successful career in Africa and with Japan in Asia. Photo by AFP/File.
Frenchman Philippe Troussier has been named the new manager of Vietnam’s U18 football team in place of Hoang Anh Tuan.

Tuan had resigned after an unsuccessful AFF U18 Championship campaign in August.

Troussier previously served as the technical director of the Vietnamese Football Talents (PVF) Football Academy.

Dubbed the ‘White Witch Doctor’ for his successful stint in Africa, he has managed the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, South Africa, and Burkina Faso.

His international career peaked during his spell in Japan (1998 - 2002) when he won the 2000 AFC Asian Cup.

Two years later he led Japan to the last 16 of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, making it at that time the country’s best ever run in the competition.

In 2018 he became strategic director and then the technical director of the PVF Football Academy.

Vietnam U18 suffered a shocking 1-2 defeat against Cambodia in the group stages of the 2019 AFF U18 Championship. The loss ended Vietnam's run at the tournament and marked Vietnam's first ever loss to Cambodia in an official tournament.

Tuan announced his resignation soon afterward, and the Vietnamese Football Federation began to anxiously look for his replacement.

Troussier’s first challenge will be the AFC U19 Championship qualifiers in Vung Tau in southern Vietnam from November 6 to 10. Vietnam are in group J alongside Japan, Mongolia and Guam.

 
 
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