From the left: Phan Thanh Hung, Mai Duc Chung and Nguyen Huu Thang.

 The seven candidates include Phan Thanh Hung of Hanoi T&T, Le Huynh Duc of SHB Danang, Nguyen Huu Thang of Song Lam Nghe An, former coach of Navibank Saigon Mai Duc Chung, Le Thuy Hai of Hai Phong, Lu Dinh Tuan of Saigon FC and Dang Tran Chinh of Binh Duong.

 The former German coach Falko Goetz was in charge of the national and the U23 teams, so he was overloaded. The National Coaching Council has advised the VFF to recruit two coaches for the two squads.

 The VFF, thus, has extended its list of candidates from four (Phan Thanh Hung, Mai Duc Chung, Le Huynh Duc and Nguyen Huu Thang) to seven.

 Phan Thanh Hung was one of the best strikers in Vietnam. He is also very successful as a coach. His team - U21 Danang - was the winner at the U21 Championships 2008 and 2009. In 2010, Hung and Hanoi T&T was the champion at the V-League.

 Nguyen Huu Thang was an outstanding midfield player of the Song Lam Nghe An FC and the national team. As a coach, Thang led Song Lam Nghe An to the championship of the JVC Cup 2003. In 2009, Thang’s Hanoi T&T FC came fourth at the V-League. Before he joined this FC, it ranked at the bottom of the V-League. Returning to Song Lam Nghe An in 2010, he took the team to the top position at V-League.

 Le Huynh Duc was a very famous striker of Vietnam. He used to be the most talented striker in many years. He is also praised to be a good coach. He helped Da Nang FC win the championship of the V-League 2009, the first time after 17 years.

 Mai Duc Chung was not very famous as a football player but he is a famous coach. Chung led the women’s national team to the championship of the Southeast Asian Games twice.

 Le Thuy Hai’s LG Hanoi ACB FC ranked fourth at V-League 2004. Joining Binh Duong FC, Hai assisted the team to rank first at the V-League 2007 and 2008.

 Lu Dinh Tuan was the key striker of the Saigon Port FC. Coach Tuan is known to take Saigon FC to the championship of the First Division Tournament 2011.

 Tran Chinh was also a striker of the Saigon Port. As a coach, Chinh was praised to train Southern Steel – Saigon Port FC with a nice and effective playing style at V-League. He is now the coach of Binh Duong FC.

The National Coaching Council’s chief Nguyen Sy Hien said that the council would make a shortlist of candidates in early April before negotiating with each of them. After that, the council will suggest the best nominees to the VFF for approval

 (VNN)