In recent years, he has shared many times that he wanted to rest and not participate in coaching anymore. Then he still came back. Most recently, he signed a contract with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to lead the National Women's Team until the end of December 2025. Is this the last contract in coach Mai Duc Chung's career?
- Maybe it will be the last contract. I am old, I am 76 years old this year. If the retirement age is calculated according to State regulations, I have been retired for a long time.
The constant use of wanting to rest and back comes from age, from unfinished plans or for something else?
- A question is asked here, why do I come back? Who knows, some people will think I am self-conscious about work, even thinking that I should be self-conscious.
For me, this decision only comes from passion, dedication, and responsibility. I also don't think about what I can do. Throughout my life, I have accepted tasks many times simply because of personal responsibility and passion, not because I wanted to receive this or that, or for personal gain.
Before the Women's World Cup, I had planned to retire. At that time, the VFF convinced me, saying that I needed to lead the team to compete, I "broke the tongue" to make a point until 2023. After the World Cup, I had a plan to take a break, and actually took a break until May 2024.
I heard that the VFF had sought someone to replace me, but in the country, they had not seen anyone who could handle it. Hiring a foreign coach will of course be expensive, expensive, and the results are unknown?
At that time, the story of coach Troussier on the Men's Football Team was controversial. When men's football is like that, I also don't want to put more pressure on the federation.
Some women's team players called me and said that if I hadn't been there, they would have wanted to quit. I felt so sorry to hear that. If my players don't join the national team and only play at clubs, it will be very difficult, and they will waste their talent.
For many such reasons, I decided to return and sign a contract until December 2025. I affirm that I did not apply, but was invited by VFF to return to the position of head coach of the National Women's Football Team.
I will try one more time, at the end of this year, I will definitely quit.
Normally, coaches and the entire player community still position the value using "huge" numbers on salaries and bonuses on contracts. How do you " localise" your value?
- I can't position my value. I let people evaluate. If we consider the economic value, being a women's football coach will always be disadvantaged. The same goes for the athletes of the Women's Football Team. This does not only happen in Vietnam, but also in the world! For example, in the US, female national team star players like Alex Morgan also have to fight a lot for salaries and bonuses, when the income of female players is too low compared to male players.
Usually, the State will have equal investment and attention for the National Football Teams for men and women. But fans, sponsors... always prefer men's football. Therefore, there is a difference between the salary and bonus of the men's team and the women's team.
But I always keep in mind, work for passion, for responsibility. Sports cannot produce wealth, but sports bring great spiritual value, can connect people with people, can bring joy to millions of people to cheer, bring pride in flags and colors, bring a joyful atmosphere to the whole nation... That is the true value of sports.
Before the final contract, looking back at his career, from his time as a player, to becoming a coach leading the entire Men's Football Team, National Women's Football Team... is there any contract that has the greatest "weight" for him in terms of economic value?
- That is a contract with Becamex Binh Duong Club. But for me, the greatest value that sports bring me is the spiritual value, the joys - sorrows, the memories after each tournament. The biggest award I have received throughout my career is the title of Labor Hero.
So, what is the biggest turning point, the most memorable mark in his career?
- I have had more than 40 years of my career, from being a player to being a coach. As a player, I also experienced many important milestones, as a player honored to compete in the North-South summit in 1976 to celebrate the country's reunification of the two regions, I also experienced many matches in many memorable domestic and international tournaments... But I chose, the biggest turning point in my career was when I started to hold the position of head coach of the National Women's Football Team since 1997.
It is also rare for me to hold the position of coach in both the men's and women's national teams. World football is probably too small. Sometimes, many people even find it... curious and funny, when I do that! But I don't mind.
Throughout my career, I have repeated a sentence, I am a Party member - I am ready to accept all tasks, in any task I do my best, full responsibility assigned to me. Until now, I still hold that view firm.
As he said, his position as head coach of the Women's Football Team once aroused a lot of curiosity. The biggest difference for women in football is... they go through a "red light" every month. In the "red light" period, women will be affected both mentally and physically. As a man among so many women, how do you face and handle this?
- When standing in the position of coach, both in the men's and women's teams, you will have to handle many things. There are similarities, such as exercise routine, discipline, solidarity, handling personal conflicts... But it is true that the female gender has many differences compared to men. There is a story about girls who have a monthly "red light".
To be honest, I feel sorry for women in sports who suffer a lot of disadvantages. Sometimes the training schedule and competition schedule are too tight, they forget their youth, date, and get married like many other normal women.
My women's team has a very tight training schedule. Once, both the men's and women's teams practiced together in Nhon (Hanoi National Sports Training Center - PV). After the men's team finished before running to see the women's team practice, a male friend told me: "Why is the women's team's practice schedule so heavy, Dad?".
The women's team sometimes has to practice harder than the men's team. If they don't train like that, they won't be able to play 90 minutes to 120 minutes on the field. Women's football is really hard.
In 2003, the first SEA Game was held in Vietnam. The women's team has a chance to win the championship when playing the final against Myanmar in Lach Tray, Hai Phong. One day before the final, the doctor told me that in the official football squad, there was a friend who reached the "red light" stage, now what should I do? It was really too much for me.
When I became the coach of the Women's Team, I also read books on women's psychology. I know that during the "red light" days, women will have changes in their physical condition, psychology, and strength.
After thinking, I called her out to meet her privately and asked about it. She admitted that she was in the "red light" period. At that time, I said, So I cant play. I have to rest. If you continue to exercise and run at high intensity while there is a "red light", your baby will be affected, and you may even lose the ability to have children later...".
But she was very determined: "No, I will compete tomorrow, I will be in the starting lineup. My hand is about to touch the Gold Medal. I will compete.
While I was still thinking, not having time to answer anything, she rolled into the ground like a weekly thing, determined to be present in the final round.
I had to tell her to stand up, let me think more. By that afternoon's practice session, she practiced very "enthusiastically", showing great determination. In the end, I put her in the starting lineup, and we won the SEA Game Gold Medal that year, beating Myanmar 2-1.
Throughout my journey as a coach of the Women's Team, I have witnessed many times, their determination, competitive spirit, daring to do or dare to sacrifice their actions. Their dedication moved me a lot.
When you are among those women, you will be a father, a brother, a coach, and what is that more...)
- I consider them children and grandchildren. I really respect it. I always tell them, we live in a common house. tell me anything you need. The most important thing between us is solidarity. If there is no unity, it will be nothing.
At first, when I first joined the team, to be honest, there were many conflicts. There were conflicts that started at the club level, then spread to the national team.
I have to meet each friend to talk, listen, and share. I solve their psychological problems, advise and threaten them. Once, I told them, if there was such a conflict, I would not call them up to the national team anymore.
At the meal, I chose a separate corner, silently watching the players' actions, seeing if they argued or were cold to each other? When I saw them sitting together eating together, feeding each other, and stroking each other's hair, I was very happy. Solidarity is a manifestation of strength.
To be honest, women are more susceptible to conflicts and conflicts than men. Women often pay attention to small things, often whip around and compare. I know that, so everyone is the same.
When criticizing, you must also be delicate and gentle. If there are any shortcomings, I will call them separately to talk.
I set a disciplinary action in the team, if anyone comes to practice 5-10 minutes late, I will pay a fine of 200,000 VND. In the men's team, this fine is usually 1 - 2 million VND.
There are female players who cry when they receive a fine of 200,000 VND, because they do not have money. Many players of the women's team are still very poor.
Some people say that coaching is a very difficult job. emotional decisions are inevitable. And even the wrong decisions. Throughout his career, have there been any decisions that have made you feel tormented?
- There will definitely be wrong decisions. No one can be right forever. Me too! For example, when I decided to change a player to the field, but they could not develop, so I had to replace them. It was also a wrong decision.
In football, decisions are often temporary and must be made very quickly. There is a right decision at this time, but it will be wrong at another time.
When I have to decide, I will put collective thinking and efficiency first.
Each coach will have his own strategy, strategy, and rules of the job. Personally, for the women's team, I put affection and cohesion between individuals first.
When they are united, they create strength. I trust them very much. It is their strength that has also contributed to my confidence.
