Vietnam players are against the Philippines during the ASEAN U22 Championship in Cambodia. The Vietnamese team are asked to gold medal at the coming SEA Games. (Photo: foxsports.com.vn)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Newly-appointed U22 football coach Lee Young-jin hasbeen tasked with securing gold at the South Asian Games later this year in thePhilippines.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien in his recentvisit to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) office asked the Republicof Korean coach, who is contracted until the end of the games, to lead hischarges to the country’s first triumph at the tournament.
"Our men’s football team have never won the SEA Games. I set atarget of a gold medal at the 30th event. There is no looking back. We have togo forward. We need plans to make it happen. Now it is time for Vietnam tosecure a turning point," said Thien.
Before taking charge of the U22s Lee, was a key assistant for national teamhead coach Park Hang-seo.
He will be assisted by Park as a technical consultant and Dinh Hong Vinh,who has worked with young teams for a long time. The VFF also hopes to recruita Korean assistant to complete the coaching panel.
"The VFF has trust in Lee who experienced elite competitions as the WorldCup 1990 and 1994. He has the same philosophy as Park Hang-seo. In the lastyear working here he quietly contributed his ideas and made a strong influenceon the teams. He has also won the players’ hearts," said VFF GeneralSecretary Le Hoai Anh.
The team will select the top players from the U22 squad who won the bronzemedal from the ASEAN championship which ended on February 26 in Cambodia.
Lee plans to take in various V.League games to select his team.
He began his football career in 1986 and was part of the RoK team that competedin the World Cup in 1990 and 1994. He later managed Daegu FC in the K.League in2015.
The 30th SEA Games will be held from November 30 to December 11.-VNS/VNA
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