Philippe Troussier - More-than-1-year-journey with the Vietnamese football team
His journey with the Vietnam football team left a lasting impact, albeit one marked by challenges. However, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and Troussier mutually agreed to terminate his contract prematurely in 2024. Let's delve into CakhiaTV's coverage to gain deeper insights into Philippe Troussier's contributions to Vietnamese football.
1. Who is Philippe Troussier? His Influence on Vietnamese Footballers
Philippe Troussier was born in 1955 in Paris, France. He began his coaching career after ending his relatively short career as a player in Ligue 1 and had no notable achievements.
Troussier is famous for leading the Nigerian national team, helping them qualify for the 1998 World Cup. Then, he brought the Burkina Faso national team to the semi-finals of the 1998 African Championship and led the South African national team to the 1998 World Cup.
In Asia, this coach is famous for helping Japan win the U20 World Cup runner-up in 2000 and then win the 2000 ASIAN Cup. Under Trousier, this country also had the opportunity to participate in the round of 16. at the 2002 World Cup. This was the first time Japan passed the group stage at the World Cup.
Philippe Troussier was a miracle for Japanese football
After working at the PVF Center, Troussier led the U19 Vietnam team after Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan and prepared for the 2020 U20 Asian Finals. However, due to the impact of COVID-19, this tournament was canceled, marking the end of the tournament with no clear contribution of Troussier for Vietnam.
2. Philippe Troussier's Tenure as Head Coach of the Vietnam National Football Team
Head coach Philippe Troussier's tenure leading the national football team has been deemed quite regrettable. In contrast to the lofty expectations of fans and the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), his contributions to Vietnamese football have been notably scant.
2.1. Transitioning from the Park Hang Seo Era to Philippe Troussier's Coach
On February 27, 2023, the VFF held the announcement ceremony for the Vietnam national football team's head coach. Philippe Troussier, a French national, officially assumed the mantle for a 3-year term, spanning from March 1, 2023, to July 31, 2026. He succeeded Coach Park Hang Seo, whose tenure had seen remarkable achievements for Vietnamese football.
Philippe Troussier spoke highly of his predecessor's legacy to Park Hang-seo. He also expressed his commitment to realize the future aspirations of Vietnamese football along with his team.
Notably, Troussier shared his profound aspirations for Vietnamese football. These reflect on his extensive experience leading eight diverse teams worldwide, participating in prestigious events like the World Cup, Olympics, and African tournaments, amassing over 200 international matches.
Despite recognizing the challenges ahead, Troussier pledged to elevate Vietnamese football to new heights. His first goal is to defend the SEA Games gold medal and bring Vietnam to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Compensation for Troussier's leadership of the Vietnamese national football team amounts to $60,000 per month, equating to $720,000 annually. It also surpassed the terms of Coach Park Hang-seo's final three years, during which he received $50,000 monthly post-tax.
Transitioning from the Park Hang Seo Era to Philippe Troussier's Coach
2.2. Regrettable Termination of Troussier's Contract with VFF
As per the VFF agreement, Philippe Troussier was tasked with coaching both the Vietnam team and U23 Vietnam from March 1, 2023, to July 31, 2026. However, after over a year, the teams' performances under his guidance faltered significantly.
On the national team, Troussier secured only 4 victories out of 14 matches, marking the lowest winning rate in the history of national team coaches. Additionally, the Vietnam U23 team, under his tutelage, faced elimination in the semi-finals of the 2023 SEA Games.
In the 2023 Asian Cup, the Vietnamese Team became the first team to be eliminated right from the group stage, even though in the previous season, the Golden Star Warriors reached the Quarterfinals. The wave of opposition to coach Troussier has recently risen in the Vietnamese fan community.
For the first time since the 2004 AFF Cup, the Vietnamese team lost to Indonesia with a score of 0-3. Consequently, VFF opted to terminate his contract prematurely.
Overall, Troussier's tenure spanned one year, one month, and eight working days as head coach of both the U23 team and the Vietnam national football team. Throughout this time, Troussier endeavored to rejuvenate the squad and instill a new philosophy of ball control play.
Initially, the team achieved commendable results, securing victories against Hong Kong (China), Syria, and Palestine. However, from October 2023 onwards, the team suffered a string of defeats.
The Vietnam team's elimination from the 2023 Asian Cup group stage and their dwindling FIFA rankings underscored the mounting pressure on Troussier. Everyone, especially Cà khịa TV fans, expressed their disappointment with the terrible performances of both the U23 team and the national team.
An objective analysis reveals that this failure cannot be solely attributed to Coach Philippe Troussier, although he took full responsibility. His squad selections revealed the national team's limited personnel options. This problem is exacerbated by a dearth of promising young talent—a legacy of Park Hang Seo's time.
Regrettable Termination of Troussier's Contract with VFF
2.3. VFF's Compensation Obligations towards Troussier's Contract
According to the contract inked between the Vietnam Football Federation and Coach Philippe Troussier last year, termination without compensation was stipulated under specific conditions. Notably, if the Vietnamese team secured a second-place finish in the second World Cup qualifying round in June 2024, Troussier could be dismissed without compensation.
Conversely, failure to achieve agreed-upon results would require VFF to compensate Troussier substantially, rumored to amount to approximately 40 billion VND.
Following the defeat to Indonesia on March 26, VFF and Troussier reached an accord to part ways without compensation, as outlined in the contract. However, VFF extended support to Troussier with an equivalent amount to a few months' salary—estimated at 4-5 billion VND.
Presently, VFF has yet to secure a replacement for Troussier in both the Vietnam team and U23 Vietnam. At this time, Coach Hoang Anh Tuan has been appointed to lead U23 Vietnam at the 2024 U23 Asian finals.
The above article by Cakhia TV has helped you better understand coach Philippe Troussier and his journey with the Vietnamese football team. Even though his coaching contract ended, his contributions still exist in Vietnam. Don't forget to follow us for more interesting information about the world of football.