VFF will not dismiss Coach Philippe Troussier

During a press meeting in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday (January 29th), representatives of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) affirmed their continued support for Coach Philippe Troussier. In March, the Vietnam national team will play two matches against Indonesia as part of the World Cup qualifiers.

Discussing preparations for these matches, VFF’s Vice President in charge of communications, Nguyen Xuan Vu, stated, “The national team is not the private asset of VFF or Coach Troussier. It’s the collective asset of the nation.”

“We will work with the clubs to ensure the national team has the best possible squad before entering the World Cup qualifiers in March,” added Vice President Nguyen Xuan Vu.

Coach Troussier’s Vietnam team was eliminated in the group stage of the 2023 Asian Cup, notably losing 0-1 to neighboring team Indonesia. Despite the disappointment at the Asian Cup 2023, VFF expressed that they consider various opinions, including both mainstream and social media. The criticism of Coach Troussier primarily comes from social media channels. VFF’s immediate focus is on preparing for the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia.

Before the 2023 Asian Cup, there were several instances of players reporting injuries to avoid joining the national team. This issue was also raised during the press meeting.

The media expressed hope for a more thorough evaluation by VFF based on specific medical reports to avoid speculation that some players are unwilling to contribute to the national team, using injuries as an excuse to withdraw.

Another key topic was VFF’s support for Coach Troussier, especially given the current challenges he faces. In particular, what would be his fate if the Vietnam national team continues to perform poorly in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers?

Addressing this, Vice President Nguyen Xuan Vu said, “VFF’s goal for Coach Troussier is to succeed in the World Cup qualifiers, specifically the two matches in March.”

“If the team doesn’t succeed, VFF will sit down with Coach Troussier to discuss. However, the contract doesn’t include a clause for immediate dismissal of the French coach,” he affirmed.

In professional football today, it’s rare for contracts to include clauses for mid-term dismissal of coaches. Parties usually respect the contract to the end, or the employer must compensate the coach if the contract is terminated early. Coach Troussier’s contract with the Vietnam national team extends until the end of the 2026 World Cup.