Park: 'I can be a coach for up to three more years'

Mr. Park returned to Korea to review a TV program made about him, and will return to Vietnam on February 16. Upon hearing this information, a large number of Korean press agencies were present at Incheon airport to wait and arrange an area to interview him directly here. Coach Park did not know this before returning home, so he was surprised.

The 67-year-old leader answered a total of 11 questions, many of which he shared from previous interviews such as whether he will not lead the national team or club in Vietnam or Korea, or established a youth football training academy in Vietnam.

Regarding the future work, he said: "In terms of health, I think I can be a coach for two to three years. My family also agrees on this issue." When asked if he received an offer from China or Southeast Asian countries, Coach Park said he would consider it depending on the country and conditions at that time.

He also mentioned that Vietnamese players go abroad to play football, saying that Vietnamese clubs are cautious and not as open as South Korea in transfers, hoping this can change in the future. "In fact, Vietnamese players are afraid to go to Korea," Coach Park said. "Cong Phuong used to play here and talked a lot about the difficulty in physical strength and fighting strength."

On this occasion, Coach Park criticized the Korean Football Federation (KFA) for appointing a new foreign technical director - Michael Muller. "I was scolded by my son for mentioning this," Coach Park shared. "I can be away from Korean football for a long time but still don't understand. My opinion is that this position should belong to the natives."

Regarding the establishment of a youth football academy in Vietnam, he said he was establishing contacts. Many proposals have been made, but no further progress has been made. In addition, it is not easy for Koreans to invest in Vietnam.

Park is considered the most successful coach in the history of Vietnamese football with the achievement of winning the AFF Cup 2018 and bringing the team to the third qualifying round of Asia, the 2022 World Cup as well as the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup 2019. At the U23 level, he helped Vietnam win two consecutive SEA Games gold medals in 2019, 2021, into the 2018 Asian U23 final and ranked fourth at ASIAD 2018.

After five years with him, he did not renew his contract when his contract expired on January 31.