The ‘godmother’ of Thai football praised by enemy general Park Hang-seo
Can Park Hang-seo (64) coach Park Hang-seo (64) win the championship trophy and “last dance” with a thrilling comeback in the final match as the Vietnamese soccer team’s commanding tower?
Vietnam will take part in the second round of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Mitsubishi Championship Final against its rival Thailand at Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand on the 16th at 9:30 pm (Korean time). The first leg home game was a 2-2 draw. However, according to the away goal rule, Vietnam is at a disadvantage than Thailand. To win, you need at least 3 goals, even if you win or draw against Thailand. If the match is tied 2-2, extra time will be played, and if a winner is still undecided, a penalty shoot-out will be held.
Coach Park, who took command of the Vietnamese national team in September 2017, won the championship cup for the first time in 10 years at the same tournament in 2018, followed by defeating China and drawing with Japan in the final qualifying round for the World Cup in Qatar.
Coach Park, who won gold medals at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2019 and last year, also received the Best Foreign Leader Award in Vietnam earlier this month selected by the Vietnamese Sports Authority.
On the 13th, at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi, where the first leg of the tournament, which was the last game in Vietnam, was held, a large placard with “Thank you, Park” was hung.
As if reciprocating, coach Park said, “It is true that Thailand has an advantage, but there is no reason for us to give up. If we win (the second game), we will win,” he expressed his determination.
On the other hand, Nuanpan Lam Sam (57), 안전놀이터 general manager of Thailand known as ‘Madame Fang’, praised Coach Park in an interview with Vietnamese media outlet VN Express, saying, “Coach Park is a person who changed not only Vietnamese football but also the landscape of Southeast Asian football.”
Ram Sam, the CEO of an insurance company in Thailand and also involved in the overseas luxury business, is the ‘godmother’ of Thai football, appearing on TV cameras more often than coach Alexandre Polking of the Thai national team.