Southeast Asia Cambodia

Coach Leonardo Vitorino asks for patience from Cambodian fans

Cambodian national team head coach Leonardo Vitorino said he is working with the Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC) on a long term plan for the national team.

The Brazilian manager explained that he selected several young Cambodian footballers for the upcoming friendly because he was “doing it for the future,” and asked for patience from fans.

“We are not looking just to win an All-Star game to see everybody happy and go home, and then next year we go to a competition and lose”, the coach said in a conference, as quoted by The Khmer Times.

“We are looking for long-term development; the Under-20s, the Under-17s, and the Under -15s for the future of Cambodia. But I ask for patience from the fans. Some players are young and don’t have experience so this process will take time,” he added.

“Indonesia are a strong team, and we haven’t been able to beat them for over 20 years, so I’m selecting young players to refresh the team,” Vitorino explained.