Vietnam

Winfried Schafer: Vietnam can displace Thailand as Southeast Asia’s number one team

Former Thailand national team head coach Winfried Schafer has expressed his desire to lead Vietnam to reign the top spot in SEA region.

The 67-year-old German has been heavily linked with the Golden Stars following Nguyen Huu Thang’s decision to leave the national team.

“Thai football is the number one in Southeast Asia right now, it’s not arguable. But Vietnamese football has great potential. In my opinion, you can take the number one spot from them in a surprisingly short time,” Schafer told VnExpress reporter in an exclusive interview.

Schafer is no stranger to the regional football scene, having previously managed Thailand from 2011 to 2013 and guided them to the final of 2012 AFF Championship.

Recently, the German has been rumored to be the best candidate for the coaching position of Vietnam national team. However, he has demanded an after-tax salary of USD 40,000 per month, in which Vietnam Football Federation seems not to be able to afford.