Vietnam Football Federation signs, extends talent development contracts with Japanese experts
Thursday, February 13, 2025, 11:43 GMT+7
The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) signed a contract with Japanese expert Yutaka Ikeuchi and extended its contract with technical director Takeshi Koshida on Wednesday as it pursues the development of Vietnamese football.
Ikeuchi was appointed as the technical supervisor of the Vietnam U17 team for the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025 finals in Saudi Arabia.
Born in 1961 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Ikeuchi played for Japan’s national team from 1981 to 1985.
After retiring as a player, he transitioned to coaching and made significant contributions to Japanese football.
Notably, he has served as director of the Japan Football Association (JFA) Men’s Football Academy and head coach of Japan’s national U15, U16, and U17 teams.
Most recently, he was head coach of the JFA Fukushima U15 Academy and director of Wyvern Football Club.
Ikeuchi holds the prestigious JFA Class S Coach certification for professional team and player training and has been involved in the JFA’s technical and women’s football committees.
With Ikeuchi’s appointment, the VFF aims to enhance the development of the Vietnam U17 team by introducing advanced training methods as it pursues strong results in the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025 finals.
This tournament presents the Vietnam U17 team with an opportunity to secure a place in the U17 World Cup 2025, following FIFA’s decision to increase the number of participating teams to 48 from 24, with Asia granted eight spots.
The AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025 finals will take place from April 3 to 20 in Saudi Arabia.
Vietnam are placed in Group B, alongside defending champions Japan, Australia, and the UAE.
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| General Secretary of the Vietnam Football Federation Nguyen Van Phu (R) and Japanese technical director Takeshi Koshida following his contract extension in Hanoi on February 12, 2025. Photo: Vietnam Football Federation |
In preparation for the tournament, Vietnam U17s will begin training in early March under the guidance of Brazilian coach Cristiano Roland, whose contract with the VFF is expected to be finalized soon.
Additionally, the VFF has extended Takeshi Koshida’s contract as VFF technical director through 2025.
Koshida was born in 1960 in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.
VFF General Secretary Nguyen Van Phu emphasized that Koshida’s contract extension aligns with Vietnam’s football development strategy, particularly the importance of coaching education at the youth level.
Since joining the VFF in June 2023, Koshida has contributed to organizing 16 AFC coach training courses, evaluating Vietnamese football instructors, and hosting seminars to help Vietnamese coaches stay updated on global football trends.
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