Former Azkals boss signs with Vietnam club

This appears in the Thursday March 10, 2011 edition of the Business Mirror.

Former Azkals boss signs with Vietnam club

by rick olivares

Spurned former Philippine Men’s National Football Team head coach Simon McMenemy was confirmed yesterday by Vietnamese V-League side Dong Tam Long An as their new gaffer. The Haywards Heath, England native inked a two-year contract and will begin work next week.

The 33-year old English coach is ironically back in Vietnam after guiding the Philippines to an incredible Suzuki Cup stint that sent shock waves not just throughout the Southeast Asian region but also across the world.

Under McMenemy’s guidance the Philippines qualified for the Suzuki Cup semifinals for the first time after a 1-1 draw with Singapore, the momentous victory over Vietnam and the scoreless draw with Myanmar. Against a powerhouse Indonesian team, the Azkals, as the Philippine team is nicknamed, held the Merah Putih to only two goals. Unfortunately, the Philippines’ storybook run came to an end.

But with the entry of the Deutscher Fussball Bund, the German football federation, which offered around November of 2010 to help out the Philippine team, McMenemy found himself cast out.

McMenemy is looking forward to the challenge at Dong Tam Long Ao, a team who won the V-League in both 2005 and 2006 but finished has since slipped in the standings. The club finished a disappointing fifth in 2010.

With the 2011 season underway and Dong Tam Long Ao floundering at the near bottom, the club has looked to McMenemy to revive their sagging fortunes.

 “I am really excited to be back in football. People in Vietnam remember me because the Philippines beat the national team 2-0 here when I was head coach,” said McMenemy. “There was always a strong possibility I would end up working here once my time with the Philippines came to an end. The V-League season has already started so it is not an ideal time to come in. It will be a gradual process but I am confident that eventually I will be able to turn Dong Tam Long Ao around and get this team back where it belongs at the top of the table.”

Prior to his surprise appointment as head coach of the Philippines McMenemy had been working as assistant manager of Isthmian Division One side Worthing. He has also managed Haywards Heath.

“It was disappointing that my spell as head coach of the Philippines was so short and that it had to end like that but I have fantastic memories of my time in charge of that team and don’t want to dwell on the negative aspects. I actually started work on a book about my experiences there while I was out of work and it is close to completion. One thing I do remember from the game against Vietnam was how passionate and knowledgeable the fans were and I am looking forward to being in front of them on a regular basis,” added McMenemy.

Dong Tam Long An are one of the most successful sides in the history of Vietnamese football. They have won the V-League twice, finished runners up three times and won the Vietnamese Cup and the Vietnamese Super Cup once. They have also appeared in the AFC Champion’s League, the Asian equivalent of the UEFA Champion’s League, on two occasions.

Dong Tam Long An play their home matches at the 20,000 capacity Long An Stadium in Tân An, Vietnam. Tân An is the capital city of Long An Province in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. It is located 47 km away from Ho Chi Minh City.

Ironically, former Vietnam coach Henrique Calisto, who refused to shake McMenemy’s hand following Vietnam’s loss to the Philippines, managed Dong Tam Long An.