The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has offered Chinese-born coach Chen Yun Fat a new two-year contract with the women’s national team in recognition of the team’s outstanding performance over the past two years.

He really wants to sign a new contract with VFF, sources close to him in Vietnam say, adding that his new salary would certainly be higher than the US$2,000 a month he is paid now.

Chen first took the post of head coach of the women’s Vietnamese team in late 2006 while the squad was facing a tough time and performing poorly. Under Chen’s coaching, the Vietnamese women’s team won a silver medal in the Southeast Asian Games in late 2007.

During the 2008 Women’s Asian Cup played in Ho Chi Minh City in May and June, Vietnam beat Thailand 1-0 in their group, which included Asian superpowers China and North Korea.

In the 2008 Women’s Asean Cup, in HCMC last month, Vietnam came second after losing 0-1 to Australia in the final. Earlier, the Vietnamese women beat both Myanmar and Thailand.

Reported by Minh Tuong