National Coaches Council Chairman Nguyen Sy Hien (C) talks with coach Henrique Calisto (L)

Vietnam’s national team coach Henrique Calisto and the National Coaches Council will meet today to discuss the selection of assistant coaches for the national and U23 teams.

He said he had met with the chairman of the Vietnam Football Federation Tuesday to discuss the “goals of the national and U23 teams this year.”

Today’s meeting follows a February 19 suggestion to the VFF by the coaching council’s Vice Chairman Tran Van Phuc, to create two separate coaching staffs so that Calisto could focus on the national team. Calisto, who wasn’t present at the meeting when the suggestion was made, had seemed unhappy about the idea and declined to comment.

VFF’s National Teams Department Deputy Manager Nguyen Trong Giap said, “All meetings and discussions between Calisto and VFF about plans for the two teams must be based on the content of the contract. We can’t go beyond it.

“As far as I know, no part in the contract said VFF would choose assistant coaches for Calisto. It said the two sides [Calisto and VFF] must cooperate to make choices.”

Hien said at Tuesday ’s meeting the “National Coaches Council would listen to Calisto’s opinion about his selection of assistant coaches. The council will only make suggestions if Calisto needs it.”

The Coaches Council Chairman said if Calisto makes the selection by himself, the council will not make any suggestions.

“To avoid disagreements and achieve the best results, VFF will wait for Calisto to choose. VFF will not show a list of recommended names before Calisto mentions his favorite names.”

When Calisto signed the contact in mid-2008 the emphasis was on the National team because of the Asian Football Federation (AFF) Cup. The U23 had no competition commitments in the second half of last year.

But this year, the Coaches Council is concerned because Calisto will have dual commitments - with the U23s playing in the SEA Games in Laos and the National team playing in the 2010 World Cup qualifying round.

It is not certain if respected coaching assistant Mai Duc Chung will be on Calisto’s list.

Hy said yesterday, “I myself really want to use Chung’s talent. Chung and Calisto haven’t met since Chung and his U22 team won the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia last October.

“Calisto has only read translated articles in newspapers, so he might have had some misunderstandings about Chung.

“However, Calisto and Chung are good friends, so I believe they will do the best thing for Vietnamese football. It will all depend on their goodwill.”

Meanwhile, speaking to Thanh Nien yesterday, Calisto said he would take care of two teams as per the contract but he would need more assistants.

Apart from his three current assistants Ngo Le Bang, Phan Thanh Hung and Tran Van Khanh, the Portuguese tactician would need at least two more to take care of both teams.

Calisto said there would not be many changes to the national team players lineup; but he would need some time to consider the U23 team.

Reported by Lan Phuong - Quang Tuyen