Closing Ceremony of the AFC/VFF Goalkeeping ‘B’ Diploma Coaching Course – Module 2

The course was implemented in two phases: Phase 1 took place from 10 to 13 June 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, and Phase 2 from 19 to 22 December 2025 in Da Nang. Throughout the course, participants fully engaged in all assessment components, including theoretical evaluations and on-field practical sessions, while also completing homework assignments assigned by the instructor between the two phases to ensure continuity and depth in the training program.

The lead instructor of the course was Mr. Kato Yoshio, a FIFA/AFC/JFA Instructor with extensive experience, having been appointed by FIFA and the AFC to conduct more than 50 courses, and a co-founder of Japan’s goalkeeper development project. Mr. Kato previously played and coached Japanese goalkeepers at the FIFA World Cup, and was also directly involved in training Vietnam’s first cohort of “A” Licence Goalkeeper Coaches. Supporting the lead instructor were two Vietnamese assistant instructors: Coach Nguyen The Anh and Coach Chau Tri Cuong.

The training program was delivered based on the goalkeeper curriculum agreed upon by the Japan Football Association (JFA) and currently applied within Japan’s goalkeeper coach education system. Notably, if after the course the two Vietnamese assistant instructors are assessed by Mr. Kato Yoshio as being competent to teach independently, Vietnam will move towards self-sufficiency in the education of goalkeeper coaches for the “C” and “B” licences.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mr. Kato Yoshio shared: “I am 68 years old, but I have never stopped learning. Coaches should reflect deeply so that the knowledge can be digested and absorbed into themselves. After completing the course, continue to think and internalize what you have learned.”

Mr. Kato also highly praised the participants’ focus and strong desire for improvement, while expressing his thanks to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), the host organization with good facilities, the two Vietnamese assistant instructors for their professional and systematic work, as well as interpreter Minh An for her effective support throughout the course.

Representing the assistant instructors, Mr. Chau Tri Cuong expressed his gratitude to the VFF and instructor Kato Yoshio for creating the opportunity for him to take part in the course, and acknowledged the diligence and enthusiasm of the participants during the four working days of Phase 2. Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen The Anh emphasized the spirit of lifelong learning, encouraging the participants to continue improving, developing themselves, and working together in the future in the education of young coaches for Vietnamese football.

Representing the host unit, Lieutenant Colonel Huynh Manh Hoa from the National Defence Sports Centre 3 shared his remarks and expressed his hope for the participants’ understanding regarding weather conditions and pitch facilities that were not entirely ideal in some sessions, while also expressing his expectation that the coaches will continue to contribute to nurturing the future of Vietnamese football.

The course also received many positive reflections from the participants. Coach Lai Thi Tuyet, goalkeeper coach of Ha Nam Women’s Football Club (formerly Ninh Binh), and the only female goalkeeper coach attending the course, shared that she had learned numerous modern coaching methods, questioning techniques, ways to connect goalkeepers with the defensive line and the head coach, as well as improving her confidence in presentation skills and leadership roles.

Representing the participants, Coach Duong Hong Son (Hanoi FC – class monitor) and Coach Nguyen Tuan Manh (Khanh Hoa FC) highly appreciated the practical value of the course, noting that it helped shift coaching mindsets from experience-based approaches to more scientific methods, enhanced effective teamwork, and provided a deeper understanding of the goalkeeper’s pivotal role within the team.

At the conclusion of the course, the participants expressed their desire to continue learning and further improving their professional capacity in order to make meaningful contributions to their clubs, localities, and the overall development of Vietnamese football in the context of integration and growth.