Park Hang-seo says he will not coach another Southeast Asian national team because he fears facing Vietnam

Park Hang-seo says the thought of facing Vietnam from the opposing bench was enough to make him reject coaching offers from other Southeast Asian national teams.

In an interview with South Korean media, the 68-year-old former Vietnam coach said he had received approaches from several strong teams in the region after leaving the national side. But he did not intend to continue working as a national-team coach, and he found the prospect of playing against Vietnam especially difficult.

“Honestly, I have no intention of continuing as a coach. After leaving the Vietnam national team, I received many offers from Southeast Asian countries. They were all strong teams with quality. However, I was afraid of having to face Vietnam. Just thinking about it already felt frightening,” Park said.

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Honestly, I have no intention of continuing as a coach. After leaving the Vietnam national team, I received many offers from Southeast Asian countries. They were all strong teams with quality. However, I was afraid of having to face Vietnam. Just thinking about it already felt frightening.

Park explained that he had spent a long time in Vietnam and received deep affection from its supporters. After discussing the offers with his wife, he decided to turn them down. “It was difficult to accept those offers,” he said.

He also praised fellow South Korean Kim Sang-sik, who has guided Vietnam to two ASEAN Cup titles. Park coached Vietnam from 2017 to 2023, winning the 2018 AFF Cup, reaching the 2019 Asian Cup quarterfinals and helping the country win SEA Games gold in 2019 and 2021. He is regarded as one of the most successful coaches in Vietnamese football history.

Although he declined national-team jobs in Southeast Asia, Park has agreed to coach Thailand’s second-tier club Kanchanaburi Power. His task will be to help the club earn promotion after the 2026-27 season. He previously served as a vice president of the Korea Football Association and as head of South Korea’s delegation at the 2026 World Cup, but resigned after the team exited in the group stage.

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It was difficult to accept those offers.