The AFC Pro Diploma Course organised by Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) was held in Kanto for three weeks from Saturday, 27 August to Monday, 19 September.

The AFC Pro Diploma Course is a course to obtain the highest level of coaching licence issued by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the course consists of four modules. The course held in Japan was the second module, which emphasised on club attachment. With the support of Shonan Bellmare, Kawasaki Frontale, Tokyo Verdy, and Yokohama FC, the participants were given the opportunity to observe and analyse the training sessions and matches of the top team and youth teams of each club. Through the discussion sessions held with the club staff, including the head coach and general manager, the participants learned how each team prepares for every match, how coaches should behave, and what it means to be a professional club.

At Prince Takamado Memorial JFA YUME Field, the participants deepened their knowledge through lectures on the vision of Japanese football, youth development, the Physical Fitness Project, and the GK Project.

The matches analysed were as follows.

AFC Elite Instructor’s Comment

ADACHI Yusuke, VFF Technical Director
Thanks to the full cooperation of the JFA, we were able to carry out the overseas club attachment course, which was the second of the four modules of the AFC Pro Diploma Course organised by the VFF. A total of 12 participants, including managers and coaches from the V.League (professional football league in Vietnam), took part in the course.

The contents of this course were as follows.

・Lecture and observation of the history and future measures of various JFA initiatives (Mr. Kageyama/Mr. Nakayama/Mr. Nishikawa)
・Lectures and practical sessions conducted by the JFA Physical Fitness Project (Mr. Kanno/Mr. Yasumatsu) and the GK Project (Mr. Kawamata)
・Observation and analysis of trainings and matches conducted by the top teams and youth teams of J.League clubs (Shonan Bellmare/Kawasaki Frontale/Tokyo Verdy/Yokohama FC)
・Observation of J.League and Emperor's Cup matches (Kawasaki Frontale/Shonan Bellmare/Tochigi SC/Thespakusatsu Gunma/Sanfrecce Hiroshima/YSCC Yokohama/SC Sagamihara/Tokyo Verdy/Blaublitz Akita/Kashiwa Reysol/Yokohama FC/Ventforet Kofu)
・Lecture to deepen understanding of the diverse pathways of player development in Japan. Observation of trainings, elite programmes, and league matches involving town clubs, school clubs, and J.League club academies. (Makuhari Sohgoh High School/FC Toripletta Shibuya/Tokyo Training Centre System/ Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-18 Football Premier League East/U13 Kanto Youth League/Mr. Hoshihara)

The above were carried out during the course of a three-week programme.

After learning the initiatives carried out by the JFA during the first week, we visited various sites and watched J.League matches to broaden our knowledge during the second and third week. During visits to J1 and J2 clubs, the participants were given lectures by the coaches regarding the objectives of their trainings, their philosophy as coaches, and their approach to coaching from the youth development to the professional level. In addition, a lecture was given by the club staff on club philosophy, the idea of having a consistent development programme from the academy to the top team, strengthening of the team and player transfers, and the club budget and allocation. The entire programme once again reminded us of the effectiveness of the initiatives carried out in Japan. I believe that what the participants have learned in this module will be a lifelong asset for their future career and will contribute to the further development of football in Vietnam. Finally, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to all those involved from the JFA and the J.League for their efforts in making this course possible.

Participants' Comments

Mr. CHU DINH NGHIEM
The hospitality of the JFA was excellent and the heartfelt welcome from the JFA staff was also wonderful. As we took part in various lectures, we were surprised by the size of the JFA organisation and the fact that all departments are working collectively to achieve the same mission. I also learned that leagues of different age groups exist in Japan, because of the tireless efforts of many people involved. Through our visits to town clubs and J.League clubs, we were able to learn a lot about how to run an academy. The lecture on game analysis reminded me that I need to make more efforts to analyse the “Off the ball movement” I would like to share this information with the owners of my club and make use of the knowledge I have gained in Japan to improve the quality of our academy. Lastly, I was very impressed by the amount of respect shown to the referee by the players in all categories. It showed the good relationship between the two sides and allowed us to feel the spirt of fair play. I would like to convey and spread this spirit in Vietnam.

Ms. VAN THI THANH
I have been to Japan before as a player and was very impressed by the warm hospitality of the Japanese people. From the staff to the management, they were always dedicated and helpful, and always greeted us with a smile. The JFA worked very hard for us to organise this course. by liaising with the clubs, and even made accommodation arrangements and arranged a dedicated liaison to assist us with the programme. Even when the lectures were held late at night, the staff stayed until the end, and we are really grateful to them. The facilities at JFA House and JFA YUME Field, where we held our course, were excellent. It is not an overstatement to say that they are the best in Asia. I learned a lot about team management through the lectures given by the general managers and coaches of the J.League clubs. I was particularly impressed to learn about the history, philosophy, and strategy of each club. We were also given the opportunity to learn about player development from JFA Academy, J.League academies, town clubs, and school clubs. One of the most important things I learned was that “individual development,” especially individual technique and tactics, is key in developing a player at any given level, including the professional level. I am involved in player development at the VFF, but after coming to Japan, I felt that I still have a lot to learn and that there were many things I needed to improve on. I would like to implement what I have learned in Japan to my daily practice in Vietnam. In particular, I would like to make use of their way of thinking about player development.

Mr. HUA HIEN VINH
I cannot thank the JFA enough for all their support over the three weeks. I think it was truly wonderful. I gained a lot of valuable knowledge, in both logical and practical terms, during this module in Japan. There were many valuable information that is not easily accessible in Vietnam, including how leagues are managed in each category. I was really impressed by the fact that everyone, from the junior level to the professional leagues, shared the same values and worked hard to organise these leagues. I also gained a lot of expert knowledge as a professional coach. For example, in youth development, I learned what the players need to learn at each age category in order to reach the professional level. I also learned a lot about game analysis and planning to take my team to the next level. When I return to Vietnam, I want to first reflect on this course, organise everything in my head, and extract the necessary knowledge for my own team. I would like to share what I have learned in Japan with my colleagues in Vietnam. I would also like to recommend my fellow Vietnamese coaches to come to Japan and see for themselves. Specifically, I would like them to see the grassroots and school club activities in Japan. They should also see the level and attitude of the training centres and the coaches in Japan.

Accepting teams from AFC Member Associations to hold training camps/courses in Japan

Upon receiving requests to hold training camps/courses in Japan, JFA will make necessary arrangements in efforts to support the AFC Member Associations.
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