For the first time since the AFF Cup took place in 1996 all contestants were handled by foreign coaches. AFF Cup 2022 without local coach.
Previously, the record for the minimum number of local coaches occurred in the 2002 and 2020 editions. In these two editions there was only one local coach, and the rest had at least two local coaches.
In 2002, only Laos was handled by a local coach, namely Soutsakhon Oudomphet. As for 2020 (2021) only Malaysia will be handled by a local coach, namely Tan Cheng Hoe.
Losing the prestige of local trainers compared to foreign coaches is none other than because the performance of foreign coaches is considered optimal. Vietnam, for example, could become the best ASEAN team thanks to Park Hang Seo's touch.
Vietnam's success made Indonesia join the services of a trainer from the country of ginseng, Shin Tae Yong. Shin's presence also raised the dignity of Indonesian football.
This was followed by Malaysia. After parting ways with Tan, Harimau Malaya brought in another trainer from South Korea, Kim Pan Gon. It is hoped that Malaysian football will return to glory.
These three coaches from South Korea also dominated the AFF Cup. For the first time in the history of the biennial championship there are three coaches from the same country.
Apart from South Korea, there are three countries that also contributed the most coaches, namely Spain, Japan and Germany. These three countries both contributed two coaches.
Which coach will lift the 2022 AFF Cup trophy? Will the Brazilian coach return like 2020 or the South Korean coach like 2018? If you look at the current standings, the South Korean coach is victorious.
From Group A coaches from Brazil and South Korea competed on behalf of Thailand and Indonesia, while in Group B the two South Korean coaches both had the opportunity to qualify for the semifinals.