Vietnam coach quits after media criticism

HANOI, March 3 (Reuters) - Vietnam's soccer coach has
resigned after what he felt was unfair media criticism following
his team's failure to retain the AFF Cup in December. 

Portuguese tactician Henrique Calisto, whose contract with
the national squad was due to run until 2013, was released by
the Vietnam Football Federation on Wednesday with local media
reporting he would take over at Thai champions Muang Thong
United. 

He denied his departure had anything to do with salary and
said he was disappointed with the media after Vietnam failed to
defend the southeast Asian title after losing to eventual
winners Malaysia in a lacklustre semi-final. 

"Last year, five clubs from Kuwait, Dubai and China offered
me higher salaries than what I get here but I refused them," he
told Tuoi Tre newspaper. 

"But I feel disappointed with some newspaper columns heaping
criticism against me and my men. And that is the most important
reason for my leaving." 

Calisto coached Vietnam's national squad for a year in 2002
and left to help Dong Tam Long An F.C. to two V-League titles.
He then returned in 2008 to lead Vietnam to the AFF Cup title. 

(Reporting by Tan Jinhe in Singapore; Edited by Patrick
Johnston; To query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)