Japanese expert heads V-League organising board

03:02, 21/02/2014

Japanese football expert, Tanaka Koji, has officially taken office as head of the V-League Eximbank 2014 organising board following the signing of a one-year contract with the Vietnam Professional Football Company (VPF) on February 18. 

Japanese football expert, Tanaka Koji, has officially taken office as head of the V-League Eximbank 2014 organising board following the signing of a one-year contract with the Vietnam Professional Football Company (VPF) on February 18. 

PF General Director Pham Ngoc Vien presents congratulatory flowers to Tanaka Koji (left)
PF General Director Pham Ngoc Vien presents congratulatory flowers to Tanaka Koji (left)

Koji is the first foreigner to work as head of the V-League organising board in the history of Vietnam’s professional football.

With extensive experience in youth training and management and within Japan’s top tier league, J-League, Koji is expected to help improve the professionalism of Vietnam’s domestic football tournaments.

Addressing the signing ceremony, VPF General Director Pham Ngoc Vien pledged that the VPF would support Koji in his new post, making sure he has everything he needs to work.

Koji said he plans to spend time reviewing the state of the V-League so that he can make sound recommendations to the organising board, moving towards better management and organisation of the tournament.

Born in Saitama city in 1955, Koji played for Japan’s national football team from 1982 to1984. From 1993 to 1995 he coached Japan’s junior teams and then served as CEO of Vegalta Sendai FC in 2003-2005.

(Source:Nhan Dan)