Interview with the head coach of Cambodia National Team

Interview with the head coach of Cambodia National Team

Leonardo Vitorino, who was named as the head coach of the KoupreyBlues on 02 March 2017, has an exclusive interview with TheMorning via Messenger. The Brazilian has answered to our ten questions regarding his daily life in Cambodia and football career since his arrival at the Kingdom. Read the details as the following!

-TheMorning: What was your first impression after landing in the Kingdom of Cambodia?
-Leonardo Vitorino: My Impression about Cambodia changed totally after I moved here. The people here are very receptive, and they love football and the National Team. I really want to do something here to make these people happy with our football.

-TheMorning: Since your arrival, what are the places you have visited?
-Leonardo Vitorino: I visited some provinces: Takeo, Kandal, Siem Reap to see some soccer academies and Sinahouk ville in the New Year (2 days). I want go back when I have time in the Islands of Cambodia because it’s so beautiful.

-TheMorning: Have you tasted Khmer foods yet? If you have, what do you think about the foods? How often do you eat Khmer foods?
-Leonardo Vitorino: Actually I was eating around twice a week. I love Beef Lok Lak and the local rice is amazing (I love the white Rice of Cambodia!), but now my family arrived, and I am eating more Brazilian Food.

-TheMorning: Do you usually cook or eat out?
-Leonardo Vitorino: I like to cook. I prefer staying at home receiving my friends. In Brazil, we have the culture of receiving our friends at home.

-TheMorning: Where in Phnom Penh do you usually hang out in your free time?
-Leonardo Vitorino: Normally, I use my free time to care about my health, going to the Gym per example, or swimming. When I have free time, also I stay at home studying about the other teams, our team mistakes, and where we can improve.

-TheMorning: What do you think about the weather in Cambodia? Have you been accustomed to it yet?
-Leonardo Vitorino: The Weather is exactly the same as my Country (Brazil). I like it because sometimes it rains, and it’s good to practice sports.

-TheMorning: Can you speak any Khmer words now?
-Leonardo Vitorino: This is very hard point to me…. I am trying to learn from Internet, but at the moment just: SoukSabay [chea te] (How Are you?) and Aroun Suostei (Good Morning).

-TheMorning: What is the most challenging in your football coaching career?
-Leonardo Vitorino: I had something similar in Angola (Africa) where I worked 4 years ago. We started with many young players in the Team and after the fourth year this team was qualified to African Club Champions. But I think the biggest challenge will be here. Because put one National Team that never got impressive results in his history, with the FIFA Ranking position so down, without any youth competitions and development program in the clubs, it’s a really hard work we have to do. The Process to improve the National Team here will not depend only on my staff and me. We will need Club investments in the Youth Development Program, we will need the supporters to come to the stadium to make the League stronger, we will need more support of the Media to inform the supporters that our work is a long term process and support me and the Federation President to keep in its way and also the most important that we will need the players to put in their mind that the process now is professional– so they need be more professional inside their clubs and outside in their personal life.

-TheMorning: If you were able to be one of the most famous coaches/managers in the world, who would you choose yourself to be?
-Leonardo Vitorino: I really like the work of: Pepe Guardiola (Manchester City Coach), Jose Mourinho (Manchester United Coach), Tite (Brazil National Team Coach) and Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool Coach). I would be a 25% of each one of these coaches. Per Example: Guardiola -Team organizer and makes the team win always, play nice football. Mourinho – Winner. Where he works, he win titles. Tite – Football Tactical Expert and he knows how to make the top players of the world play the football for the collective to win the matches. Klopp - his passion, motivation, and knowledge of football make the team play for him knowing that the results lead to a greater professional appreciation of the whole group. The best of the new coaches generation.

-TheMorning: Which Cambodian club do you think will be likely to clinch the league title this season?
-Leonardo Vitorino: I cannot tell which one is favourite. I think there are four or five Clubs that will have a good chance. To me as the Cambodia National Team’s Head Coach, I really want the team who plays better football to win the League because they will represent Cambodia in the next AFC Cup 2018. So we will need to be strong for this competition.

Photo of Leonardo Vitorino Courtesy of LV Facebook

 — with Leonardo Vitorino and Luis Fernando Vitorino.