German coach Volker Hofferbert has returned to Laos to lead the Lao women's football team into two major regional tournaments.
The new coach of Lao women's football team's Volker Hofferbert. “This is second time for me to have the opportunity to work with Lao Football Federation officers in improving the standard of national footballers,” Hofferbert said.
“The biggest job for me is not only to help the federation to raise the standard of female footballers, but also to lead the national female team to compete in the Asean Women's Football Championship in Vietnam and next year's SEA Games in Laos.”
The players are currently on holidays but will attend a training camp this week. Hofferbert plans to organise local and international friendly matches to help them prepare.
The Lao women's team was ranked the lowest in the region and in the world, but newly elected Lao Football Federation President, Phouvanh Vongsouthi, believes the side can improve.
“We have confidence the team will become stronger under the guidance German coach Hofferbert. The federation will also appoint a Lao coach very soon to work together with Hofferbert and we hope the women's team will do their best,” he said.
“Hofferbert's coaching expertise is being offered to Laos as part cooperation between the German and Lao governments. The contract will run until the SEA Games in 2009.”
The first challenge for Hofferbert is to compete in the Asean Women's Football Championship which will take place in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam from October 7-20.
Another big challenge will be competing in the 2009 SEA Games on home soil. The main goal of the Lao Football Federation is for the team to make the semifinals or do even better. The team made the semis in its debut match at the 2007 SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima , Thailand .
This would be a good time for Lao female footballers to improve their skills and learn new tactics from Hofferbert, who has worked with the Lao Football Federation in the past.
Last year Hofferbert spent more than eight months helping the federation develop the skills of players and coaches around the country.
During his time in Laos the coach acted as an advisor to the U-20 and U-17 Lao national teams at the Asean championships. He also helped almost 100 coaches qualify for C and D coaching licences.
