Give women top jobs, says China’s Wu, as 4 men take charge at Asia football competition
Captain Wu Haiyan says change would be ‘big improvement’ for game ahead of women’s regional tournament, Japan head coach reveals why he quit Man City
As four male head coaches get set to lead their teams in the women’s East Asian Football Championship, the China captain Wu Haiyan said it “would be a very good improvement for football” if more women filled the top Asian jobs.
Wu’s international boss is Ante Milicic, who was appointed in May last year after Shui Qingxia was sacked following China’s failed Olympic qualifying campaign.
The six China bosses before Shui, who was in charge for two years until November 2023, were all men. China will begin their East Asian campaign on Wednesday night against a South Korea team helmed by Shin Sang-woo. Earlier in the day, Chinese Taipei, led by Hongkonger Chan Hiu-ming, will kick off the tournament against Nils Nielsen-managed Japan.
“I am a player now, so I only put my focus on how to play well, but in future, if there is any chance of more female high-level coaches, it would be a very good improvement for football,” Wu, who has more than 100 caps, told the Post.
The top nine Asian teams are managed by men, but South Korea skipper Lee Geum-min said she had “no comment about the gender of the coach”.
“What’s important is that the coach understands the team and the players they are coaching,” the Birmingham City forward added.