AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup
The 56-year-old Ijiri has built his coaching career through a mix of grassroots development and international tournament experience and will be aiming to clinch his first continental title.
He began his journey working in Vietnam’s grassroots system in 2019, playing a key role in developing young players through structured academy training and serving as technical advisor at the AFC U-16 Women's Championship 2019.
His early focus was on building strong fundamentals, introducing simple but effective drills and emphasising “real repetition” – a philosophy centred on quick recognition, decision-making and action under pressure.
His early focus was on building strong fundamentals, introducing simple but effective drills and emphasising “real repetition” – a philosophy centred on quick recognition, decision-making and action under pressure.
.jpg?w=2400&q=80)
Ijiri’s work in Vietnam quickly expanded to the national setup, where he took on multiple roles across the age groups. He served as head coach of Vietnam’s U19 and U20 women’s teams, guiding them through AFC competitions, while also contributing as a technical advisor to the senior national side during the Qualifiers for the 2020 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.
His ability to nurture young talent was evident during his time leading Vietnam’s U17 and U20 squads through the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualification and Finals stages in 2024, where he continued to prioritise discipline, repetition and tactical awareness.
His ability to nurture young talent was evident during his time leading Vietnam’s U17 and U20 squads through the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualification and Finals stages in 2024, where he continued to prioritise discipline, repetition and tactical awareness.
.jpg?w=2400&q=80)
Having started as an assistant coach with Japan’s U16 in 2010, Ijiri has now come full circle, bringing with him a wealth of experience in youth development and a clear coaching identity shaped by the six years of hands-on work in Vietnam.
Simple in approach but detailed in execution, Ijiri remains committed to building players from the ground up – ensuring they understand the game, make better decisions and perform consistently at a high level.
Simple in approach but detailed in execution, Ijiri remains committed to building players from the ground up – ensuring they understand the game, make better decisions and perform consistently at a high level.
Related News
Item 1 of 5