U Sein Hlaing

U Sein Hlaing (born 1920, Tarmwe township, Rangoon, Burma - (now Yangon, Myanmar)) is a retired national football team player and coach from Myanmar, generally regarded as being the most successful coach in the history of the national team.

He began playing football at a young age and appeared for the Seven Stars club while still at high school. Later he played for the Friends Union club in Burma's top level of club football as well as the Burma national team.

After his playing career ended, he took up his first coaching post with the Criminal Investigation Department club in 1952. After serving as coach with this club for ten years, he was appointed coach of the Burma national youth team in 1962. During his tenure as coach, the youth team enjoyed success - winning the Asian Under 20 tournament twice outright, and five more times shared with other teams.

From 1964, he was also coach of the full national team. He coached the national team to victory in the Asian Football Championships in 1966 and 1970 and in the Southeast Asian Games tournaments in 1967, 1969, 1971 and 1973. Myanmar shared the title with Thailand in 1965. This is the most successful period in Burmese football history.

He coached the team that qualified for, and played in the 1972 Olympic Games where, despite being eliminated in the first round, the Burmese team won the Fair Play award. He continued to coach the national team until retiring in 1979.

In 2004 he was awarded the Centennial Order of Merit by FIFA in recognition of his achievements as a coach.

References

* [http://www.myanmar.gov.mm/myanmartimes/no223/MyanmarTimes12-223/002.htm Myanmar Times & Business Review, July 2004]