Coach Henrique Calisto (L) receives a gift of souvenir from his assistant coach Duc Thang in Hanoi on March 21, 2011 Photo: Tuoi TreThe former head coach of the Vietnamese national football team, Henrique Calisto returned to Hanoi Monday and paid a total of US$44,000 as compensation for his premature termination of the contract due in 2013.

The compensation complies with the contract that rules a two-month-salary payment by the side wishing for premature termination.

Later in the evening, the 58-year-old Portuguese man, who resigned early this month, had a party to bid farewell to players and assistant coaches and officials of Vietnam.

Calisto told the party he will return to Vietnam in May when his team Muang Thong United FC of Thailand take on T&T Hanoi at the Asian Cup.

The coach had cited unfair public criticism by Vietnamese media against him and his men after their failure at the Suzuki Cup last year as the main reason that urged him to resign from the post.

In Vietnam, he earned his monthly wage of $22,000, while it is reported that the Thai top-flight club Muang Thong United paid him $30,000 a month.