Nam Dinh FC changes head coach: New bottle but old wine

Despite appointing a new head coach, Nam Dinh FC has not made any significant progress in their coaching staff.

As previously reported, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh FC announced adjustments in the team's coaching personnel. Accordingly, Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien will take on the role of head coach, while Mr. Vu Hong Viet will serve as the club’s technical director.

Thus, Nam Dinh FC will swap roles on the coaching bench: the technical director moves up to head coach, and the head coach steps down to technical director. This change follows Vu Hong Viet’s resignation due to the team’s poor performance in both the V-League and the AFC Cup 2.

However, this decision is not what many had hoped for. It seems Nam Dinh FC’s move is mainly to appease fans demanding Vu Hong Viet’s dismissal after the disappointing loss to Gamba Osaka. For an ambitious team with many stars like Nam Dinh, can a technical director like Nguyen Trung Kien, who has never been a head coach elsewhere, really carry the team through tough times?

Expecting Nam Dinh to immediately change their playing style and tactics in the near future is unrealistic. This situation reminds Thành Nam fans of the period under coach Nguyen Van Sy. When the team struggled, Sy also stepped down to become technical director, allowing his brother Nguyen Van Dung to take over as head coach.

So the “new bottle, old wine” scenario happens again at Nam Dinh. What fans are really waiting for is a new strategist, possibly a foreign coach, who can bring fresh ideas and create breakthroughs in tactics, playing style, and team management.

It’s no coincidence that top V-League clubs like Ninh Binh, Hanoi FC, CAHN, and Viettel all employ foreign coaches. Hopefully, this is only a temporary move and Nam Dinh will soon appoint a top-class coach who can effectively utilize the high-quality players currently on the squad.