NONG: Another V-League coach loses job mid-season

Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong unexpectedly left his position at PVF-CAND after less than 4 months, as the team fell to the bottom of the V-League table and faced heavy pressure in the relegation battle.

The relegation battle in V-League 2025/26 witnessed a major shake-up in the coaching staff. Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong – a tactician known for his ability to "make the most of limited resources" at mid-tier clubs – voluntarily expressed his wish to step down from his role as head coach of PVF-CAND.

This decision was made just before round 16, after the police department's team suffered a painful last-minute defeat against Nam Dinh, pushing them to the bottom of the standings.

Taking over the team in late November 2025 as a replacement for his predecessor, Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong was expected to use his extensive experience to help the V-League newcomer navigate through turbulent times. However, the harsh reality did not favor the coach from Nghe.

In his 4 matches coaching in Vietnam's top league, he only secured 1 win against Becamex Binh Duong and lost 3 matches. Despite adding personnel like Reynolds and Duc Ly, PVF-CAND still hasn't solved the problem of integrating inexperienced young players with a group of veterans whose performance is declining.

Although his journey in the V-League didn't go as planned, his impact was recognized in the National Cup tournament. He helped PVF-CAND overcome Hoang Anh Gia Lai in a penalty shootout to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

However, in the priority arena of the V-League, with only 11 points after 15 rounds, the club's leadership understood they needed a fresh impetus to change their fate. Before departing, the strategist born in 1977 reached a high-level agreement with the club to "amicably part ways" in a smooth manner.

The person chosen to take over the "hot seat" is a very familiar name: Coach Tran Tien Dai. With experience as Technical Director and Head Coach at Cong An Hanoi, Mr. Dai is expected to bring the necessary resilience and tactical ingenuity to the team during the crucial final stage. The new head coach's task is extremely challenging as he must immediately revitalize the team's morale for a tough away match at Thong Nhat Stadium.

The departure of Coach Nguyen Thanh Cong leaves much regret for those who admired his dedicated working style. However, in professional football, results are the ultimate measure.

PVF-CAND is currently trailing their direct rivals in the relegation battle by 3 to 4 points, and the arrival of Mr. Tran Tien Dai is seen as the "necessary boost" for the team to hope for a spectacular escape in the remaining part of the season.