“Hot seat” in V.League

V.League 2025-2026 has only gone through 7 rounds but has already witnessed teams changing coaches. The heat is being created by the teams right from the beginning.

On October 24, Nam Dinh Club officially announced the appointment of coach Nguyen Trung Kien as head coach of the team from Thanh Nam. Meanwhile, coach Vu Hong Viet will become the CEO of Nam Dinh. This will be a new turning point for the reigning V.League champion in a season with many changes.

Mr. Vu Hong Viet left the position of head coach of Nam Dinh. Photo: NDFC

The recent poor form is considered the main reason for this decision. Nam Dinh have gone 5 consecutive matches without a win in all competitions, including 4 draws and 4 losses in the V.League.

From being a championship candidate, the team from Thanh Nam has now fallen to 9th place on the rankings. The 0-2 loss to Ninh Binh in the 4th round of V.League on September 22 is considered the beginning of a period of decline. Despite possessing a strong force with many quality foreign players and receiving large investments in the new season, Nam Dinh still lacks cohesion and efficiency in their performance.

Mr. Vu Hong Viet, born in 1979, used to lead the national youth teams and Quang Nam club, and is also an assistant coach of the Vietnam national team. Joining Nam Dinh in 2022, he helped the team win two consecutive V.League championships (2023 and 2024). After parting ways, Nam Dinh club will soon appoint a new coach to continue competing in the V.League, National Cup, AFC Champions League Two and ASEAN Club Championship 2025-2026.

Previously, in mid-September 2025, Hanoi FC parted ways with coach Makoto Teguramori. The interim manager was Technical Director Yusuke Adachi. This decision was made after Hanoi FC's poor start in the 2025-2026 V.League. From being highly anticipated, the capital team only earned 1 point after 3 matches, ranking second to last in the rankings. This shows the fierce pressure and strict requirements for performance in Vietnam's top tournament.

Coach Makoto Teguramori, born in 1967, led Hanoi FC in the second phase of the 2024-2025 season and helped the team win the V.League runner-up position. Therefore, he received great expectations before the new season started. However, the lack of positive results made it impossible for him to continue accompanying the team.

After 3 matches as interim coach of Hanoi FC, Mr. Yusuke Adachi will return to the position of Technical Director, continuing to be in charge of training strategy and youth development. In early October 2025, Hanoi FC announced the appointment of former Liverpool player Harry Kewell as head coach.

Also in October 2025, Song Lam Nghe An Club had only 5 points after 6 rounds, ranking 10th on the rankings. Losing points at home against Ha Tinh and Ho Chi Minh City Police Club was considered the reason why coach Phan Nhu Thuat resigned. After that, Song Lam Nghe An decided to appoint Mr. Van Sy Son as head coach.

In the context of the team needing stability and solidarity, bringing coach Van Sy Son back to Vinh Stadium is considered a reasonable step, aiming to rekindle the identity and traditional fighting spirit of the Nghe An team.

It’s only the beginning of the season, but the heat has already been created from the head coach’s chair. This is the season that Hanoi FC has ambitions to regain its position. Nam Dinh is also determined to regain the form of the defending champion. Meanwhile, Song Lam Nghe An is also looking for new vitality after a difficult relegation season.

Round 8 of V.League 2025-2026 will return this weekend. Currently, Ninh Binh (17 points) and The Cong Viettel (15 points) are the teams sharing the two leading positions. Hanoi Police and Ho Chi Minh City Police both have 14 points and are ranked 3rd and 4th respectively. These are also the two teams that will face each other in this round. The match will affect the rankings of the leading group.

This is also the round where coach Harry Kewell is looking for his first win with Hanoi. Meanwhile, Nam Dinh will have the debut of their new coach.

Highlight matches of round 8 of V.League

The highlight of round 8 of V.League 2025-2026 is the match between Hanoi Police Club and Ho Chi Minh City Police Club at Hang Day Stadium. At this time, both teams have 14 points, ranking 3rd and 4th on the rankings, respectively.

Therefore, the result of this match will directly affect the rankings and the competition for the top 3. Of course, coach Polking's team does not want to lose to their opponents and Mr. Le Huynh Duc and his team are also determined to win all 3 points.

Another notable match is the clash between Becamex TP Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi FC. Currently, the capital team is only 1 point ahead of the opponent and they need a win to increase their score.

At Lach Tray Stadium, Hai Phong Club will welcome Hong Linh Ha Tinh. The two teams are also chasing each other closely on the rankings at 5th and 6th place. Playing at home is the biggest advantage for coach Chu Dinh Nghiem and his team.

The remaining matches in round 8 of V.League include PVF-CAND - Ninh Binh, Hoang Anh Gia Lai - The Cong Viettel, Song Lam Nghe An - Dong A Thanh Hoa, Nam Dinh - SHB Da Nang.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/the-thao/ghe-nong-ov-league-i785756/