Hanoi FC says goodbye to coach Bandovic

Hanoi Hanoi FC parted ways with coach Bozidar Bandovic two months early, after poor results at the 2023-2024 AFC Champions League.

Hanoi FC lost 2-4 at home to Korean club Pohang Steelers and 0-6 away to Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds. This result was contrary to the expectations of Hanoi FC's leadership that coach Bandovic would help make a mark in the number one continental club competition.

Two of Mr. Bandovic's close assistants, Srdan Stojcevski and Rade Milic, also left with the Montenegrin coach. Assistant Le Duc Tuan was promoted to interim coach of Hanoi FC when the V-League was 13 days away from kicking off.

Coach Bozidar Bandovic leaves Hanoi FC after 10 months of working. Photo: Duc Hung

Coach Bandovic signed a one-year contract with Hanoi FC from January 3, 2023, replacing Mr. Chun Jae-ho. The initial goal for the 54-year-old coach is to successfully defend the V-League and National Cup 2023 championships, and strive to pass the group stage of the AFC Champions League 2023-2024.

In the first official match, coach Bandovic helped the team defeat Hai Phong 2-0 to win the National Super Cup. Coming to the V-League, the team started well with an unbeaten record in the first six rounds of the first phase, including four wins. But the turning point came in round seven, when Hanoi FC lost 1-3 to Binh Dinh and captain Nguyen Van Quyet was suspended for eight matches for a fight with assistant referee Nguyen Le Nguyen Thanh.

At the end of the season, Hanoi was eliminated from the National Cup in the round of 16 and only finished second in the 2023 V-League with the same 38 points as Hanoi Police but with a lower goal difference. However, Bandovic was still voted the best coach of the 2023 season. He achieved a 50% winning rate after 24 matches leading Hanoi FC.

Coach Bandovic, a Montenegrin national, led Olympiakos of Greece in the 2009-2010 season and reached the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. In 2014, he got involved in Thai football and led many teams, but most notably Buriram United, including two Thai League championships in 2017 and 2018 and reaching the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League 2018. Next, he went to India to lead Channaiyin before coming to Hanoi FC.

Hieu Luong

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