Hanoi FC appoints new 'temporary' head coach

By Lam Thoa February 20, 2022 | 12:32 am PT

Park Choong Kyun as Hanoi FC's head coach during a V.League match with Saigon FC at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi on May 2, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Lam Thoa

Hanoi FC has announced that assistant Chun Jae-ho will replace Park Choong Kyun as the team's new head coach because the latter is leaving for "personal reasons."

"Coach Park Choong Kyun will return to South Korea for personal reasons and assistant Chun Jae-ho will temporarily lead the club," a Saturday announcement said.

Park's departure takes place just a week before the opening of the 2022 V-League, the national top tier football tournament.

Hanoi, V-League champions in 2018 and 2019, signed a contract with Park on April 20, 2021, making him the first foreign coach in the club's history.

But the 48-year-old coach only led the team for two matches before the V-League was canceled because of Covid-19. Under Park, Hanoi lost to Binh Dinh FC 0-1, then beat Saigon FC 3-1.

In early 2022, he led Hanoi in five friendly matches with an unbeaten record.

But he resigned before the new V-League season kicks off on Feb. 25, and his assistant Chun Jae-ho will lead the team until further notice.

Park had played as a defender for many famous Korean clubs such as Suwon Samsung Bluewing, Busan I’Park and Dajeon Citizen. He also played six games for the South Korean national team before setting out as a coach in 2009.

He has coached the Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma U15 team, the Guam team, the Ulsan Hyundai reserve team and worked as assistant coach for Jeonbuk Motors. He was the head coach of Tianjin Tianhai Club in the 2018 Chinese Championship, before the team disbanded due to economic difficulties.

Assistant Chun, 43, played as a midfielder for Seongnam Ilhwa, Incheon United, Busan and GangwonFC. This will be his first experience as the head coach of a team.