Vietnam ex-coach Park joins rookie club

Park has been much in demand since parting ways with the Vietnamese national team, with offers from clubs in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. But he has turned them all down.

The recently established Bac Ninh FC in the northern eponymous province have emerged as a new financial force in Vietnamese football with a whopping US$10 million annual investment.

They have renovated the Tu Son Stadium and plan to build a new one along with a youth academy.

Park’s responsibilities in his new job include mapping out the club’s future direction, supporting youth development and helping the club operate to international standards.

The obvious goal is to get Bac Ninh FC promoted to V-League 1 as soon as possible.

Bac Ninh FC are managed by former Song Lam Nghe An coach Ngo Quang Truong, and have recently signed a series of high-profile players, many of whom have played for the Vietnam U23 and senior teams, such as Nguyen Quang Tinh, Dao Duy Khanh, Nguyen Minh Nhut, Dao Nhat Minh, Au Van Hoan, Le Sy Minh, Nguyen Ngoc Thang, and Nguyen Hong Son.

Park is currently back in South Korea for the funeral of his mother, who died on Friday at the age of 102.

Bac Ninh province authorities and representatives of Bac Ninh FC attended the funeral and expressed their condolences.

Park was appointed the national team coach in October 2017 and enjoyed over five years of rousing success filled with titles and iconic moments.

Vietnam were runners-up at the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship, winners of the 2018 AFF Cup, the fourth-placed team at the 2018 Asian Games, and quarter finalists at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

He also helped Vietnam win two successive gold medals at the 2019 and 2021 SEA Games and took them to the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup.

The 66-year-old has been splitting his time between Vietnam and South Korea after his contract with the Vietnamese Football Federation expired in January 2023.

He runs an eponymous youth football academy in Hanoi.