HCMC FC’s Korean coach Chung resigns

The 62-year-old South Korean had managed the team for more than 18 months, but after they lost 0-3 to Hanoi FC in the 11th round of V. League 1 last Friday, club executives met with him and told him to become technical director and hand over charge as coach to club chairman Nguyen Huu Thang.

"I thanked them for giving me another chance but I want to remain a coach at the moment," he said.

"So I have decided to step down."

His departure would benefit HCMC FC since players no longer have to take sides with either the technical director or head coach, he said.

But he said he left on good terms with the management.

Chung made his debut in Vietnamese football as technical director of Hoang Anh Gia Lai FC in 2018 but became head coach of HCMC FC in December the same year.

He took the club to second place in 2019.

He said: "I will leave Vietnam. It will be difficult for me to be coach of any other team in Vietnam since HCMC FC are my family. If they need support, I am willing to help even when I am in South Korea."

Chung and the rest of the Korean coaching staff are negotiating with the club to liquidate their contracts.

Thang will act as both president and head coach for the club at the moment. He told local media he will appoint Brazil's Ailton dos Santos Silva as the new head coach within the next 30 days.

Silva helped Chiangrai United win the Thai League 1 2019 and was named Thailand football's coach of the year.

The 53-year-old Brazilian is expected to arrive in HCMC in mid-August.

HCMC are in fifth place this year with 17 points from 11 games.