Thanh Hoa FC signs European Cup-winning coach, Saigon scores Brazilian manager

By Nam Anh, Dong Huyen   November 25, 2020 | 06:00 pm PT
Serbian coach Ljupko Petrovic has joined Thanh Hoa FC under a one-year contract, while Saigon FC signed a Brazilian coach to prepare for next season.

Petrovic will arrive in Vietnam in early December and after completing 14-day quarantine as per Covid-19 prevention protocol, will commence his one-year spell at Thanh Hoa.

The 73-year-old started his coaching career in 1982. He used to manage many famous clubs like Spain’s RCD Espanyol, Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade, and Greece’s Olympiakos. Petrovic’s biggest achievement was to coach Red Star to European Cup victory in 1991 before the tournament changed its name to UEFA Champions League in 1992.

Coach Ljupko Petrovic is with Thanh Hoa FC in V. League 1 2017. Photo by VnExpress/Nam Anh.

Coach Ljupko Petrovic is with Thanh Hoa FC in V. League 1 2017. Photo by VnExpress/Nam Anh.

In 2017, he coached Thanh Hoa FC and helped the club finish second in V. League 1, the highest league position in the club’s history. However, after a disagreement with the club owner, his contract was not extended.

In 2019 V. League 1, Thanh Hoa scored a league record by employing three consecutive coaches in one season. They parted ways with Spanish coach Fabio Lopez, then replaced coach Nguyen Thanh Cong with another domestic manager, Mai Xuan Hop.

Previously, Thanh Hoa had signed two foreign players, Jamaican striker Chevaughn Walsh from Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) and Brazilian midfielder José Pinto from Quang Nam FC after the club's relegation.

V. League club HCMC FC confirmed Tuesday it had reached an agreement of employ with Brazilian coach Alexandre Polking.

"We have finished our negotiation with Alexandre Polking, who will coach HCMC FC during the 2021 season. Polking will have to follow Covid-19 prevention protocols and finish his quarantine before starting the job," a representative of HCMC FC told VnExpress.

After parting ways with South Korean coach Chung Hae-soung, HCMC contacted former Thai national coach Kiatisuk Senamaung to fill the position, but he had already accepted an offer to coach HAGL.

Coach Polking has great knowledge of Southeast Asian football. In 2012, he was assistant coach of the Thai national team before coaching Army United in Thai League. A year later, he moved to Suphanburi FC in the same league. He coached Bangkok United from 2014 to 2020.

HCMC has parted ways with 11 players and signed six new faces ahead of the 2021 season. The club will start training on November 26 to prepare for its next V. League 1 campaign, scheduled to start on January 16.

 
 
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