Hà Nội FC: Confidence in Harry Kewell

Since the 2022 season, Hà Nội FC has seen 11 different head coaches take charge. Despite frequent changes in leadership, the club has yet to turn its fortunes around.

Ahead of Round 7 in the 2025 - 2026 V-League, Hà Nội FC has made several changes to improve their performance. The capital club signed renowned coach Harry Kewell and naturalized midfielder Đỗ Hoàng Hên (Hendrio Araujo) as a domestic player.

Hà Nội FC once dominated Vietnamese professional football with a record six V-League titles, three National Cups, and five National Super Cups. However, over the last three V-League seasons, the team at Hàng Đẫy Stadium has failed to reclaim the championship. After three trophyless seasons, Hà Nội FC seems to be off track, starting with four winless rounds and an early exit from the National Cup in the first round.

In recent seasons, Hà Nội FC has lost many key players, gradually losing the distinctive playing style they had built previously. The decline of veteran domestic players has caused significant difficulties for the club. Notably, in the past three years, the capital team has changed coaches more times than in the previous decade.

Moreover, despite spending heavily on foreign players, the results have been disappointing. Key players like Văn Quyết, Hùng Dũng, and recently Thành Chung have experienced drops in form or are past their peak, causing Hà Nội FC to lose its standing in the V-League.

After two consecutive wins under interim coach Yusuke Adachi, Hà Nội FC officially announced the high-profile signing of Harry Kewell — a legendary figure in Australian and English Premier League football. The club’s management hopes that hiring this famous coach will help restore their performance, refresh their attacking style, and regain their top status.

During his playing career, Kewell was a key winger for prestigious clubs like Leeds United, Liverpool, and Galatasaray. He gained his greatest fame in the Premier League and was known for his modern attacking football mindset. Kewell reached the Champions League semi-finals with Leeds United in 2000 - 2001 and won the 2004 - 2005 Champions League with Liverpool.

Transitioning to coaching, the 47-year-old Australian has four years of experience in England, managing clubs such as Crawley Town, Oldham Athletic, Barnet, and serving as assistant coach at Celtic (Scotland). He then led Yokohama F. Marinos (J-League) for two years, guiding them to the AFC Champions League runner-up position in 2023 - 2024 before moving to Hà Nội FC.

Fans are hopeful that this coach will bring new energy to Hà Nội FC and promise excitement and surprises for the V-League. The new coach’s first opponent in the V-League will be the unbeaten and top-ranked team Ninh Bình.

In this match, Hà Nội FC’s attacking strength is boosted by the completion of naturalization procedures for Brazilian-born midfielder Hendrio Araujo, who officially became a Vietnamese citizen under the name Đỗ Hoàng Hên. This provides a significant advantage for Hà Nội FC in the remainder of the 2025-2026 V-League season.

Hoàng Hên joined the Hàng Đẫy club midway through the 2024 - 2025 season but has not played in this season yet. The 31-year-old midfielder, trained at the prestigious Barcelona academy, has played for well-known clubs in Brazil, Spain, Portugal, among others, before moving to Vietnam’s V-League.

Hoàng Hên possesses excellent individual skills, sharp vision for playmaking, and precise finishing. Alongside Nguyễn Xuân Son (Rafaelson), he was instrumental in Nam Định’s back-to-back V-League championships. Previously, Hendrio was a key player for Bình Định, helping them achieve third place in the V-League and runner-up in the 2022 National Cup.

After 6 rounds, Hà Nội FC currently sits 6th with 8 points, 6 points behind Ninh Bình. Hosting Ninh Bình in this round gives Coach Kewell’s team a chance. A victory would narrow the gap with the Hoa Lư capital team and help them reclaim their status as title contenders.

Will Hà Nội FC remain patient with Harry Kewell if results don’t improve? This question adds pressure on the Australian coach, as Vietnamese football differs from Japan or Europe where he previously coached. Fans are looking forward to a “change of coach, change of luck” and, more importantly, a comprehensive transformation of Hà Nội FC.

Round 7 Schedule

October 18

18:00: Sông Lam Nghệ An vs. Công an Hà Nội.

18:00: Thép Xanh Nam Định vs. Becamex TP Hồ Chí Minh.

19:15: Hà Nội FC vs. Ninh Bình.

October 19

18:00: PVF-CAND vs. Đông Á Thanh Hóa.

18:00: Hải Phòng vs. Hoàng Anh Gia Lai.

19:15: Công an TP Hồ Chí Minh vs. Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh.

October 20

19:15: Thể Công Viettel vs. SHB Đà Nẵng.