V.League 2025/26 in major crisis: unprecedented turnover of coaching positions

The 2025/26 V.League has seen an intense surge of head coach replacements, as numerous teams keep altering their technical staff despite the campaign not yet concluding.

The season V.League 2025/26 is experiencing one of the most volatile periods in its history on the coaching front, with a near-continuous wave of managerial changes across most clubs. With only two rounds left to finish the season, the tally of 15 coaching changes already reflects the harshness and mounting performance pressure in Vietnam’s top football league.

The latest focal point is that Coach Chu Dinh Nghiem has left Hai Phong to take charge of Ninh Binh under a long-term contract. This is seen as a rare case of a proactive move amid this turbulent wave, as opposed to the usual sackings commonly seen in V.League. His arrival at Ninh Binh also marks a new turning point in the ambitious club’s team-building strategy.

Statistics show that up to 11 out of 14 clubs have changed their head coach at least once this season. Many teams view changing the “hot seat” as an immediate solution to improve results, even though actual effectiveness often falls short of expectations. Relegation fears and competition for rankings have led to decisions driven more by emotion than long-term strategy.

Some typical cases illustrate how dense this revolving door has been. Nam Dinh went through three coaches—Vu Hong Viet, Nguyen Trung Kien, and Mauro Jeronimo—before returning to Vu Hong Viet. PVF-CAND also saw constant changes from Thach Bao Khanh to Nguyen Thanh Cong and then Tran Tien Dai. Meanwhile, Becamex HCMC shifted from Nguyen Anh Duc, Dang Tran Chinh, Ueno Nobuhiro to Hoa Hien Vinh, yet the situation has not improved significantly.

In reality, changing coaches does not always turn a team’s fortunes around. Many clubs remain stuck in a cycle of instability due to an insufficiently solid squad foundation and development strategy. Conversely, some teams that maintained stability achieved better results. Hanoi FC is an example: after an early transition from coach Teguramori to Harry Kewell, they gradually improved their form, showing that continuity in direction remains crucial.

On the flip side, despite not changing coaches excessively, Da Nang still faced major difficulties in the relegation battle, proving there is no one-size-fits-all formula for success. Notably, CAHN and The Cong Viettel were among the few clubs that kept their coaching benches stable, thereby maintaining a consistent style and direction throughout the season.

In this context, Ninh Binh, with its huge ambitions, is showing signs of shifting toward long-term construction by appointing Chu Dinh Nghiem on a three-year contract. This could be a strategic move, as opposed to the short-term decisions that have become a hallmark of V.League in recent seasons.