OFFICIAL: V.League newcomer announces head coach after historic promotion

Dong Nai has extended the contract of head coach Nguyen Viet Thang following their 2025/26 First Division championship, targeting the historic V.League 2026/27 campaign.

On the evening of June 3rd, Dong Nai Club – the newcomer to V.League 2026/27 has officially confirmed its continued trust in coach Nguyen Viet Thang. This decision was made immediately after the brilliant 2025/26 season, where the Southeast region team won the National First Division championship and earned a historic promotion.

According to the club's announcement, retaining coach Nguyen Viet Thang is not only recognition for his professional achievements but also reflects a long-term development direction. Dong Nai's leadership highly values the role of the manager born in 1981 in building a stable, disciplined playing style and helping the team maintain form throughout the season.

Under the guidance of coach Nguyen Viet Thang, Dong Nai had an almost perfect journey in the 2025/26 First Division. The team not only achieved the promotion goal but also asserted its strength with a solid, effective playing style, thereby appearing in the V.League for the first time in history.

Remarkably, the individual coach Nguyen Viet Thang also created a special milestone by becoming the first strategist in Vietnamese football history to win two National First Division championships in consecutive seasons. Previously, he had led Ninh Binh to the title in the 2024/25 season with an unbeaten record, before leaving the club to take over Dong Nai.

Despite achieving great success, the 45-year-old strategist also admitted to immense pressure throughout the season, as he constantly faced high expectations from the board and fans. He once shared that each match felt like a 'final,' stretching over more than 40 intense and energy-draining rounds.

After finishing the last match of the season against Phu Tho, coach Nguyen Viet Thang is expected to submit a short-term rest plan to the board in order to recharge his physical and mental energy before embarking on preparations for V.League 2026/27. This is considered a pivotal period, as Dong Nai will test itself for the first time in the most challenging arena of Vietnamese football.