HLV Gerard Albadalejo selects two foreign assistants, Becamex TP.HCM Club grants full authority

A week after his arrival at Becamex TP.HCM, head coach Gerard Albadalejo opted to bring in two foreign assistant coaches he selected himself, aiming to finalize the coaching framework.

This addition provides the coaching staff with highly skilled and professional colleagues, creating initial changes on the journey to restore the club's former strength and secure a return to V-League 1.

The first assistant is Cristopher Hernandez, born on February 3, 1997, from Andorra. He is a fitness coach holding a UEFA A license, with deep training in sports science, strength development, load management, injury prevention, and player recovery.

Over the past five years, Cristopher Hernandez has worked in various football environments across Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Notably, he spent a season with Cambodia's Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng in the 2023–2024 season.

The second assistant is Fran Mateu, born on November 23, 1995, from Spain. He is a goalkeeper coach holding a UEFA A license.

Fran Mateu has worked in Spain's RFEF system across the first, second, and third divisions, as well as the top youth league División de Honor, and various youth development levels. He has served multiple roles including goalkeeper coach and performance analyst on the coaching staff.

Immediately after arriving at Binh Duong Stadium, the two young assistants quickly started working, becoming key collaborators for head coach Gerard Albadalejo.

Like the head coach, the two assistants demonstrated quick adaptation, a good understanding of player psychology, frequent hands-on demonstration of exercises, and close attention to correcting skills and movements. They also showed a friendly and cheerful demeanor, bringing a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of laughter to the training ground.

The early start of preparations by the three key foreign coaches, led by Gerard Albadalejo, for the 2026–2027 V-League 2 season demonstrates the club's determination for a comprehensive professional overhaul.

This also reflects the absolute trust of Chairman Ho Hong Thach, who granted full authority to head coach Gerard Albadalejo to select foreign assistants and other personnel within the coaching staff.

The head coach will personally assess, review, and evaluate the nearly 40 current players to identify the best and most suitable talents for his philosophy of building a balanced possession-based and direct attacking style of play.

The company's leadership and Chairman Ho Hong Thach will support the head coach's and coaching staff's decisions, including training plans, matches, preparation roadmaps for each phase and the entire season, as well as choices regarding playing style, personnel, on-field decisions, and locker room management.

All efforts are directed toward helping Becamex TP.HCM Club regain its strength, earn promotion back to V-League 1, and restore the trust and love of its fans.