Coach Mano Polking to Take Over Hanoi Police FC

Coach Mano Polking to Take Over Hanoi Police FC after Gong Oh-kyun Following Binh Duong Match in Round 8 of V-League 2023-2024

On the afternoon of December 25, Hanoi Police FC held a team meeting. There, the players were informed about the coaching staff’s situation to focus on their game. Accordingly, Tran Tien Dai will temporarily lead the team in the match against Binh Duong today, after which the head coach position will be handed over to Mano Polking.

According to VnExpress sources, the former Thailand national team coach will arrive in Vietnam on January 5, 2024, to sign the contract and make his official appearance. Hanoi Police FC initially approached Polking after the defeat to Khanh Hoa in Round 7, but the German coach requested a postponement due to a family vacation.

Back in April, Hanoi Police FC negotiated with Coach Polking and reached a preliminary agreement. However, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) later convinced him to stay on for the Asian Cup 2024. Consequently, Hanoi Police FC had Tran Tien Dai as the interim coach, followed by signing Coach Gong in mid-November. But soon after, Polking was dismissed by FAT due to Thailand’s defeat in their opening World Cup 2026 qualifier against China.

Following the Binh Duong match, Hanoi Police FC will have a nearly two-month break as the V-League pauses for the Asian Cup 2024. This will give Coach Polking ample time to train the team, debuting in the match against Ho Chi Minh City FC on February 18.

Before welcoming Coach Polking, Hanoi Police FC plans to terminate Coach Gong’s contract, expected by the end of this week. The South Korean coach was suspended after the loss to Khanh Hoa on December 22, extending the winless streak to four matches since he took over. He was also absent from the training sessions on December 24 and 25, with Tran Tien Dai overseeing the training.

Coach Gong’s contract was for one year with an option to extend for another year. Therefore, early termination will require Hanoi Police FC to compensate for his salary.

Hanoi Police FC currently ranks eighth in the Night Wolf V-League 2023-2024 with nine points, seven points behind league leader Nam Dinh.

Polking previously worked in the V-League, leading Ho Chi Minh City FC in 2021. He left the club before the end of the contract as the team faced relegation threats. He then took over the Thailand national team for four months, replacing Akira Nishino. After winning the AFF Cup 2020, he was given a contract extension. At SEA Games 31 in May 2022, Polking led U23 Thailand to the final but lost to host Vietnam. Later, he led Thailand to defend their AFF Cup 2022 title by defeating Vietnam in the final.