Quy Nhon, May 11, 2025 – Binh Dinh FC has announced Tran Minh Chien as their new head coach, replacing Bui Doan Quang Huy, as the club seeks to reverse a dismal 2024-2025 V.League 1 campaign. With the team languishing in 13th place, Chien’s appointment aims to steer the “Dark Horse of the Martial Land” away from relegation, per club statements.
Bui Doan Quang Huy, who led Binh Dinh FC to a remarkable runner-up finish in the 2023-2024 V.League with 47 points, struggled this season, managing only 14 points from 21 matches (3W-5D-13L), per VPF standings. His tenure saw a seven-match winless streak, including a 1-0 loss to Song Lam Nghe An in Round 16, prompting his resignation offer, which players and management initially rejected, per Dan Viet. However, persistent losses to Hanoi Police FC (3-0) and Becamex Binh Duong (1-0), coupled with the departure of key players like Dang Van Lam and Alan Sebastiao (17 goals last season), led to his exit, per Thanh Nien. Huy’s attacking 4-3-3, lauded for beating Nam Dinh FC twice in 2023-2024, faltered amid squad turnover, echoing Hoang Anh Gia Lai’s 2024 struggles.
Tran Minh Chien, 48, returns to V.League 1 after coaching Becamex Binh Duong from 2017-2019, where he won the 2018 National Cup and finished 6th in the 2018 V.League, blending veterans like Nguyen Anh Duc with youngsters like Nguyen Tien Linh, per VnExpress. His exit from Binh Duong stemmed from a rift with Anh Duc, but his tactical acumen, favoring a balanced 4-2-3-1, suits Binh Dinh FC’s current roster, including Vu Minh Tuan and Leo Arthur, per VFF. Chien’s experience with Long An FC in V.League 2 and his knack for youth development, akin to The Cong Viettel’s model, make him a pragmatic choice to stabilize the squad.
Binh Dinh FC, six points above Da Nang FC (8 points) but level with Song Lam Nghe An (14 points), face a play-off risk with five rounds left, needing 27 points for safety, per 10-year V.League trends. Chien’s debut against Hong Linh Ha Tinh on May 17 at Quy Nhon Stadium, a 15,000-capacity venue rivaling Hai Phong FC’s Lach Tray, is pivotal. His focus will be reviving Cao Van Trien’s midfield and Alisson Farias’ five goals, per Sofascore, while leveraging Hanoi FC-like fan support to avoid a repeat of Quang Nam FC’s 2024 relegation scare and chase a National Cup semifinal spot against Nam Dinh FC.
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