Gong Oh-kyun will take the helm of Vietnam’s defending V-League 1 champions Gong An (Police) Hanoi.
Hanoi announced the news of Gong’s appointment through its official channel on Wednesday (June 12). The contract is reportedly for two years until October 2025, with an option to extend.
“We were looking for a leader who has the same aspirations as the club to reach the top of Asia and beyond,” Gong An Hanoi said in a statement.
Gong played for Daejeon Citizen (now Daejeon Hana Citizen) and Gyeongnam FC before hanging up his boots on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. His career record in the K League is 319 games, 43 goals and 18 assists.
He began his coaching career in 2015 with Shenzhen FC. Gong has been a full-time coach with the Korea Football Association, serving with the national teams at every age group. In 2017, he assisted Shin Tae-yong in guiding South Korea to the round of 16 at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. After a stint with the U-23 national team, Gong returned to the U-20 squad, where he helped the team finish as runners-up at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup alongside Jung Jeong-yong.
Gong followed Shin Tae-yong to the Indonesian national age-group team, continuing his ties to Southeast Asia. In 2021, he briefly coached Seoul Eland in the K League 2 before taking over as head coach of Vietnam’s U-23 national team in May 2022.
His leadership was recognized at the 2022 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup, where the team reached the quarterfinals, including a 1-1 draw with Hwang Sun-hong’s South Korea. He parted ways with the Vietnamese U-23 team in December last year and took over the reins of V-League champions Gong An Hanoi.
Public Security Hanoi is a police-affiliated team that has recently emerged as a V-League 1 powerhouse. After winning the V-League 2 title in 2022, they were promoted and went straight to the top of the division. This is a different team from Hanoi FC, which features Nguyen Quang Hai and competes in the AFC Champions League (ACL) with Pohang Steelers.
There were reportedly many offers for Gong in Vietnam. “His experience in international competitions with the Korean age-group national team, as well as his time leading the Vietnam U-23 national team, left a strong impression,” said a representative from Apax Sports Management. “In addition, his ability to develop players was also recognized, so top teams were competing for his services.”
Gong’s decision was reportedly influenced by the proactivity of Gong An Hanoi. “Coming into the ACL next season, Gong An Hanoi promised to invest heavily in the league with top-notch treatment,” said Apax Sports Management. “In addition, the club’s top-rated football center 안전놀이터 and training ground also played a role in the decision.” Coach Kim Woo-jae and analyst Kim Jin-kyo are also reportedly joining the club.
Gong An Hanoi currently sits second in the 14-team V-League 1 with two wins and one draw. The new coach will make his debut in the FA Cup against Hoang An Jalnai on May 25 after the A-Match break.