Thanh Hoa parted ways with coach Choi Won Kwon after the 90+10 minute.
After the 90+10 minute against HAGL, Thanh Hoa terminated the contract with coach Choi Won Kwon. The team is only 1 point ahead of Da Nang; Mai Xuan Hop is in temporary charge, Ribamar is likely to leave the team.
In the 90+10 minute against HAGL, a seemingly within reach victory turned into a draw. A few hours later, Thanh Hoa FC announced the termination of the contract with coach Choi Won Kwon. The decision came in the context of the Thanh team's decline in the early stages of V.League 2025/26 and is currently only one point ahead of bottom team Da Nang.
90+10 moments and consequences
HAGL’s equalizer in the 90+10 minute not only took away two points but also ended a series of results that were not as expected. Thanh Hoa continued to slide down the rankings, falling into an alarming situation when the gap with the bottom team was only one point. That late stumble became the time for a change on the coaching bench.
The gameplay has not improved, the force is limited
Taking over the team with high expectations, Coach Choi Won Kwon soon faced difficulties in improving the playing style and spirit. He repeatedly admitted that the team lacked financial resources to turn the situation around. Limited force, especially in the attack, led to a decrease in efficiency and results over time.
The Lucas Ribamar case
Along with the change of head coach, Thanh Hoa is said to be preparing to sell striker Lucas Ribamar. This player scored 12 goals last season, but has seriously declined in the current season due to prolonged injury.
Coach Choi Won Kwon's profile and initial expectations
Born in 1981, Coach Choi Won Kwon came to Thanh Hoa with a significant experience base. He was an important assistant to Coach Kim Sang Sik in the 2024 ASEAN Cup championship of the Vietnamese team, and also has a coaching background in K.League 1 with Daegu FC. Before that, his playing career gave him experience at the Korean national team level and the 2004 Athens Olympics, creating great confidence when arriving at the V.League. However, difficulties in personnel and the current context have made it impossible for expectations to turn into results.
The interim steering committee and the reconstruction plan
While searching for a new captain, assistant Mai Xuan Hop will temporarily lead the team. The nearly three-month break of the V.League is an important time for Thanh Hoa to review its forces, deal with personnel bottlenecks and reshape its playing style for the crucial stage of the season.
Terminating the contract with coach Choi Won Kwon is a drastic but necessary move in the current context. With a fragile gap at the bottom of the table and a long enough break to adjust, Thanh Hoa has a chance to rebuild — as long as they solve the problem of force and restore the competitive spirit in a timely manner.
