Makoto Teguramori, newly appointed coach of Hà Nội FC. Photo courtesy of Hà Nội FC

Anh Đức

Thirty-three years ago, a Japanese man named Makoto Teguramori, who was in his final days of footballing career, wanted to open an eatery in his hometown. Teguramori had personal savings of about JPY12 million (US$80,000), but it was not enough, so he risked it all on a horse at his local race track.

The bet was lost, and from there on Teguramori sought to give it his all in the journey of becoming a great football coach.

Fast-forward to the present. The once ambitious man is now selected as the new coach of Hà Nội FC, but is now more calculating, with more experience under his belt.

Teguramori’s journey began humbly in Gonohe, a small town in Aomori, Japan, with a population of just 18,000. Football was a passion shared with his twin brother, Hiroshi [Teguramori]. But while Hiroshi’s talent quickly set him apart—earning him a spot in the national men’s football championship as early as sixth grade—Makoto [Teguramori] struggled to make his mark. His brother was the rising star, and Makoto was, as he recalls, 'the failed twin'.

The turning point came in high school. During an inter-school competition, a local newspaper mistakenly credited Makoto’s achievements to his brother Hiroshi. It was a defining moment. "I decided then that people would remember me as Makoto Teguramori. It had to be Makoto," he said.

From then on, [Makoto] Teguramori forged his own path. He impressed in high school competitions and was eventually chosen to represent Gonohe in the Japanese youth team’s training camp for the U19 Asian Championship. His hard work started to pay off and his name began to emerge independently of his brother’s shadow.

But despite these early flashes of promise, [Makoto] Teguramori’s playing career never reached the heights he had envisioned. It was as a coach that he would finally shine.

Leading Sendai to a runner-up finish in J.League 1 was his breakthrough, earning him a call-up to coach Japan’s U23 squad. Under his guidance, Japan not only won the 2016 AFC U23 Championship but also secured a spot at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

In a coaching career marked by resilience, Teguramori absorbed lessons from some of Japan’s finest coaches—Javier Aguirre’s emphasis on speed and physicality, Vahid Halihodzic’s disciplined approach, and Akira Nishino’s indomitable spirit. These experiences have shaped his coaching philosophy, blending tactical acumen with a deep understanding of the human element in football.

Now, at Hà Nội FC, Teguramori faces a fresh challenge. The team is eager to reclaim its position at the top of the V-League. But his ambitions extend beyond national success. Teguramori envisions Hà Nội FC not only dominating domestically, but also becoming a formidable force in Southeast Asian football.

His first foray in Vietnamese football, a 3-0 away win against fierce rivals HAGL FC was perhaps, a glimpse of the football that Teguramori can bring to the V.League table. Two goals in quick succession in the final minutes of added time showed that Teguramori's Hà Nội FC is capable of more free-flow, fast-paced plays that is different then the way V.League teams operate.

With only two points from the top spot and half a season left, Hà Nội FC can still mount a title challenge, a prospect that their most optimistic fans could not imagine during the Lê Đức Tuấn era.

As Teguramori takes the reign with a resounding result, the Hà Nội FC board might have bet on the right coach, after eight successive disappointments. VNS