Phnom Penh Crown FC has announced the departure of Japanese-Cambodian midfielder Yudai Ogawa, ending a partnership which began in 2021. At the same time, Visakha FC has announced their new head coach, Gerard Jones, who will lead the team in the upcoming season.

Crown announced Ogawa’s departure on Tuesday, May 27, and on Wednesday morning also confirmed the exit of forward Jelle Goselink. This follows a successful season for the club, which saw them claim the 2025 Hun Sen Cup – ending a 16-year drought – and finish as runners-up in the 2024–2025 Cambodian Premier League (CPL).

In a short video, posted to the club’s Facebook page on Wednesday morning, Ogawa expressed his gratitude to everyone at the club, especially the fans who supported him through both good and bad times. He emphasised that the unwavering support was key to helping the team achieve such strong results.

During his five seasons with Crown, Ogawa played a vital role in helping the “Red Lions” win CPL titles in 2021 and 2022. These victories enabled the club to represent Cambodia on the international stage, including reaching the ASEAN Zonal semifinals of the AFC Cup in 2023–2024.

Thanks to his impressive performances, the Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC) supported Ogawa in obtaining Cambodian nationality, allowing him to play for the Cambodian national team. This bolstered the Kouprey’s competitiveness in regional competitions, even though they failed to qualify for any international tournaments in 2024 and 2025.

Englishman Gerard Jones has been announced as the new coach of Visakha FC for the upcoming season. Visakha FC

Many Crown fans expressed sadness upon learning that Ogawa would leave the club. Unofficial reports suggest that Ogawa may be signing with reigning champions Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng, who are reportedly offering him a higher salary than Crown.

However, as of 12pm Wednesday, Svay Rieng had not made any official announcement of a contract with Ogawa. They have already confirmed the signings of striker Cantha Chanteaka, formerly of Boeung Ket, and Sophal Dimong, formerly of Angkor Tiger, as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Notably, Svay Rieng have yet to announce a replacement head coach for outgoing head coach Pep Munoz, although rumours are swirling that the position may be filled through an internal promotion.

Visakha FC — who finished third in the CPL and fourth in the Hun Sen Cup (after winning the Cup three times in a row in 2020, 2021 and 2022) —have announced the appointment of Gerard Jones as head coach for the next season.

Jones, a 35-year-old Englishman, is an experienced coach who served as head coach at Arsenal Football Academy from 2010–2011. He also worked as assistant coach, head coach and manager at five English clubs between 2011 and 2018.

After his stint in the UK, Jones became a high-level coach with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and later worked with the US Soccer Federation. Most recently, he served as director of coaching at American club Sporting Kansas City, which competes in the Major League Soccer (MLS) competition.