Starynskyi lifts the 2025 Hun Sen Cup aloft. He has signed a two-year contract extension with Phnom Penh Crown. Crown FC
Phnom Penh Crown FC has announced that head coach Oleg Starynskyi’s has been contracted for another two years. The Ukrainian coach has committed himself to clearly defined goals, aiming to bring home more trophies and new achievements for Phnom Penh Crown.
The club made the announcement Friday morning, bringing relief to fans who were recently concerned by a wave of foreign player departures, including Japanese-Cambodian nationals Yudai Ogawa and Takaki Ose, as well as forwards Jelle Goselink, Ibeh Ofufu and Javier Gayoso.
“First of all, I want to express my deep gratitude for the trust and confidence shown in me by the club president and the team. Working with all of you over the past five years has been amazing. I feel I am working with a clear purpose and mutual respect,” said Starynskyi.
“Living with Phnom Penh Crown and in Cambodia feels like home to me. In fact, this place has truly become my family's home. My son was born here, and my daughter goes to school here and has learned so much about Khmer culture,” he added.
Since taking charge of Crown in 2020, Starynskyi has brought numerous accomplishments to the club, including back-to-back Cambodian Premier League titles in 2021 and 2022, as well as runner-up finishes in the 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 seasons.
Phnom Penh Crown (in Red) and Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng (in blue) have both qualified for next season’s AFC Champions League Two, Asia's second-tier club competition. Crown FC
In addition, he recently led Crown to victory in the 2025 Hun Sen Cup — their first in 16 years, following back-to-back wins in 2008 and 2009. He has previously been named Best Coach in both the Cambodian Premier League and the Hun Sen Cup competitions.
Despite these successes, in his four seasons in charge, Starynskyi has not yet managed to lead Phnom Penh Crown to significant success in international competition. During the AFC Cup 2023–2024, the team reached the ASEAN Zonal semi-finals but lost 4–0 to Australia's Central Coast Mariners.
Nonetheless, with the two-year contract extension, he has set his sights on achieving more success both domestically and internationally. Crown has qualified to compete in the AFC Champions League Two — Asia's second-tier club competition — in the upcoming season, alongside Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng.
“I am truly happy to continue working here as head coach, and my goal is to achieve even more success for the club, both at home and on the international stage. Even though we are currently the most successful club, we are still hungry and eager for more trophies,” he said, via a club statement.
