A 1.92m tall overseas Vietnamese player, formerly from Barca, joins a Thai football club.

Vietnamese-American center-back Kenny Phi Hoàng Chandler has officially joined Ubon Kruanapat FC to pursue a turning point in his career.

Center-back Overseas Vietnamese American-born Kenny Phi Hoàng Chandler has just officially signed with Ubon Kruanapat FC, a team competing in Thai League 3. This marks a new step in the professional journey of the 2002-born player after multiple attempts but failing to secure a place in Vietnamese clubs.

Kenny Phi Hoàng Chandler holds American nationality, has a Vietnamese mother, and stands out with his height of 1.92m, an ideal stature for a modern center-back. A notable aspect of his profile is his training background.

He previously trained at the Academy Barcelona in Virginia, USA, which applies the coaching curriculum and philosophy modeled after Barcelona. Although not La Masia in Spain, growing up in an environment branded Barca still earns him attention during selection rounds.

This overseas Vietnamese center-back’s journey includes several attempts to enter domestic football. In 2019, Phi Hoàng returned to Vietnam for a trial at HAGL lasting nearly two months but was not signed. Afterwards, he sought opportunities at Hong Linh Ha Tinh, being registered for some friendly matches, including the 2022 Central Vietnam Four-Team Cup. During this period, Kenny was deployed not only as a center-back but also as a full-back, demonstrating versatility. Nevertheless, he still could not convince clubs to keep him long-term.

Undeterred, Phi Hoàng continued trials at Ba Ria – Vung Tau in 2023, then at Phu Dong Ninh Binh in 2024. However, none of these trials resulted in final agreements. The frequent changes of clubs reflect the harsh reality that to secure a spot, a player needs not only physical attributes and training background but also must fit the specific professional needs of each team at a given time.

After multiple missed chances in Vietnamese football, Phi Hoàng decided to shift focus to Thailand, joining Ubon Kruanapat FC in Thai League 3. With this choice, the 1.92m center-back bets on a more competitive playing environment and a more stable professional league system in the region, hoping to find a new launchpad for his career.

For Phi Hoàng, Thai League 3 may not be a grand stage but offers a practical opportunity to gain playing time, prove his abilities, and open doors to higher levels. In the context of Southeast Asian football increasingly valuing players with foreign training backgrounds, if he makes good use of his time in Thailand, this overseas Vietnamese center-back could certainly write a notable new chapter in his professional journey.