Conor Nestor, the Irish coach who led Svay Rieng FC to a Cambodian Premier League (CPL) title and a historic appearance in the AFC Cup 2020, has made a stunning return to Cambodian football. Nestor has been appointed head coach of Boeung Ket FC. He replaces Hong Pheng, who previously managed the club.
Boeung Ket FC made the announcement late Monday evening with a short video welcoming Nestor back to Cambodia.
In the clip, Nestor expressed his excitement about returning to the country where he enjoyed success between 2018 and 2023 with Svay Rieng FC, before briefly moving to coach Hyderabad FC in India’s top-tier Indian Super League (ISL).
Reflecting on his departure from Svay Rieng earlier this year, Nestor admitted that it was a difficult decision.
“It was absolutely hard to leave because I was so happy in Cambodia,” he said at the time.
“But I received an offer that was hard to refuse for my career,” he explained.
In the video, the strategic mastermind shared his love for Cambodian football. “I can say that since the day I left, I’ve missed Cambodia and Cambodian football,” he said. “Thank you to Boeung Ket for bringing me back home. I am now the new head coach of Boeung Ket FC.”
Nestor’s time at Svay Rieng was nothing short of spectacular.
Under his leadership, Svay Rieng not only claimed the 2019 Cambodian League title, as the CPL was then known, but also made history by reaching the group stage of the AFC Cup 2020. This achievement came after a dominant victory over Laos' Master 7 FC in the AFC Cup qualifiers, winning both legs 4-1 and 3-0.
However, the global Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the AFC Cup group stage in 2020, with Svay Rieng finishing their group matches with one win and two losses, leaving three matches unplayed due to the crisis.
In addition to the league title, Nestor guided Svay Rieng to two runner-up finishes in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, the team finished third. His success in Cambodia was recognized when he was named Cambodian League Coach of the Year in 2019.
In April last year, Svay Rieng unexpectedly parted ways with Nestor, allowing him to take on a new challenge with Hyderabad in the ISL. Following a brief spell there, he joined Malaysia’s Selangor FC as an assistant coach, before ultimately deciding to return to the football scene where he made his reputation.
Cambodian football fans, especially those of Boeung Ket, are thrilled by Nestor's return.
Supporters have high hopes that Nestor, 40, will improve the team’s performance in the 2024-2025 season and make them once again competitive in the top-flight Cambodian competition. At present, Boeung Ket are mid-table, sitting sixth after three wins and two losses in the current campaign.
Nestor spoke about his main objective for the club, moving forward.
“The main goal is to narrow the gap. Last season, the champions won 22 matches, while Boeung Ket only won 11. That’s a significant difference, and so the club’s staff, players, management, and supporters must unite behind one common goal,” he told local media.