Thien Truong Stadium has a capacity of about 30,000 spectators, but was only less than half full when the Vietnamese team played a friendly match with India on the evening of October 12. The number read out by the organizers was 8,239 people. The Vietnamese team no longer created a vibrant, fiery atmosphere in the stands.
The Vietnam-Thailand match at My Dinh Stadium last month was empty, possibly due to the weather. However, when coach Kim Sang-sik and his team played at Thien Truong Stadium, the stands were still filled with green - the color of empty seats. The Vietnamese team is no longer a "tourist magnet" in a land famous for its passionate football fans.
The Vietnam team played in front of empty stands.
In the past year or so, ticket sales have become quite a "headache" for the Vietnam Football Federation. The phrase "sold out tickets" has long been no longer mentioned before each match of the national team. Searching on Google for the phrase "sold out tickets for Vietnam national team", the most recent result is a friendly match with Hong Kong (China) taking place in June 2023 at Lach Tray Stadium ( Hai Phong ).
Fans like football to win. Of course they do. The Vietnamese team played 16 matches in the past year, winning only 2 (both against the Philippines). Poor performance is the first reason why the Vietnamese team's appeal is gradually fading.
Results are not the only factor that attracts spectators to the stadium to cheer for a team. There are cases where the losing team still creates a great attraction, for example, the U19 Vietnam team of Cong Phuong's generation. It is also worth mentioning that the youth teams of Vietnam football have also declined in terms of achievements in the past year. Most recently, the U20 team failed to pass the Asian qualifiers with unconvincing playing style.
However, the current Vietnam team has not been able to do that. In terms of results, it is not good. In terms of playing style, the situation under coach Kim Sang-sik seems to be more uncertain than under his predecessor Philippe Troussier.
The current Vietnam team has no elements worth watching.
After 5 matches, the audience watching the Vietnamese team still does not know how the team is shaped in terms of playing style and personnel structure. There is also no outstanding factor - like the way Mr. Park Hang Seo had Quang Hai - explode in the first year. The most praised player of the Vietnamese team in the most recent match was Van Quyet, who announced the end of his international career that same evening.
A football team cannot attract spectators to the stadium by just the slogan "flag and shirt colors". They must create an attractive product. The empty stands reflect that the current Vietnamese team is not a good quality and attractive product.
If the appeal of the Vietnamese team is considered a fire, Mr. Kim and his students are lacking a spark. Seven years ago, even when U23 Vietnam defeated U23 Thailand in a friendly tournament away, Mr. Park Hang Seo still did not create an explosive effect. The image of beer shops and football cafes packed with customers watching U23 Vietnam did not happen in the first match of the U23 Asian Cup.
The Vietnam team needs such a boost right now. Fans want to see something worth watching from the team. Asking for a "satisfying" match for the audience at this time may be a bit difficult, but the Vietnam team must win first. In the short term, the result is the most important.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/bao-dong-cho-tuyen-viet-nam-chat-luong-kem-co-dong-vien-bo-roi-ar901866.html
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