Ninh Binh Club continuously buys 'stars': Determined to win the championship like HAGL in 2003

Ninh Binh Club will add a lot of players to compete for the top position in V-League 2025 - 2026.

Ninh Binh Club's Ambition

"Although they have just won the first division championship, Ninh Binh Club has ambitions and a clear roadmap for next season's V-League. That is a good sign," President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Tran Quoc Tuan shared with the press on the afternoon of June 18.

To play in the first division this season, Ninh Binh Club brought in Hoang Duc, Thanh Binh, Quoc Viet, Van Lam... all of whom are national or former national players of the Vietnam national team. With a superior force from the first division, the ancient capital team won 18 and drew 1 after 19 matches, becoming the first division champion with the most points and most victories in history.

Ninh Binh Club won the first division championship convincingly

PHOTO: PHU DONG NINH BINH

As soon as they won a direct ticket to participate in the V-League next season, Ninh Binh Club has a plan to continue to make waves. Midfielder Nguyen Duc Chien will participate, after this player's contract with The Cong Viettel expires.

After Duc Chien, a series of other national players and former national players are preparing to join Ninh Binh Club, including faces that Mr. Kim Sang-sik is trusting in the Vietnam national team. The summer transfer window of 2025 may witness a big shift, when many stars land at Ninh Binh Stadium.

Leading the squad of world-class players next season will no longer be Viet Thang, but a foreign strategist. Ninh Binh Club plans to invite a coach from Spain, who used to work at Barcelona’s youth team and has certain knowledge of Asian football.

With ambition and extensive preparation, Ninh Binh Club is a potential championship candidate next season.

Re-enacting HAGL's journey in 2003?

In the past, there have been teams that won the V-League in the first season of promotion. Typical examples are HAGL (2003) and Hanoi Police Club (2023).

HAGL's journey to win the 2003 V-League championship is worthy of being a model for Ninh Binh Club to refer to.

With a series of excellent players such as goalkeeper Van Hanh, defender Minh Duc, Dusit Chalermasan, Ngoc Canh, Quang Trai, Manh Dung, Trung Tuan, Hai Lam, midfielder Huu Dang, Quoc Vuong, Chukiat Noosalung, brothers Si Linh, Si Hung, strikers Viet Thang, Van Dan and "conductor" Kiatisak Senamuang, HAGL easily got promoted in the 2002 season, then dominated the V-League 2003 and 2004 very convincingly.

Similar to Ninh Binh Club, HAGL did not wait for promotion to add players. 22 years ago, Mr. Duc, with his influence and spending, convinced a series of stars to "temporarily play" for 1 season in the first division, then rose to the V-League to take the throne.

HAGL's "Dream team" won the 2003 V-League

PHOTO: NEXT MEDIA

To get the stars, including the famous striker Kiatisak of Southeast Asia at that time, to accept to go to Pleiku to play for the emerging power, Mr. Duc did not only have pure money. He also had ambition and a clear roadmap, so that the good players could accept to take a step back and wait.

HAGL built a stable framework right from the first division, then went up to V-League, added more talent and won the championship.

That is also the path Ninh Binh Club is taking. With goalkeeper Van Lam, defenders Huu Tuan, Thanh Thinh, midfielders Hoang Duc, Van Thanh, or strikers Thanh Binh, Quoc Viet... Ninh Binh already has a quality squad to shape the playing style.

Instead of waiting to be promoted to V-League to spend money, the ancient capital team convinced its stars to agree to temporarily move back to the first division for 1 season. And now, Ninh Binh Club will step up to V-League with a formidable squad and players.

However, the story of HAGL in 2003 also left a lesson. Spending money to recruit a series of stars can help teams conquer the title in a short time. HAGL, Long An have gone, Nam Dinh is going and Ninh Binh will go.

But, to maintain long-term dominance in Vietnamese football, teams need to have a clear identity and style of play, while also training young players and having a sustainable strategy.

Only by training players, developing youth forces in parallel with recruiting stars, can teams build for the future, as well as demonstrate a long-term commitment to football. As for spending money lavishly to achieve results and then... withdrawing in silence, V-League has witnessed a lot.

Vietnamese football needs clubs that are methodical, decent and professional to be able to go far.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/clb-ninh-binh-lien-tuc-mua-sao-quyet-con-duong-vo-dich-nhu-hagl-nam-2003-185250618083452605.htm