The most 'unique' football team in V-League: No need for stars, still confidently entering the top 4

Without a strong force or foreign star players, Coach Chu Dinh Nghiem's ​​Hai Phong Club still stubbornly rose to the top of the V-League.

V-League is interesting because of Hai Phong Club

After 8 rounds, the top 4 of V-League has been initially determined. Ninh Binh FC is at the top of the table thanks to its balanced force of both domestic and foreign players, along with the unique pressing and lightning-fast attacking style built by coach Gerald Albadalejo.

Hanoi Police Club (CAHN Club) ranked second in the table, with a squad of top-class players in the V-League, molded with the control philosophy that coach Alexandre Polking worked hard to build. The Cong Viettel ranked third, also having a good coach and the best squad of players in the league.

Ranked fourth, surprisingly, is Hai Phong Club.

Hai Phong Club (red shirt) flies high on the rankings

PHOTO: VPF

The port city team has risen up when they beat HAGL (3-0) and Ha Tinh (2-1) in the last 2 matches. Hai Phong is only 3 points behind the second team. If they continue to maintain a stable performance, the opportunity for coach Chu Dinh Nghiem's ​​students to go further is completely possible. While other teams fly high thanks to being equipped with "to the teeth" from high-class foreign players, coaches to good facilities, Hai Phong Club is not so lucky.

Lach Tray Stadium's home team has left their youth squad empty for many years, not competing for talent, mainly using mid-level players like Manh Dung, Van Minh, Hoang Nam, Huu Son..., changing almost the entire lineup every season.

Hai Phong team only had 3 players called up to the national team in the past year, namely Dinh Trieu, Nhat Minh and Viet Hung. Of these, Nhat Minh and Viet Hung did not get to play, and Dinh Trieu no longer holds the number one position.

Hai Phong's foreign players are also ordinary names, such as Joel Tagueu, Bicou Bissanthe, Imoh Fred Friday.

However, overcoming those limitations, Hai Phong Club is still a steady "dark horse" in the V-League. In the 2022 season, the port city team won the runner-up position, after competing for the championship with Hanoi's all-star squad until the final rounds. In the 2023 season, Hai Phong is in the championship group after the first phase, although coach Chu Dinh Nghiem modestly said that Hai Phong's goal is to stay in the league.

Hai Phong Club is an interesting phenomenon

PHOTO: VPF

After the 2023 - 2024 and 2024 - 2025 seasons, standing in the middle of the table, this season, Hai Phong Club is present in the top group.

In football, spending money to buy stars and then winning the championship is a familiar formula for success in any football country, not just Vietnam. For nearly 30 years, V-League has had no shortage of such teams.

However, having a modest squad but still having a clear and coherent playing personality like Hai Phong is a rare thing. A team without stars, but when everyone sticks together, it creates a brave and unpredictable collective.

The work of 'General' Nghiem

Before coach Chu Dinh Nghiem arrived at the end of 2021, Hai Phong Club had gone through 4 consecutive years of ups and downs in the V-League.

Even after a dream season in 2016 when they won the V-League runner-up, it was an unconvincing version of Hai Phong. The port city team thrived thanks to a pair of high-quality and compatible foreign players like Errols Steven and Diego Fagan. Both left, Hai Phong FC returned to earth.

Because before Mr. Nghiem arrived, Hai Phong Club did not have a clear style of play or strategy. However, with the former coach of Hanoi, the picture at Lach Tray has gradually changed.

Coach Chu Dinh Nghiem brings vitality to Hai Phong Club

PHOTO: MINH TU

Hai Phong Club focuses on ball control, has a clear attacking strategy, based on collective strength. Under Mr. Nghiem's ​​guidance, Hai Phong has gradually increased the time of ball control, has a coherent strategy and is ready to play on par with or above any opponent.

The match that most clearly showed the pride of Hai Phong Club took place in round 6, when Mr. Nghiem's ​​students pressed the field and shot at least 20 times towards the goal of the top team Ninh Binh.

Despite being outnumbered, Hai Phong FC still played to the end, attacking with all their might against the team with the best form in V-League at the moment. If Van Lam had not been so brilliant, Ninh Binh would have had a hard time leaving with just 1 point.

That is Mr. Nghiem's ​​Hai Phong "quality". He can win or lose, but he never gives up and always shows his stubbornness, dares to play and dares to take responsibility.

Hai Phong Club is organized in a disciplined and systematic way that, even though there is a "loss of strength" in each season, the playing style and achievements are still maintained. Even though the pillars later leave, we can believe that Hai Phong's character is still there.

Coach Chu Dinh Nghiem has built a team with his own personality when given full authority. A truly talented coach, has created a project on a simple foundation.

V-League needs such groups and people, to foster the belief that in football, money is not everything.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-bong-doc-la-nhat-v-league-khong-can-ngoi-sao-van-hien-ngang-vao-top-4-18525102916062137.htm