V-League divided into two halves of class

Not a single team from the Southeast region appeared in Group A (the group competing for the championship) in the second phase of V-League 2023. Ho Chi Minh City Club and B. Binh Duong both struggled with the relegation race and only completed their goal in the final round of the season. Meanwhile, the top 6 teams in the V-League 2023 rankings are all in the North, including: Hanoi Police, Hanoi, Viettel, Dong A Thanh Hoa, Hai Phong and Nam Dinh Blue Steel.

Southeast football declines

After more than 20 years of Vietnamese football becoming professional, the last time a team from the Southeast region won the V-League was B.Binh Duong in 2015. Since then, Hanoi FC and Viettel have taken turns standing on the highest podium in this playground.

Analyzing the reasons why the performance of Ho Chi Minh City football in particular and the Southeast region in general has been declining badly in the recent past, football expert Doan Minh Xuong said that the football teams in this area have not yet integrated into the professional playing field. "Funding is a prerequisite for building a strong professional football team. If football activities cannot generate additional income from ticket sales, television copyright, jersey sales, player trading or advertising... then that team will hardly be able to survive long in the professional mechanism" - Mr. Xuong commented.

According to the assessment of this coach born in 1959, football in the Southeast region has been underdeveloped in recent times for many reasons: not receiving much attention and investment from local resources, and having to struggle to find sponsors before each season, making many teams "not interested" in promotion. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City Club and B.Binh Duong have also been in a situation of limited operating budget for nearly 3 years, so they have not had the opportunity to buy high-quality players to serve the goal of competing for titles.

"In a professional football environment, the difference in level and class is reflected in the core players. In the V-League, "poor" teams of course have to take advantage of players who are past their peak or have average professional skills and play with the goal of staying in the league. On the contrary, teams with "plenty" of money have a big advantage in the championship race. However, that makes football poor, unable to create surprises, losing the attraction of the audience and the quality of the tournament will also decrease more and more" - Mr. Doan Minh Xuong added.

Ho Chi Minh City Club and B. Binh Duong - two teams in the Southeast region have just successfully stayed in the league in the final round of V-League 2023. Photo: QUOC AN

Ways to Rise Up

In areas with developed football, they always prioritize building a foundation from effective youth training methods. "I have been to Japan, Korea or Spain and was impressed with the model of building and competing in school football and community football there. Localities always invest heavily and seriously implement training young players because they believe that is the way to maintain the identity of regional football and create reputation" - Mr. Xuong shared.

In Ho Chi Minh City, since the disbandment of the Ho Chi Minh City Police Club, Saigon Port or Customs, the so-called identity and traditional playing style here have gradually faded. Saigon Xuan Thanh or Saigon FC cannot stay long in the professional playground because they do not have a long-term investment policy and sustainable development. For many years, the Thong Nhat Stadium stands have been sparsely attended even though Ho Chi Minh City Club is still in the V-League.

Meanwhile, the famous football training centers in Vietnam are currently located in the North, including: Hanoi Club, Viettel, PVF Center... In addition to receiving regular funding, receiving attention from local authorities as well as fans, these centers regularly produce young talents for the country's football. That is also a way to help improve the level, class and strength of these teams.

"It is time for those responsible and professional football professionals in Vietnam to sit down together to review what has and has not been achieved by the country's football in the past. In order for Vietnamese football to be on par with the continental football powers, it is necessary to first professionalize the clubs in the domestic league," expert Doan Minh Xuong emphasized.

Car carrying 4 members of HAGL Club had an accident

On the afternoon of August 12, on National Highway 14, a tragic traffic accident occurred between two trucks and a 4-seat car of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Football Club (HAGL), causing 3 people in the car to die on the spot, including assistant coach Duong Minh Ninh, Portuguese striker Paollo Oliveira and team doctor Dao Trong Tri. The driver in the car, Nguyen Tu Sinh, was seriously injured and had to be taken to the emergency room. The accident occurred in Ia Hru commune, Chu Puh district, Gia Lai province.

On August 11, HAGL lost 0-1 at SLNA in the final round of the second phase of V-League 2023. Most of the team members were able to return home, but Mr. Ninh, striker Pallo and doctor Tri returned to Gia Lai, picked up by the club's car after taking a flight from Vinh (Nghe An) to Buon Ma Thuot (Dak Lak). On the way back to the club's headquarters, the car had an accident.

D. Linh

Hanoi police close in on championship cup

Hanoi Police moved closer to the championship this season after beating Viettel, one of the two direct competitors, with a score of 3-0 on the evening of August 12. Three important points in the penultimate round helped Quang Hai's new team solidify their position at the top of the table with 37 points, 2 and 5 points more than Hanoi and Viettel, respectively.

In the final round on August 27, Hanoi Police will face Thanh Hoa (the team that just lost to Hanoi 1-3), and Hanoi will play Viettel.

Q.An