Why is football in Southern Vietnam struggling despite having ample funding?

Regardless of whether they avoid relegation or not, the dire situation of Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC has further darkened the picture of football in Southern Vietnam.

Southern Vietnamese football: Plenty of money, but lack of stability.

After three years, the V-League relegation battle welcomes Becamex Ho Chi Minh City again. The Southern representative is ranked 12th, with 21 points after 24 matches. Although they are still one point ahead of Da Nang in the play-off position and three points ahead of PVF-CAND in the direct relegation zone, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City's position is currently precarious.

While the two lower-ranked teams faced opponents who had lost motivation in the final rounds, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City had to play away at the newly crowned champions Hanoi Police FC in round 25, and then return home to play a "relegation battle" against HAGL in round 26.

Becamex Ho Chi Minh City (in purple) is at risk of relegation.

PHOTO: VPF

Not only lacking favorable circumstances and home advantage, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City also lacks "human harmony." Coach Hua Hien Vinh's team has drawn 3 and lost 5 of their last 8 matches. The southern representative is weak in all aspects, from tactics to fighting spirit. The image of Ho Tan Tai (the team's most experienced player) receiving a red card after a foul on an SLNA player in round 24 summarizes the problems Becamex Ho Chi Minh City is facing. This team lacks a true leader that the whole team can look to in difficult times.

The last time Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC had to fight tooth and nail to avoid relegation was in the 2023 V-League season. Coach Le Huynh Duc's team only secured their survival in the final round with a 0-0 draw against Ho Chi Minh City FC at Thong Nhat Stadium. This result was just enough for both teams to remain in the V-League, while Da Nang FC was relegated to the First Division. Three years later, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC is back in familiar territory. The second most successful team in the V-League now has no chance of winning the championship, and is primarily focused on the relegation battle.

Unlike many teams struggling to survive, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City surprises everyone with its rich tradition and ample financial resources. Gone are the days when the Go Dau Stadium (now Binh Duong Stadium) was bustling with star players, earning Becamex Ho Chi Minh City the nickname "Vietnamese Chelsea," but the team from the Southeast region has never fallen into poverty.

Becamex Ho Chi Minh City continues to spend lavishly, sparing no expense in bringing in renowned coaches and top-tier foreign players. A simple example: in the 2024-2025 season, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City brought in coach Hoang Anh Tuan along with a large coaching staff, only to dismiss most of the coaching staff after just four months, with compensation reportedly enough to bring in... a few talented players.

Coach Hoang Anh Tuan only lasted 4 months at Becamex Ho Chi Minh City.

PHOTO: KHA HOA

Money isn't the problem for Becamex Ho Chi Minh City. It's the way they spend money that's pushing the team to the brink of relegation. Having reigned supreme from 2007 to 2015 with four V-League championships, Becamex Ho Chi Minh City failed to build a foundation for youth development, adequate facilities, and a playing philosophy befitting their status.

The Southern representative team has fallen into a money-driven race, "gilding" the team with expensive contracts that don't deliver commensurate value. The coaching staff is also constantly changing, with one or two changes of "coach" each season. Internal conflicts within the team have been a persistent problem for Becamex TP.HCM for many years, but it has yet to be definitively resolved.

Sadness

The issue of "throwing money away" isn't unique to Becamex TP.HCM. There have been Southern football teams with a lot of money, but they've never reached the level they aspire to.

Saigon Xuan Thanh, Saigon FC, Navibank Saigon... are examples of the fleeting nature of football clubs throughout history. Most recently, Ho Chi Minh City FC, under former chairman Nguyen Huu Thang, received substantial funding to bring in many star players, but paradoxically, the wealthier the team became, the more it declined. The peak of Ho Chi Minh City FC's success was the 2019 season, when they finished as runners-up with a relatively modest squad and a pragmatic playing style. However, after receiving massive investment, Ho Chi Minh City FC fell into a slump and struggled to avoid relegation.

"Football isn't a simple equation where 1+1=2. For example, with 10 dong, you buy one glass. With 20 dong, you buy two glasses. But in football, investing 10 dong might lead to success, while investing 20 dong could... lead to failure," a southern football expert quipped.

Many Southern Vietnamese football teams have wasted huge investments in pursuit of short-term success. Upgrading facilities, engaging with local fans, developing brand identity and culture through football identity, improving youth training systems, selling jerseys and merchandise, and offering football viewing experiences to diversify revenue streams... these are normal practices in developed football nations, but they are alien to many Vietnamese clubs.

The last time a Southern team won the V-League was in 2015, with Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC being the champions. But now, that iconic team may have to return to the First Division.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vi-sao-bong-da-mien-nam-lan-dan-du-khong-thieu-tien-185260527172300261.htm