When football teams are 'strong because of sponsorship, afraid because of... clashing'

For example, Dong Tam Long An football team with Mr. Thang quickly achieved success when they consecutively won the national championship in the 2005 and 2006 seasons, won the national cup in 2005, the Vietnam football super cup in 2006... Hoang Anh Gia Lai with Mr. Duc won the national championship and the super cup in 2003 and 2004. Binh Duong team with the model of a joint stock company, not associated with any famous and ambitious boss, but achieved even more "terrifying" achievements with 4 national championships in 2007, 2008, 2014 and 2015, 3 national cups in 1994, 2015 and 2018, and 4 times won the super cup in 2007, 2008, 2014 and 2015.

But it is worth mentioning that after that, these teams gradually fell in the V-League rankings, Long An was even relegated and it is unknown when they will return to V-League1 like when they first shined. Hoang Anh Gia Lai was recently "threatened" to play in the 3rd division if they quit the tournament because of the sponsorship brand, one of the important "milk sources" to feed the team. Binh Duong is not to the point of having to fight relegation, but has been obscure in the middle and bottom positions of the rankings for a long time, despite continuously producing number 1 strikers like Anh Duc or Tien Linh.

The Vietnamese team also participated in many major tournaments. Photo: vietnamnet.vn

Meanwhile, prominent football brands during the subsidy period such as: The Cong, Hanoi Police... after initially facing difficulties, being relegated, even disbanded, have gradually recovered, regained their old traditions to return with a new, hopeful look. Viettel continues the tradition of The Cong, winning the 2020 national championship. Hanoi Police has started to return this season and is the number 1 challenge for football teams in the V-League season 2023 and the following seasons.

Of course, the story ofLam River Nghe Anor Dong Thap also gave different results and lessons, not to mention the fluctuations related to other football teams such as: Nam Dinh, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Da Nang, Binh Dinh... The rise or fall of football teams is actually linked to the activities in the market and the way investors and sponsors invest in football. The water rises, the boat rises as the folk saying also applies to professional football activities. While the value of players is constantly increasing, the accompanying contract terms are also competing to increase rapidly, meaning that on the positive side of professionalism, on the other hand, countless failures of amateur football are holding back and hindering that legitimate path to progress.

The story of a boss - many football teams know but say it and then leave it there. The story of referees "blowing the whistle" is rampant season after season, discipline is just for show. The story of a football team being "built" to the championship and then being relegated the next season does not bother anyone. The story of a football team getting rich suddenly, shopping lavishly at the beginning of the season, crying and begging for emergency help at the end of the season is not strange or unusual. The story of a loyal fan "turning the car" to react to his hometown team is just a story of getting angry for a while and then letting it go, whatever. The story of a young player who had to speak up at the end of the year to "demand a gift" has until now no one knows the reason, who is the reason?

Vietnam team in a training session. Photo: Hai Hoang

But more importantly, the "upper-level" problems that happened openly in meetings, the "tit for tat" situations somewhere between people who are all passionate and live and die for football turned out to be selfish personal conflicts, unprofessional expressions... Then, when the football season is about to take place, they have to negotiate again, sulk with children again, and put everything in an unimaginable lose-lose situation. As someone jokingly said, "strong because of sponsorship, afraid because of... clashing goods", isn't that right?

Fortunately, in the clear and muddy streams, Vietnamese football still moves forward with unique, creative and successful ways. The map of achievements is always changing and there are new names, brighter and brighter. Futsal participated in the World Cup twice and both times passed the qualifying round, which is a proof of knowing how to go and how to do things effectively. The women's team, despite countless losses, still proves that they are not "weak" on the way to the World Cup and deserve to be respected, honored, and enjoy the fruits of professional football.Vietnam team,The U23, U20... generations are taking fundamental steps to become more and more stable and reliable. The youth training centers are working together to nurture and produce new talents, meeting the requirements of modern physique, physical strength, and more comprehensive tactics and techniques, avoiding shortcomings such as being good at technique, attacking but weak in defense, playing friendly matches or everything but only drawing and losing in tournaments...

Socialized football - a story that is not new, not easy to succeed immediately, is gradually emphasizing the main, correct features in the general picture of professional football in our country and football in the lowlands. The information in the region that only 2 Thai football teams and 1 Malaysian football team are in the top 500 leading football teams in the world once again reminds us of the weakness and slowness, even with the famous Hanoi FC compared to the football teams of the world. Happy with many steps of football but it is a forced joy, if you take the time to look out, look up, right?