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

For example, Dong Tam Long An team, led by Chairman Thang, quickly achieved success by winning the national championship in 2005 and 2006, the national cup in 2005, and the Vietnam Super Cup in 2006. Hoang Anh Gia Lai, led by Chairman Duc, won the national championship and the Super Cup in 2003 and 2004. Binh Duong team, operating as a joint-stock company and not associated with any famous or ambitious chairman, achieved even more impressive results with 4 national championships in 2007, 2008, 2014, and 2015, 3 national cups in 1994, 2015, and 2018, and 4 Super Cups in 2007, 2008, 2014, and 2015.

However, it's worth noting that these teams subsequently declined in the V-League standings. Long An even suffered relegation and it's unclear when they will return to V-League 1 as they did in their early days. Hoang Anh Gia Lai, in particular, was recently threatened with relegation to the third division if they withdrew from the league due to sponsorship issues, a crucial source of funding for the team. Binh Duong, while not facing relegation, has consistently languished in the middle and bottom of the table, despite continuously producing top strikers like Anh Duc and Tien Linh.

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

Meanwhile, prominent football brands from the subsidy era, such as The Cong and Hanoi Police, after an initial period of difficulty, relegation, and even dissolution, have gradually recovered, reclaiming their old traditions and returning with a new, hopeful image. Viettel, continuing The Cong's tradition, won the national championship in 2020. Hanoi Police is making a comeback this season and is the number one challenge for teams in the V-League in the 2023 season and subsequent seasons.

Of course, the story ofLam River, Nghe AnSimilarly, Dong Thap also yielded different results and lessons, not to mention the fluctuations related to other teams such as Nam Dinh, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Da Nang, Binh Dinh... The rise or fall of football teams is actually linked to commercial activities and the way investors and sponsors invest in football. The saying "when the water rises, the boat rises" also applies to professional football. While the value of players is constantly increasing, the accompanying contract terms are also skyrocketing. This means that, in the positive aspect of professionalism, the numerous shortcomings of amateur football hinder and obstruct that legitimate path to progress.

The story of one owner controlling multiple teams is well-known, but it's often left unsaid. The issue of referees making controversial calls is rampant season after season, with disciplinary action often just going through the motions. The story of a team being "pushed" to the championship only to be relegated the following season doesn't bother anyone. The story of a team that gets rich quickly, spending lavishly at the beginning of the season, then desperately begging for help at the end is also nothing unusual. The story of die-hard fans turning against their hometown team is just a momentary fit of anger, then simply ignored. And the story of young players, desperate at the end of the year, demanding gifts – to this day, the reasons behind it remain unknown, who is to blame or what caused it.

The Vietnamese national team during a training session. Photo courtesy of Hai Hoang.

But more importantly, the internal conflicts at the "top level," openly discussed in meetings, the tit-for-tat exchanges between those who claim to be passionate and dedicated to football, turn out to be selfish personal conflicts and unprofessional displays... And then, as the season approaches, they have to negotiate again, sulk like children, and put everything in an unimaginable predicament. As someone jokingly said, "Strong because of sponsorship, afraid because of... competition," isn't that right?

Fortunately, amidst the ups and downs of Vietnamese football, the sport continues to move forward with unique, creative, and successful approaches. The map of achievements is constantly changing, with new names emerging and shining brighter each time. Futsal's two World Cup appearances and successful qualifying rounds are proof of truly effective strategies. The women's national team, despite numerous disadvantages, has proven they are not "weak" on their path to the World Cup and deserve respect, honor, and the fruits of professional football.Vietnam national team,The U23, U20... teams are taking fundamental steps to become more stable and reliable. Youth academies are working together to nurture new talents, meeting the requirements of modern, comprehensive physical fitness, technical skills, and tactics, avoiding shortcomings such as being technically skilled and offensive but weak in defense, or only drawing or losing in friendly matches or other competitions...

Socialization of football – a story that is not new, and not easily achieved immediately – is gradually establishing itself as a dominant and correct trend in the overall picture of professional football in our country and in developing regions. The fact that only two teams from Thailand and one from Malaysia made it into the top 500 in the world once again reminds us of the weakness and slow progress, even for the renowned Hanoi FC, compared to other teams. We are happy with many steps forward in football, but this joy is forced; if we take the time to look further ahead, wouldn't that be better?