Strange stories from V.League to the Vietnamese National Team

The team that won the style award did not meet the standards.

In the 2020 season, SLNA finished in 10th place with 23 points. However, coach Ngo Quang Truong and his team have nothing to be disappointed about, as SLNA's young players were honored by the organizers in the Fair Play category. Furthermore,SLNAIt is also the team with the best youth training program in V.League 2020, with 3 youth championships and 2 bronze medals.

SLNA FC did not meet licensing standards but was the most stylish team in V.League 2020. Photo: VPF.

However, ahead of the 2021 V.League season, four clubs failed to meet the professional football criteria: Hai Phong, Nam Dinh, HL Ha Tinh, and SLNA. While Hai Phong and Ha Tinh's reasons included insufficient participation in youth tournaments, Nam Dinh's failure to meet financial requirements, and SLNA's failure to meet infrastructure requirements, the reason was a lack of adequate facilities.

This is the second year that SLNA has been denied a license due to insufficient lighting and other criteria, forcing them to participate in the tournament through a special vote by the VPF.

The Nam Dinh Supporters' Club is not operating "actively".

Following the 2020 V.League season, the organizing committee also honored the most active fan clubs, including those of Than Quang Ninh, Hanoi, HAGL, HL Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa, and Ho Chi Minh City. This is a recognition of the love for football shown by Vietnamese fans.

However, Nam Dinh FC's Thien Truong Stadium, with its massive and passionate fan base – the largest in V.League 2020 – was not recognized. The "Thien Truong cauldron" not only brought pride to Vietnamese football in the eyes of the international community but also saved a league plagued by numerous problems and refereeing errors.

The Nam Dinh fan club is the most passionate in V.League 2020. Photo: VPF

It's understandable that the Nam Dinh Supporters' Club wasn't honored due to numerous controversies, including the use of flares (which are banned) and messages protesting refereeing decisions. However, to argue that tens of thousands of fans attending matches every week shouldn't be called "active" is quite unfair.

The national team captain is absent from the V.League Team of the Season.

According to the V.League Awards,V.League 2020 Team of the SeasonIncluding Nguyen Manh, Tan Tai - Van Trien - Santos, Trong Hoang, Van Quyet, Quang Hai, Hai Long - Ngoc Duc Pedro, Cong Phuong.

V.League 2020 Team of the Season. Photo: VPF

Despite being the V.League 2020 champion, Que Ngoc Hai – captain of the Vietnamese national team – was not included in the ideal team lineup. Last year, Ngoc Hai played 19 matches, and it's hard to find a Vietnamese central defender who was more outstanding than him in Viettel's championship win. Even Khac Ngoc and central defender Bui Tien Dung were absent.

Conversely, goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh, who was included in the aforementioned ideal team lineup, was not named in Coach Park Hang-seo's December 2020 national team call-up list.

The player once considered retiring.

The latest Vietnam national team roster features the return of veteran goalkeeper Bui Tan Truong, who has played for the national team for many years and is now 34 years old, along with the inclusion of striker Nguyen Van Quyet and defender Nguyen Van Viet.

Goalkeeper Tan Truong is a special case in this national team squad list. Photo: HNFC

These are all players who performed well in the V.League 2020. However, before being called up for the first time by coach Park Hang-seo.National TeamTan Truong and Van Viet have both considered retiring as they are past their prime.

The fact that these players didn't give up on their passion and were fully recognized is truly admirable. This is an example, a lesson showing that all the efforts of players are rewarded accordingly.