V.League 2022 - What can we learn from the 'monthly awards'?

According to Announcement No. 7 Night Wolf V.League1-2022 dated March 23rd from the National Professional Football Leagues Organizing Committee (VPF), the voting for monthly awards for the best team and coach, best player, and best goal scorer… has begun.

Based on the selection criteria, members of the tournament organizing committee, head coaches, the chairman of the coaching staff, and invited journalists participated in the voting process.

Phan Văn Đức has received the Goal of the Month award twice for scoring beautiful goals. (Photo: Archival image)

Accordingly, the March prize winners are selected from rounds 1, 2, 3, and 4; the July prize winners from rounds 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9; the August prize winners from rounds 10, 11, 12, and 13; the September prize winners from rounds 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18; and the October prize winners from rounds 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24.

To date, the organizing committee has announced the March awards for Hai Phong team, coach Chu Dinh Nghiem, Rimario and Van Duc; the July award for Hoang Anh Gia Lai team, coach Kiatisuk, Van Toan and Van Duc; the August award for Hanoi FC team, coach Chun Jae ho, Van Quyet and Ngo Hoang Thinh; and the September award for Topenland Binh Dinh team, coach Duc Thang, Hoang Duc (Best Player and Best Goal).

Looking at the results above, it's easy to see that Hai Phong had the best "start," followed by Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the "obstacle course" stage, while Hanoi FC and Topenland Binh Dinh excelled in the "acceleration" stage, although the capital city team had a greater burst of speed.

However, due to two months of poor performance in August and September with six winless matches, Hoang Anh Gia Lai has actually fallen quite far behind in the V-League standings. Similarly, Song Lam Nghe An, although not the best team in those months and having reached second place after the first half of the season, subsequently experienced a six-match winless streak, causing them to drop rapidly in the standings like the team from Pleiku.

Meanwhile, Hanoi FC, Topenland Binh Dinh, and Hai Phong maintained their stability after the start of the season, thus retaining their positions in the three-way race before the decisive final stage, starting from round 19 (Hanoi won convincingly, Hai Phong won luckily, Binh Dinh had a bye).

In line with the achievements of the aforementioned teams, coaches Chu Đình Nghiêm, Kiatisuk, Chun Jae-ho, and Đức Thắng were deservedly selected and honored. Only Kiatisuk (and his player Văn Toàn) have recently been struggling, going not just 6 but 7 consecutive matches without a win.

Regarding the outstanding player, praise must go to Hai Phong's excellent striker Rimario, currently leading the league with 14 goals. His consistent goalscoring, decisive goals, and ability to overwhelm any defense, including Hanoi FC, are the outstanding qualities of this physically strong, goal-scoring, yet hot-tempered foreign player. Rimario currently accounts for half of Hai Phong's goals (14/28). Although he has only been voted Player of the Month once and hasn't had a goal named Player of the Month, his goals are a commendable achievement.

Finally, among the four players who scored the best goal of the month, it's noteworthy that Van Duc of Song Lam Nghe An was chosen twice (for goals in matches against Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Hai Phong). A former Song Lam player, Hoang Thinh, now playing for Ho Chi Minh City FC, also scored the best goal in a match against Hai Phong.

Another player who scored a beautiful goal was Hoang Duc in the match against Nam Dinh... For the players, every goal scored against an opponent is a beautiful goal, and the goal that brings victory to the home team is the most precious and beautiful goal in their career. Honoring players after each goal is a necessary reward and should be maintained regularly.

The final stretch of the season promises to be exciting and captivating. The team that crosses the finish line first will not only win most of the monthly awards but also claim the championship, or the season title. Will Hanoi FC, with its strong squad and ambition to win all the upcoming awards, or Viettel, or Topenland Binh Dinh be able to "usurp" the title? The answer awaits us ahead.