V-League and the story of 'water flowing to low places'

V-League 2023 is currently on a break to make way for the Vietnam National Team's training session towards FIFA Day in mid-June. In fact, this is the time for the teams to prepare their forces before the last 2 rounds of phase 1, namely rounds 12 and 13, so that if they make it to the round of 8 teams in group 1, they can focus on the goal of winning the championship and a high ranking; and to avoid relegation in case they fall into group 2...

So, although it is said that the competition is suspended, the teams are operating at full capacity, specifically preparing to supplement and replace players according to the regulations of the tournament. Accordingly, this second registration phase allows teams to register to supplement the full number of 30 players, including Vietnamese players, foreign players of Vietnamese origin and foreign players. After 13 rounds of phase 1, the results allow teams to specifically evaluate each person and each position to change and supplement and, in the end, there is no need to go all the way mentioned above to have an objective and accurate view before making a decision.

Currently, information about changes and additions to the squad of football teams is being released every day. Strong teams such as Hanoi FC, Hanoi Police, Viettel... are entering the fray the most, "dominating" the player market the most. Most notably, after the away win over Dong A Thanh Hoa in round 11 with an unbelievable score of 4-1, Hanoi Police rose to second place in the rankings and began to show the true form of the number 1 candidate competing for the championship.

This team will do everything to have the strongest force, serving its ambition, by recruiting, lending, and transferring domestic and foreign stars. For example, Hendrio and Khac Ngoc from Nam Dinh Steel Blue can move to the Police team and Van Thanh and Van Vu will move in the opposite direction from here when they calculate the best personnel for the squad? Song Lam Nghe An will return to the period of poverty and have to let Ngoc Hai and Van Hoang leave their hometown team to the capital to first survive without being able to "dream" of anything at the present time?

The defending champion Hanoi FC has a strong squad but is going through a difficult period due to the absence of many key players. The upcoming competition could be fierce if Hanoi FC does not give up its ambition, continues to upgrade and supplement its squad, to both "save itself", not to fall too far from the top 3, and "save its teammates" like SHB Da Nang at the bottom of the rankings. After a lively warm-up, Nam Dinh Steel is gradually becoming deadlocked, playing forever without winning, and must change before it is too late. Song Lam Nghe An has just received information from the club's president about the difficulties of sponsoring enterprises, changing the bonus mechanism, actively using young players to mature... All of these are signaling many changes that are taking place and will take place after phase 1 and promise to bring a vivid, worth-watching picture in the decisive phase 2.

Don’t be surprised if you see that Hanoi Police will have all the big stars present to march to the championship, while Song Lam Nghe An will take the field with a series of young, potential names and the goal is just… modest, within strength, within bite! The problem for the Vinh team is how to achieve favorable results in the upcoming 12th and 13th rounds against Binh Dinh and Hanoi FC, teams with real strength and ambition but not in the best condition at the moment?

Binh Dinh is going through a "golden" season, now the sponsor is complaining about difficulties even before Song Lam Nghe An, so they are also clearly declining? Hanoi FC is without Van Quyet and Hung Dung, so if they play hard, Song Lam Nghe An at least can not lose. Unfortunately, if Ngoc Hai plays extremely well and extremely badly like in recent matches, then Song Lam Nghe An's chances of entering the top 8 in general are very... vague and unrealistic?

The story of Hanoi Police is following the rule of “water flows to low places” that any professional football must accept. A team with real strength and ambition will find ways to recruit good teachers and good students to win the national championship, gradually participate in regional and continental tournaments, and lay the foundation for the national team. That is important and necessary for a competitive and developing football. Meanwhile, other teams are also forced to “fight” to stay in the league, to produce and nurture players who can fulfill their big and small tasks.

Those who are knowledgeable will surely remember that Ajax Amsterdam once won the European Cup C1 with a series of famous stars, then "disbanded" in all directions because of the attraction of strong teams. Until now, they have regularly produced countless stars to go out and shine in the world football sky. Ajax still exists, is still a "strong brand" even though it could not reach the Champions League once. Song Lam Nghe An in V-League cannot be compared to anyone, but at least it helps to visualize a "brand" in youth training, in producing stars to contribute, mature, and contribute to the common success of Vietnamese football with its own unmistakable mark.

In the general movement of V-League during this restless period, the addition and transfer of players of the teams has involved old and new names of Song Lam Nghe An such as Khac Ngoc, Ngoc Hai, Van Hoang..., to gather at the powerful candidate team Cong An Ha Noi, which is enough to say that it is worth considering. The story is not new but still new, a little worrying but in the end it is the inevitable "rule" of professional football that we are taking the first hesitant steps./.