V-League and the issue of using young players.

Concerns about rankings, and even the risk of relegation, are becoming more apparent than ever. Alongside the joy of young talents regularly training in the top league, providing a rich source of resources for national teams, the future of these clubs with a tradition of youth development also faces numerous significant challenges if results remain lackluster and victories remain elusive, as seen so far.

Clearly, with the current squad at LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai, it's very difficult for players like Tuan Anh or Minh Vuong to lead younger players like Quoc Viet and Duc Viet, who are playing in the V-League for the first time, to keep up with the fierce and unpredictable competition from teams that have invested heavily in both skilled domestic and foreign players.

Injuries to key players like Thanh Bình and foreign player Martin Dzilah have further exacerbated the squad crisis at the team from the mountainous region. Besides the fact that many believe Chairman Đức has long been unable to bring in truly talented foreign players, Kiatisuk's outdated playing style is also a significant drawback that has caused the team to struggle so much in the V-League.

Meanwhile, Song Lam Nghe An started the season with a series of energetic and enthusiastic matches, but also revealed weaknesses that are not easily overcome overnight. A convincing defeat against Dong A Thanh Hoa away from home proved this. Three draws against The Cong Viettel, Hong Linh Ha Tinh, and Quang Nam at Vinh Stadium left many regrettable, noteworthy, and forgettable moments.

Unfortunately, Song Lam Nghe An conceded at least last-minute equalizers in their matches against Hong Linh Ha Tinh and Quang Nam. Notably, the goals conceded all came from central attacks by their opponents, often from young players.Lam River, Nghe AnAlmost completely exhausted towards the end of the match, unable to keep up with their opponent.

It's regrettable that Song Lam Nghe An often concedes goals from set pieces, especially corner kicks. Both of Quang Nam's goals in the 4-4 draw in the recent fourth round came from corner kicks. This is one of many fatal weaknesses; a team with a tradition of playing defensively is now displaying an unbelievably sloppy defense, as many people know.

The injuries to Khac Luong and Trong Hoang are further exacerbating the weaknesses in the Vinh team's squad. This shows that the policy of rejuvenating the team by rushing things, like bringing Ba Quyen or Nguyen Hoang, who had just played in the U21 league, up to the V-League despite their best efforts, will ultimately fail any coach, and the team will quickly suffer the consequences.

And it's not just the two teams mentioned above; the situation is also quite noteworthy for Hanoi Police, whose coach, Gong Oh-kyun, recently fielded a number of young players and lost to Hai Phong (1-3). The former head coach of the Vietnam U23 team surprised everyone by leaving out national team players like Tan Tai, Van Toan, Van Duong… and fielding completely new names like Gia Hung, Bao Trung, Van Phuong… and ultimately had to take responsibility for his lack of thorough and objective understanding of the V-League.

The story goes further with how coach Philippe Troussier uses young players in the Vietnamese national team, dropping Hoang Duc, Hung Dung, Tan Tai, etc., in favor of Tuan Tai, Thai Son, Minh Trong… It's noteworthy that foreign coaches often prefer using young players, disregarding their fame or past, unlike coaches Troussier and Gong Oh-kyun. However, for Troussier, it's a continuous experimentation process, based on sound reasoning or one that will gradually become sound, as everyone knows about Hoang Duc's recent decline. As for coach Gong Oh-kyun, his haste and overconfidence have been immediately punished, so adjustments will certainly be made if he doesn't want to be… fired prematurely.

Young players who have trained and competed for many years in youth teams like Song Lam Nghe An or LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai may be less overwhelmed compared to other teams when competing in the V-League. However, the V-League is a long, fierce, and competitive competition, so it will be very difficult for Song Lam Nghe An or LPBank Hoang Anh Gia Lai to break into the top ranks. There will be players who mature quickly like Van Viet, Manh Quynh, Nam Hai, or Nguyen Hoang at Song Lam Nghe An, but there will also be players who are "forced to mature" and cannot keep up with the pace of intense matches, falling behind.

There's a noteworthy detail regarding young players in the V-League, for example, in the recent Round 4. At Dong A Thanh Hoa, the tireless Thai Son played 70 minutes before being substituted, with a senior player stepping in to help the team win. Meanwhile, Song Lam Nghe An's central midfielder Nam Hai played almost 90 minutes before being substituted, and it could be argued that the fault in Quang Nam's 4-4 equalizer lay in this overloaded position. This suggests that a deep squad and effective player management will help young players mature, while the opposite can lead to discouragement without anyone realizing it.