A slip of the tongue

(Baonghean) - Having led B.Binh Duong to the V.League championship three times, and leaving the team in bitter disappointment three times, with his unique personality and harsh statements, coach Le Thuy Hai has become a "phenomenon" in Vietnamese football in recent years.

Speaking about himself to the press, Mr. Hai asserted: "I am the best coach in Vietnam!" At Binh Duong, he also once said: "The biggest star at Binh Duong is me!" He also made some rather harsh comments to his colleagues, players, and club owners. When HAGL was a phenomenon in Vietnamese football, he said: "HAGL players are not yet skilled enough to play in the V.League." Regarding coach Miura, he also stated that he "had no significant achievements or impressive contributions"... With such statements, Mr. Hai caused a stir in public opinion. And certainly, the most upset are probably the club owners who pay him daily salaries. They hired him as coach to handle professional matters, not to have him independently "do media work" that disrupts and affects the club.

Coach Le Thuy Hai (right in the photo)

Speaking of personality, both domestic and foreign coaches, when leading teams at the club and national team levels in Vietnam, have plenty of it, but "when in a certain place, one adapts to the situation," they all know their responsibilities. When commenting on players, team leaders, or owners, they all offer harmonious remarks, choosing their words carefully to please everyone. For example, HAGL coach Graechen recently, when Chairman Duc jumped into the dugout to coach in his place during the match against Dong Nai in round 10 of the V.League, the French coach was upset and left the post-match press conference. However, when reporters pressed him about the situation, Graechen replied: "He went into the technical area because he is the owner of the team, and he doesn't do my job."

As for Mr. Hai, when reporters asked about the reason for his departure from B.Binh Duong this time, he angrily retorted: "Go ask the most famous star in Binh Duong" - (referring to the team's leadership). Or when B.Binh Duong's leadership recruited Cong Vinh, Mr. Hai also hinted that even if Cong Vinh came to Binh Duong, he would still be a reserve player... With these statements that "embarrassed" the owner and damaged the team's brand, many people anticipated that sooner or later, Mr. Hai would have to leave B.Binh Duong. The recent defeat against Shangdong Luneng in the AFC Champions League was just the final straw, the excuse for them to go their separate ways.

Following this incident, Mr. Hai himself and many fans believe that without individuals with strong personalities and outspoken opinions like Mr. Hai, Vietnamese football would be somewhat less appealing. Whether that assessment is correct remains to be seen, but for now, Mr. Hai has had to reluctantly leave the B.Binh Duong team because of his "slip of the tongue".

Duc Dung