Behind Cong Phuong's team's 'rejection' of V-League

With a long-term development orientation, Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Club (formerly Binh Phuoc Club) has its own reasons for refusing to participate in V-League 2025 - 2026.

AMBITIOUS TEAM

Ever since Truong Tuoi Group started investing in Binh Phuoc Club, they wanted to go the long way. They recruited Cong Phuong to build this star into a pillar of the team as well as a "magnet" to attract fans to the stadium. At the same time, Binh Phuoc Club recruited Japanese experts, went to Thailand to learn the development model of Buriram United Club, to be able to play football in a more systematic and sustainable way. Binh Phuoc Club's facilities were also completely renovated. As a result, the cashew nut country team had quite good results (first division runner-up, missed the V-League ticket due to losing to Da Nang Club in the play-off match), and has a large and loyal fan base.

Cong Phuong practices to prepare for the new season

PHOTO: DONG NAI FRESH SCHOOL CLUB

With the existing foundation from Binh Phuoc Club, Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Club is now aiming for further goals, in which playing in V-League is a must. However, they have refused to replace Quang Nam Club.

The Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Club affirmed: "We do not want to enter the V-League just to "participate", we want to go there when we are truly ready to fight, to conquer". The ambition of this team is clear: to become a challenger, a team that can compete for the title instead of participating in the V-League just to stay in the league. To do that, the Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Club said they will build a cohesive, professional team, based on a solid foundation. But up to this point, the foundation they are talking about is not really solid.

Cong Phuong cannot carry the team when the FORCE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Let's look at the new players that coach Nguyen Viet Thang has to see more clearly. Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Club has brought in 14 new players, including experienced names such as Tran Minh Vuong and Luong Xuan Truong. But after all, these players have turned 30 years old and can no longer maintain their form and fitness like in their peak times. The same goes for Duong Van Khoa, Nguyen Huu Tuan, Nguyen Thanh Thao, and Le Van Son. The younger players such as Tran Quang Thinh, Uong Ngoc Tien, Ho Thanh Minh, Cao Tran Hoang Hung, Nguyen Duc Cuong, Nguyen Thanh Loc, Tran Trong Hieu... are all not of high quality, or are mainly reserve players in the V-League, or only play in the first division. Meanwhile, foreign player Alex Sandro is also 30 years old, playing football for the first time in Vietnam and needs more time to prove himself.

With the current squad, Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Club is strong enough to conquer the first division. But to become a real challenger in the V-League, they need a much better squad. Meanwhile, the 2025-2026 V-League season is very close, with only 2 weeks left and a strong "blood change" is almost impossible. And if he has to make a quick change, Coach Viet Thang also needs to recalculate the personnel and tactics, things that this strategist has carefully prepared. This is too complicated.

Not participating in the V-League this season is not a step back, but a strategic "calculation" of Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Club. They proactively stopped to prepare more carefully for long-term goals, instead of engaging in a fierce game without enough potential. Not only does the team lack depth, this team also needs more time to perfect many other factors, such as upgrading facilities.

This shows that Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Club is alert and has a long-term vision. Building an image, playing style identity, connecting the local fan community and developing a sustainable youth team will be a solid foundation for the journey to conquer V-League in the near future. Cong Phuong's team is on a slow but steady path, which is what Vietnamese football really needs.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dang-sau-viec-doi-cua-cong-phuong-tu-choi-v-league-1852508052206558.htm