HAGL: When the 'young birds' lose their wings...

21/10/2025 10:33:00 VictoryVox

The LPBank V-League 2025/26 has just passed 7 rounds, yet the season has already taken on a bleak shade for HAGL. From 3rd place with 12 points at the same time last season, Mr. Duc’s team has now plunged to the bottom of the standings.

HAGL is the only club this season to have scored just one goal after six matches played. Together with Thanh Hóa, they are the two teams yet to secure a win. Under Sporting Director Vu Tien Thanh, the team has drawn three, lost three, scored only one goal, and conceded eight. This is a disastrous start for the risky youth development strategy that Mr. Duc endorsed and that Vu Tien Thanh has steadfastly pursued.

The 0-3 defeat at Lach Tray Stadium against Hải Phòng in round seven marked the climax of the crisis. It was not just a loss in terms of score but a complete failure in tactics, morale, and organization. Although Hải Phòng is a familiar opponent for HAGL, coach Chu Dinh Nghiem’s team showed no leniency toward the Mountain Town squad.

HAGL entered the match with the desire to earn points but left the field exhausted and shocked. The immaturity and lack of composure of such a young team were mercilessly overwhelmed by Hải Phòng’s intense pressing style.

Currently, under Sporting Director Vu Tien Thanh, the team’s bleak stats can be summarized as 1 goal scored, 8 conceded (goal difference -7), and last place in the table. These figures reflect a club with the worst offense in the league and one of the loosest defenses. The only goal came from Minh Tam's strike in the previous draw against SLNA, a rare moment of brilliance.

In defense, despite having national goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien in goal, the "lone swallow" couldn’t bring success. Center-back Quang Kiet is tall but slow. Thanh Nhan’s poor pass allowed Hải Phòng’s foreign player to score, and foreign center-back Jairo Rodrigues could not patch the experience gap. HAGL often loses matches due to silly individual mistakes, which is unacceptable in the tough V-League competition.

HAGL (in dark jerseys) is facing the risk of relegation even though the LPBank V-League 2025/26 has not yet finished the first half. Photo: Hoang Linh

Up front, the departure of experienced players like Minh Vuong, Bao Toan, Quang Nho, and Ngoc Quang has left a significant void. Young players such as Gia Bao, Hoang Minh, and Minh Tam are expected to fill the gap but clearly lack the strength. Foreign player Marciel, who performed well last season, now lacks partners to cooperate with or create breakthroughs.

HAGL is not short of ambition to develop young players; in fact, Mr. Duc has long been loyal to the philosophy of using club-grown talent. However, youth development does not mean abandoning experience. This is the biggest mistake HAGL is currently repeating.

From promoting the U23 squad as the core to releasing all veterans, HAGL has "taken a big gamble," putting everything on unproven potential. While rivals have strengthened their squads with quality veterans and experienced foreigners, HAGL has fielded a young team in a league that demands maturity and experience but lacks enough leadership.

That’s why a youthful yet disorganized team like HAGL is breaking down under pressure. The responsibility now falls on Sporting Director Vu Tien Thanh with hopes to "bring the youth into the spotlight." It’s evident that HAGL is paying the price for not having enough time for this experiment. When trailing, the Mountain Town team is almost powerless to organize attacks or apply counter-pressure.

In a league with little room for experimentation like the V-League, HAGL faces the risk of paying a heavy price. This is also what Mr. Duc experienced in 2015 when HAGL released many veterans to make way for the "Golden Generation" of Cong Phuong, Tuan Anh, and Xuan Truong... What followed was HAGL "spending their youth fighting relegation," as declared by Minh Vuong, a player who left the club at the start of this season.

In the coming rounds, HAGL will continue to face tough challenges against The Cong Viettel, Nam Dinh, Hong Linh Ha Tinh, and possibly a "relegation final" against Thanh Hoa. Without significant changes, HAGL will find it very difficult to escape last place. The prospect of HAGL’s relegation is no longer unrealistic.

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