Binh Thuan Football: Continuing the miracle

Sweat on the training ground

Since December 2022, the team has been called up to prepare for the V-League 2 season, which will start on April 8, 2023. Mr. Dao Thanh Son - assistant team manager, said: “The team has been practicing since early December, before the Lunar New Year of Quy Mao at many training locations such as Doi Duong beach, Mui Ne Sand Hill and Nova football field in Tien Thanh. Currently, the coaches mainly practice physical strength and competition tactics. The good news is that with the support of Novaland Group, Nova football field is now a great condition for the team in terms of facilities during training.”

Coach Nguyen Minh Dung and his students on the training ground.

At Nova Stadium, the Binh Thuan football team had training sessions under the guidance of head coach Nguyen Minh Dung - who has made great contributions to bringing Binh Thuan football back to its peak. The current weather is quite harsh, but the seriousness on the training ground shows a great effort of the Binh Thuan football team in the new season.

Mr. Huynh Ngoc Tam - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, shared: After the provincial football team was promoted to the National First Division to participate in the first professional playground in 2023, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism had a meeting and reported on the team's preparations for the new season to the leaders of the Provincial People's Committee and related departments and branches. Thereby, it received attention, encouragement as well as support for proposals and recommendations to create the best conditions for the team to participate in the larger playground of Vietnamese professional football after many years of playing in the National Second Division. The head coach of the team is still Mr. Nguyen Minh Dung, who made great contributions in bringing the Binh Thuan team to the National First Division. Currently, the team is actively practicing physical training with large volume and intensity as well as practicing techniques and tactics with rich and diverse exercises so that the players can adapt and confidently enter the new season.

Player Nguyen Vu Truong Giang - one of the talented students who was added to the team

Player Nguyen Vu Truong Giang shared his feelings when he was called to the national team: “I am very happy and excited when the province's football rises to a new position. This is also a positive energy that helps me and the whole team focus more during training. When the province's football rises, the players' responsibilities will be greater, the team's determination will be higher and therefore the pressure will be greater. I am lucky that in the team, I always receive encouragement from previous generations of players, help and sharing of experiences on and off the field, so that young players like me can improve and develop further."

Many difficulties ahead

Mr. Huynh Ngoc Tam added: “Currently, the team has completed the registration procedures to participate in the tournament according to the regulations of the Vietnam Professional Football Regulations as well as quickly carried out related procedures to meet the requirements of the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF). We always keep in regular contact with the company's professional department to promptly supplement relevant documents when requested as well as promptly update new information related to the teams participating in the tournament. Another difficulty is the financial issue related to the team's activities. The Provincial People's Committee and professional agencies have also paid attention to creating favorable conditions for the team to be eligible to participate in the first season of the professional football playground. In addition to the budget allocated nearly 18 billion VND to repair the field and facilities, in the coming time, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will also seek additional funding sources to have a timely reward regime for the team when it has good achievements. Actively mobilize businesses with a passion for sports in general and football in particular to promote the establishment of a Football Joint Stock Company to more fully meet the criteria of the Vietnam Professional Football Regulations when participating in the following seasons.

Currently, in terms of facilities, it is very difficult to transport a team of 35-40 people. Currently, the Provincial Training and Competition Center only has one 29-seat vehicle, making it difficult to transport the team at the same time. The coaching staff has also used personal vehicles for each training day. The field for a season that meets the conditions of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) in the locality cannot meet. In the immediate future, the solution proposed to keep up with the upcoming season is to borrow Ninh Thuan field, because it meets the conditions for the V-League season.

Currently, with familiar faces of Binh Thuan team, the team also has naturalized player Dinh Hoang Max (Nigerian), 2 former players Nguyen Xuan Luan, Phan Thanh Nam and Nguyen Quoc Hoang who participated in the National U20... Hopefully, they will do something for Binh Thuan football after 30 years, waiting, and striving for change today.