HAGL will change its look in 2025?

HAGL: No need to be good, still win

The 1-0 victory over Hanoi FC in round 11 of V-League 2024 - 2025 clearly explained the face of HAGL under the duo of coach Le Quang Trai and technical director (GDKT) Vu Tien Thanh.

HAGL did not play better. On the contrary, despite having one more player, the team from the mountain town was still at a disadvantage, was pressured by the opponent and won thanks to a penalty. HAGL also did not have a sharp attack. Most of the opportunities created by Mr. Le Quang Trai's students came from counter-attacks. It should be noted that these opportunities only appeared when HAGL played with one more player, and they did not appear often.

HAGL ranked 6th after 11 rounds

In short, HAGL won because the opponent was... worse. However, every victory is worth 3 points. Minh Vuong and his teammates do not need to impose the game or show off their eye-catching style of play. Mr. Vu Tien Thanh's philosophy when taking over the team, whether as coach or technical director, has not changed: play to get points, and whether 1 point or 3 points depends on the opponent and the context of the match.

HAGL once won against Hanoi Police Club (CAHN Club) in a match where the minutes of the ball rolling only took up half of the match time (or as goalkeeper Nguyen Filip assessed, the match was considered over when HAGL opened the score). The team from the mountain town also drew 0-0 against Nam Dinh, drew 1-1 against Thanh Hoa in matches that were "dull" in terms of technical skills. However, what coach Le Quang Trai and his team are aiming for is not one match, but a long journey.

On that journey, the number of 16 points after 11 matches helped HAGL get closer to the goal of staying in the league. To survive in the V-League, teams need at least 28 to 30 points. The Pleiku team has gone nearly half way and can stay in the league early if it ensures the current speed of accumulating points.

Pragmatic and tight defense, taking advantage of every rare opportunity to decide the match is the path that Mr. Duc's team is taking. With a team whose quality of both domestic and foreign players has declined, while the young generation is still unfamiliar with V-League, it is difficult to demand more from HAGL.

If you want to have an identity, you have to... live!

In the V-League, not many teams can ensure both aesthetics and efficiency in their playing style. Hanoi FC in the 2018-2022 period, Nam Dinh FC last season... are rare teams that meet the conditions. Being able to attack well and win is the privilege of teams that are either full of stars or play methodically with a long-term philosophical foundation.

HAGL prioritizes points over aesthetics in playing style

HAGL lacks both of these factors. Or rather, this is the reality that most V-League teams have to face. Thanh Hoa Club of coach Velizar Popov won 3 titles in 2 years, but still on the basis of defensive counter-attack (if anything, Thanh Hoa team attacked more "enthusiastically" than HAGL). Even teams with more potential such as Binh Duong or The Cong Viettel have struggled for many years with the problem of playing well and playing beautifully.

Coach Nguyen Duc Thang of The Cong Viettel said that V-League teams prefer defense over attack, Coach Alexandre Polking of CAHN said that attacking in V-League is... extremely difficult, and in the end is just the tip of the iceberg.

When most teams do not have a quality player base, and youth training in many places still focuses on achievements, it is no wonder that teams (including HAGL) give up what is called identity to focus on the battle for survival. What is the meaning of identity if... you lose the battle and cannot survive?

So, the Pleiku home team will probably still pursue a pragmatic and dry style, but score better points in 2025.

HAGL has revamped its youth training and is introducing a team of potential "rough gems", but that is a story of the future. For now, Mr. Duc's team must stay in the V-League first.

However, instead of lying on the field wasting time and breaking up the match with tricks, winning "fairly and squarely" is still better for the overall professional situation of V-League and the quality of Vietnamese football.

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Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hagl-thay-dien-mao-moi-trong-nam-2025-185250130195703536.htm