Yokohama FC relegated, Cong Phuong returns to Vietnam to save his career?

Cong Phuong had another failed attempt to go abroad in his career. Returning to Japan with Yokohama FC, the striker born in 1995 only had a few minutes on the field in J.League 1, he only appeared in a few practice matches. In terms of collective performance, Yokohama FC was relegated.

As of December 2023, Cong Phuong is the only Vietnamese player still playing abroad. Both Nguyen Van Toan and Nguyen Quang Hai will return to V.League from the second half of the 2023 season.

If we exclude the case of Van Lam at Muangthong United, Xuan Nam was a star in the Lao National Championship many years ago, most Vietnamese players who go abroad do not get to play much, their performance declines and they face difficulties even after returning home.

Cong Phuong was relegated with Yokohama FC.

Cong Phuong is only 28 years old, it cannot be said that his career is in the "afternoon". He still has a chance to play if he changes his environment and shows determination to save his career.

However, with his current physical condition and form, it will be difficult to find a foreign team suitable for Cong Phuong. Returning home has never been a failure for a Vietnamese player, as long as they still bring value to the tournament and to their home team.

Nguyen Cong Phuong is still the star of Vietnamese football. However, the situation in V.League does not give the player born in 1995 many options.

Cong Phuong plays as an attacking midfielder and striker where teams prioritize foreign players. Some big teams have players in this position such as Hendrio Araujo (Nam Dinh), Nguyen Hoang Duc ( Viettel ), Nguyen Quang Hai (Hanoi Police Club),...

The weaker teams do not have enough financial resources to pay Cong Phuong's salary and bonuses. At this point, Cong Phuong has 2 best options for his career if he is determined to return home.

First of all, HAGL is of course always willing to welcome their best players back to Pleiku. The mountain town team has a huge source of sponsorship and is ready to look for quality stars to serve their ambition of "winning the championship next season". They do not lack money and have an emotional advantage with Cong Phuong.

Next, Ho Chi Minh City FC is the second team that is eager to have Nguyen Cong Phuong. They are lacking a striker and are also "thirsty" for a star to attract the affection of fans. Similar to HAGL, Ho Chi Minh City has a sponsor willing to "spend big", as long as the star is of enough class to make a splash.

It is not impossible for Cong Phuong to play abroad. Even if he decides to stay at Yokohama FC and play in J.League 2, he will have many opportunities to show himself. But returning home is still a better choice, when Cong Phuong can easily explode.

Mai Phuong

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