When the boss pulled the 'breathing tube' out of the team

Vietnamese professional football is in trouble again before the 2025-2026 season, when a series of teams are at risk of disbanding due to lack of money. The story of the boss removing the "breathing tube" and the team immediately disappearing is repeated every year.

Quang Nam Club (yellow shirt) and SHB Da Nang in V-League 2024-2025 - Photo: VPF

V-League 2025-2026 has drawn lots and set the schedule. The new season will start in more than 3 weeks. But Quang Nam Club is making the tournament chaotic by announcing its dissolution and merger withSHB Da Nang Club.

The team also left open the possibility of staying if local leaders pay attention and direct them to seek and invite sponsors. In the context of economic difficulties, this possibility is very unlikely.

The story of Quang Nam FC is one of the typical cases of Vietnamese football. Under the (illegal) sponsorship of Mr. Do Quang Hien, Quang Nam FC won the right to play in the highest tournament of Vietnamese football in 2014.

Quang Nam Club even won the 2017 V-League championship and the 2018 National Super Cup. Present at the celebration ceremony of Quang Nam Club at that time, Mr. Hien awarded the team 8 billion VND.

Most recently, in the V-League 2024-2025, Mr. Hien also went to Hang Day Stadium to reward Quang Nam Club 500 million VND after the 1-2 loss to Hanoi Club in round 20 at the end of April.

Long An Club (red shirt) also does not know what the future will be after the 2024-2025 season ends - Photo: NK

In addition to Hanoi and Quang Nam clubs, Mr. Hien also sponsors SHB Da Nang club. And now, when the two localities of Quang Nam and Da Nang merge, the two merged football teams also have less sponsorship burden.

It is only difficult for the players, who have worked hard to bring Quang Nam Club to stay in the V-League, and now they are facing the survival story of the team. Not to mention, the tournament is about to start, the teams have also stabilized their personnel, and it is not easy for Quang Nam players to find a new team.

But this is not the first time Vietnamese football has encountered difficulties when relying on the play of bosses.

Navibank Saigon Club was dissolved in 2012. A year later, Saigon Xuan Thanh Club (owned by Nguyen Duc Thuy) was eliminated. Both clubs only existed for three seasons and disappeared when the owner left football.

Now, Mr. Thuy is the main sponsor of his hometown club Ninh Binh, and sponsors many other clubs in both the V-League and the first division. If one day Mr. Thuy gets bored with football, it is hard to imagine how many clubs will face difficulties or dissolve if they cannot find new sponsors.

Like last season, Long An Club received last-minute sponsorship from LPBank (with player support from Hoang Anh Gia Lai Club) so they could register and compete in the 2024-2025 First Division.

And now, without financial and player support, Long An Club does not know what the future holds. Especially since Long An province has merged into Tay Ninh.

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NGUYEN KHOI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khi-ong-bau-rut-ong-tho-doi-bong-20250722141510444.htm