Thanh Hoa's Departure: From 18 Men to a Big Dream

On the afternoon of September 4, at Thanh Hoa Stadium, I stood among hundreds of fans waving red flags. On the pitch, the team lined up in new kits, young faces mixed with veterans who had fought through the most brutal season in the club's history. I saw goalkeeper Nguyen Thanh Diep, who stood firm in goal throughout 34 rounds with only 18 players, and I remembered a line I once wrote: "Scars are not ugly; they are the map of battles fought." In the 2026/26 season, Thanh Hoa fought with only 18 men and survived in 11th place. Today, they depart with 30 registered players, 4 foreigners, 1 overseas Vietnamese, and a new president named Le Xuan Tuong. The question is not where they can finish, but whether this dream carries enough weight to avoid repeating the scars of the past. The context of this change began with a difficult season. Last year, the Thanh Hoa side played with the thinnest squad in the V-League, just 18 players. Coach Mai Xuan Hop, a veteran strategist, managed with what he had, building a tight defensive counter-attacking style to secure 11th place - a result considered beyond expectations amid financial crisis. Then, the arrival of businessman Le Xuan Tuong, chairman of T-Group and Thang Long Instruments Company, changed the landscape. He brought new capital, expanded the squad to 30 players, and publicly declared ambition to achieve the highest results in both the V-League and the National Cup. This change is not just about numbers, but about how the club sees itself. Deep analysis of the squad structure reveals a clear tactical shift. With 26 domestic players, 4 foreigners, and 1 overseas Vietnamese, Thanh Hoa has created a depth never seen in recent history. Notably, the foreign player allocation: 2 midfielders (Abdurakhmanov from Uzbekistan, Lovric Di Mateo) and 2 strikers (Monteiro Martins, Guindo). No foreign center-back, no foreign goalkeeper - this suggests the club is betting on attacking strength, where foreigners typically make the biggest difference in the V-League. But this is a double-edged sword. Without foreign defenders, pressure falls on domestic center-backs, who are accustomed to a defensive, numbers-based style from last season. Can they withstand the physical foreign strikers of big clubs like Hanoi FC or Cong An Ha Noi? Having followed many V-League seasons, I've noticed that mid-tier teams often pay a heavy price when lacking a foreign center-back, especially in matches where opponents use long balls and physical pressure. The squad expansion from 18 to 30 players is not just a tactical decision but a significant financial signal. In Vietnamese football, nearly doubling the number of players means a substantial wage bill increase, not to mention the cost of 4 foreigners - who typically earn 3 to 5 times more than domestic players. This shows Le Xuan Tuong has actually invested, not just made empty promises. But the biggest question I ask, based on my experience following provincial teams in the V-League, is whether this capital is sustainable or just a short-term campaign. I've witnessed too many Vietnamese clubs explode at the start of a season then quietly fall into crisis when sponsors withdraw. Dependence on a single enterprise, whether T-Group or any corporation, is always a latent risk. The reassuring part is the retention of coach Mai Xuan Hop - a decision showing respect for stability and continuity, something many Vietnamese clubs lack when changing coaches mid-stream. The blind spot in this optimistic story lies in the numbers themselves. Last season, Thanh Hoa finished 11th with 18 players - a result seen as miraculous. But looking closely, that 11th place might be an overachievement relative to true strength. The team survived on negative, defensive football, conceding possession to protect results. This season, with ambitions to play more expansively, they will face a harsh reality: V-League teams are accustomed to countering provincial sides that change their style. The truth is, expanding the squad does not automatically improve quality. The 12 new players, including foreigners from value markets like Uzbekistan and West Africa, need time to integrate. I've seen too many cases of foreigners from these markets arriving in the V-League and struggling with the pace and intensity. They may have good technique, but adaptation to climate, culture, and playing style is a different story. And when the team lacks a foreign center-back, every defensive error will be exposed under home crowd pressure. As for overseas Vietnamese player Damoth Thongkhamsavath, who represents Laos internationally, this is a clever administrative move. Using the overseas Vietnamese slot for a player who is not purely Vietnamese is a legal loophole many clubs are exploiting. This shows Thanh Hoa's recruitment department understands VPF regulations well. But professionally, the question is whether this player truly upgrades squad quality or is just a numbers filler. I've witnessed many clubs waste their overseas Vietnamese slot, and I hope Thanh Hoa doesn't fall into that trap. The opening match against SHB Da Nang at home on September 6 will be the first test. This is a winnable fixture, and a victory would boost confidence for both the team and fans. But if the result disappoints, pressure will quickly fall on coach Mai Xuan Hop and new president Le Xuan Tuong. I remember a line I wrote in a season analysis: "The pitch is a blank page, every run is an unfinished poem." For Thanh Hoa, this year's page is thicker, but the verses remain incomplete. Can they write a new fairy tale, or will they repeat the tragedy of provincial teams that dreamed big then woke up? The answer lies not in player numbers, but in how they face the early matches, where the glamour of the departure ceremony is replaced by sweat and split-second decisions. I will follow them, not just for work, but because I believe Vietnamese football needs stories of revival, even from a small provincial team with 30 men and a big dream.