CLB Ninh Bình: Losing is just part of the game.

Head coach of CLB Ninh Bình, Gerard Albadalejo, was dismissed after a series of unsatisfactory match results, which is a common occurrence. Foreign coaches, except for Albadalejo, the youngest general in the league's history, might not be aware of this and certainly have not experienced it.

In the first half of this season, Ninh Bình held a significant lead over their rivals, nearly ten points ahead. At that time, many quickly assumed this season would belong to Ninh Bình. However, Vietnamese football, with its national professional league system, is not as inexperienced as outsiders might think. Remember Đà Nẵng 2005 or B.Bình Dương 2006, Thanh Hóa in the early 2010s...

Ninh Bình, with its assembly of many star players, both domestic and foreign, along with relay races, organic relationships, internal dynamics..., seemed formidable. However, the royal blood flowing in its veins does not guarantee success. It does not come easily, as football is not won without a fight. The V-League history spans over 25 years; how many clubs have been champions?

Returning to the issue raised at the beginning of the article. Coach Vũ Tiến Thành will step into the role of the young general Albadalejo. In fact, this was planned earlier, from the Thiên Long - Thaigroup Cup 2025 training tournament in Quảng Nam. Chairman Nguyễn Đức Thụy, who favors Coach Thành "Móm" over other coaches. Within the ecosystem of clubs under the Xuân Thành group, it seems... only the owners' preferences matter!

Ninh Bình FC is almost certainly not going to win the V-League this season. So who will be the champion, which team? It is CAHN, the team with the most stable squad and form.

The V-League championships in its over 25-year history have always required relay races. It's called a marathon. The top-tier league in Vietnam, in essence, is like "scattered provisions along the road." From SLNA, to Cảng Sài Gòn, HAGL, GĐT Long An, and later Hà Nội T&T (CLB Hà Nội)...

Over the past four years, since CAHN's championship, to Nam Định, these have all been outcomes of relay races.

The coaching staff and players from Spain and Brazil, including eight from Ninh Bình, have tried very hard to achieve Ninh Bình's current results. Yet, all of them still do not understand what professional football in Vietnam is like. They don't even fully grasp why and how they came to Vietnam. Isn't Vietnamese football about why you win and why you lose?

In short, losing is just part of the game. Foreign coaches in the V-League have a very tough time surviving. From Ninh Bình, to Nam Định, to Thanh Hóa, and soon CLB Hà Nội. Perhaps only Thể Công remains steadfast. Because Coach Popov has been in Vietnam for many years. The Bulgarian general is truly skilled.

The era of foreign coaches in the V-League is long gone! Farewell and thank you to Albadalejo and his colleagues.