From 18 Men to a Big Dream: Thanh Hoa Bets on a Revolution

On the morning of September 4, at Thanh Hoa Stadium, a departure ceremony took place in an atmosphere unlike any other year. Not because of the empty promises of a new season, but because of the number 30 – the number of registered players, nearly double the 18 from last season. I am 68 years old, but data is younger than I've ever seen – each season it grows a new layer of teeth. And this number 30, to me, is not just a registration figure. It is a declaration. The 2026/26 season saw Thanh Hoa survive in a peculiar way. With only 18 players, the team from Thanh Hoa finished 11th – a result far exceeding all expectations, but also a testament to the fragility of a club on the brink of financial collapse. But football does not die; it simply sheds its layers to reveal its skeleton. And Thanh Hoa's skeleton last season, though thin, was sturdy enough to keep them in the V-League. Entering the 2026/27 season, everything has changed. The arrival of businessman Le Xuan Tuong – Chairman of T-Group and Thang Long Instruments Joint Stock Company – as the new Club President, has opened a new chapter. This leadership change, along with the squad expansion to 30 players (26 domestic, 4 foreign, and 1 overseas Vietnamese), is the clearest signal that new resources have been injected. But the biggest question is not 'has the money arrived,' but 'how long will the money stay?' Looking at the squad structure, I see a fairly clear calculation. The four foreign players registered include two midfielders (Abdurakhmanov from Uzbekistan and Lovric Di Mateo) and two strikers (Monteiro Martins and Guindo). No foreign center-back, no foreign goalkeeper. This indicates a clear attacking orientation, but also reveals a potential weakness in defense when facing physically strong strikers from the bigger clubs. The use of the overseas Vietnamese slot for a Laotian international – Damoth Thongkhamsavath – is a clever regulatory move. He does not occupy a foreign player slot, and this shows that the club's recruitment department understands the rules very well. This is a tactical advantage that not every team exploits fully. But here, I want to offer a contrarian view to the general optimism. The expectation set by the management and coaching staff – 'highest results' in both the V-League and the National Cup – could be a double-edged sword. For a team that finished 11th, publicly declaring such ambition creates significant pressure. If the team only finishes mid-table, could those promises turn into negative pressure? The opening match against SHB Da Nang at home on September 6 will be the first test. A victory would fuel the flames of optimism. But a draw, or worse, a defeat, could extinguish all hope from the very first round. The retention of coach Mai Xuan Hop after the power transition is a positive signal for stability. He performed a miracle with 18 players last season, and now, with a deeper squad, he has the opportunity to build a more proactive style of play. But can a coach accustomed to managing a thin squad adapt to managing a roster full of new faces? That is a question only time can answer. The transfer market is a monastery where numbers chant; I merely record their prayers. And what I see at Thanh Hoa is a prayer for a comeback. But whether that comeback is sustainable depends on whether T-Group's investment is a long-term strategy or just a short-term display. If resources are cut, Thanh Hoa could fall into an even worse crisis than the 18-player season. I used to believe in feelings. After Opta, I believe in probability. After COVID, I believe in structure. And Thanh Hoa's structure this season, though significantly improved, still has unverified gaps. Can a defense without a foreign center-back withstand the pressure of top teams? Can foreign players from value markets (Uzbekistan, West Africa) quickly adapt to Vietnamese football? On the Moscow night, I didn't sleep. Not because of football, but because the numbers were whispering a prophecy. And now, the numbers in Thanh Hoa are whispering about a revival. But that prophecy will only come true when the team proves they have not just more numbers, but more class. The match against SHB Da Nang will give us the first answer.