The new season for Vietnam's top-flight football league, the V-League 2014, kicked off on January 11 amidst indifference from fans following Vietnam football's worst showing last season.
The V-League 2014 will probably begin amidst much gloom about the country's football future, after Vietnamese football experienced a series of defeats at all levels in international competitions last year.
The senior national team lost all five matches in the Asian Cup Qualifiers, while the national U23 team failed to go beyond the group stage at the Southeast Asian Games last month, and the fever of the national U19 team declined after the team was dismantled 7-0 by the Japanese U19 team in front of home fans.
All of those forgettable results, compounded with the V-League 2013 scandals on and off the field, really took away the attention of fans from the 14 year-old professional league.
"I do not know, I have not heard of it," said a football fan, whose job is collecting money from a parking lot across the street from the Hang Day Stadium, when asked about the opening round of the V-League 2014.
"I have not minded watching the local national football competitions for many years because of its poor quality and nonsense issues on and off the field," he said, asking to remain anonymous.
Some meetings have been held by the football governing body, since the closing day of the last season, though nothing has been done, except for making hollow promises, which are made at the beginning of every season.
Three early matches took place on January 11, with Hanoi T&T hosting Becamex Binh Duong in a match which could be described as the game of the round, given their past achievements and the qualified players at their disposal.
Defending champions Hanoi T&T have not only kept most of their key players, except for the departure of captain Cristiano Roland, but also consolidated the squad with new additions.
Of note, Coach Phan Thanh Hung and his players have sent out a clear message that they want another title.
However, it was not be an easy task for the Hanoi-based team to get off to a good start today, as Binh Duong have made a massive change to their football club this season, with two-thirds of the squad being new players.
Binh Duong, under new coach Nguyen Minh Dung, boasts many talented players, such as defender Au Van Hoan, midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang, and striker Nguyen Anh Duc, who are members of the national teams.
Newcomers Quang Ninh, who were promoted to the V-League this season, plaed their first V-League match against Song Lam Nghe An, which is much weakened following the departure of top players, despite the return of star striker Le Cong Vinh.-VNA
The V-League 2014 will probably begin amidst much gloom about the country's football future, after Vietnamese football experienced a series of defeats at all levels in international competitions last year.
The senior national team lost all five matches in the Asian Cup Qualifiers, while the national U23 team failed to go beyond the group stage at the Southeast Asian Games last month, and the fever of the national U19 team declined after the team was dismantled 7-0 by the Japanese U19 team in front of home fans.
All of those forgettable results, compounded with the V-League 2013 scandals on and off the field, really took away the attention of fans from the 14 year-old professional league.
"I do not know, I have not heard of it," said a football fan, whose job is collecting money from a parking lot across the street from the Hang Day Stadium, when asked about the opening round of the V-League 2014.
"I have not minded watching the local national football competitions for many years because of its poor quality and nonsense issues on and off the field," he said, asking to remain anonymous.
Some meetings have been held by the football governing body, since the closing day of the last season, though nothing has been done, except for making hollow promises, which are made at the beginning of every season.
Three early matches took place on January 11, with Hanoi T&T hosting Becamex Binh Duong in a match which could be described as the game of the round, given their past achievements and the qualified players at their disposal.
Defending champions Hanoi T&T have not only kept most of their key players, except for the departure of captain Cristiano Roland, but also consolidated the squad with new additions.
Of note, Coach Phan Thanh Hung and his players have sent out a clear message that they want another title.
However, it was not be an easy task for the Hanoi-based team to get off to a good start today, as Binh Duong have made a massive change to their football club this season, with two-thirds of the squad being new players.
Binh Duong, under new coach Nguyen Minh Dung, boasts many talented players, such as defender Au Van Hoan, midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang, and striker Nguyen Anh Duc, who are members of the national teams.
Newcomers Quang Ninh, who were promoted to the V-League this season, plaed their first V-League match against Song Lam Nghe An, which is much weakened following the departure of top players, despite the return of star striker Le Cong Vinh.-VNA
