Thanh Hoa's New Dawn: From 18-Player Survival to Ambition of Higher Standing

On September 4th, at Thanh Hoa Stadium, a departure ceremony took place in an atmosphere unlike any other year. Gone was the weary, struggling look of a team that had to fight for survival with just 18 players last season. Instead, there was the image of a full squad of 30 registered names, alongside the presence of a new president with the bearing of a businessman. As Mr. Le Xuan Tuong, Chairman of T-Group, cut the ribbon, I looked up at the stands and saw the eyes of Thanh Hoa fans shining with new hope. Is this the beginning of a new chapter, or just momentary excitement before a grueling season? The 2026/26 season was a nightmare left behind by the old management. Financial crisis forced the team to operate with a core of just 18 players, almost the minimum for a professional team. Finishing 11th was considered a miracle, a feat of resilience and disciplined defensive organization under coach Mai Xuan Hop. But that miracle also exposed the team's limits: no squad depth, no rotation, and almost no ability to create surprises. This year's departure ceremony, therefore, carries a completely different meaning. The appearance of new president Le Xuan Tuong, a businessman behind T-Group and Thang Long Instruments Joint Stock Company, is the clearest signal that new capital has been injected. The most concrete evidence lies not in the promises made from the podium, but in the registration list: 26 domestic players, 4 foreign players, and 1 overseas Vietnamese player. From 18, the squad has grown to 30, a quantitative change sufficient to alter the qualitative dimension. This is not just filling numbers but a declaration of new tactical ambition. The allocation of Thanh Hoa's foreign players this season reveals the coaching staff's intentions quite clearly. Two midfielders (Abdurakhmanov from Uzbekistan, Lovric Di Mateo) and two strikers (Monteiro Martins, Guindo) indicate a squad structure leaning heavily toward attack. No foreign center-back, no foreign goalkeeper. This means the creative and finishing burden falls on the imports, while the defense relies on domestic players. This is a familiar model in V-League, where the individual quality of foreign players in the final third often makes the biggest difference. However, the lack of an experienced foreign center-back is a double-edged sword, especially when facing physically dominant foreign strikers from big clubs like Hanoi FC or Cong An Ha Noi. The most notable detail of this transfer window lies in a very small point: the overseas Vietnamese player slot was used for Damoth Thongkhamsavath, a Laos international. This is a smart move in terms of squad management. According to V-League regulations, overseas Vietnamese players are registered in a separate category, not occupying a foreign player slot. Using this slot for a player who represents Laos internationally shows that Thanh Hoa's scouting department understands the rules well and knows how to exploit regulatory loopholes to strengthen the squad economically. This is a real competitive advantage. But the biggest question remains finance. Increasing from 18 to 30 players almost certainly means the wage bill has risen by 60-70%, not to mention foreign player wages which are typically 3-5 times higher than domestic players. Will revenue from sponsorship, ticket sales, and broadcasting rights be enough to cover this? Information about commercial contracts is not disclosed, and this is a critical data gap. The sustainability of this investment depends entirely on T-Group's long-term commitment. If this is just a short-term branding exercise, Thanh Hoa could face an even worse crisis than last season. Coach Mai Xuan Hop, who kept his job through the leadership transition, now faces entirely new pressure. Last season, surviving with 18 players was an achievement far exceeding expectations. This season, with a fuller squad and new investment, the public and management will demand clearer results. His public statement about striving for 'highest results' in both V-League and the National Cup is a public commitment, and in Vietnamese football, such commitments are remembered for a long time. If the team underperforms by mid-season, his job will be quickly threatened. The opening match against SHB Da Nang at home on September 6th is a crucial test. SHB Da Nang is a familiar mid-table V-League side, and a win would create positive momentum. Conversely, a loss could trigger early criticism of the new setup. Thanh Hoa Stadium always provides a certain home advantage thanks to the passionate local fans, and the team needs to leverage that. Tactically, the deployment of two foreign strikers (Monteiro Martins, Guindo) suggests a two-striker formation, or one of them could be a rotational option. The lack of a foreign winger suggests either domestic wingers will handle that role, or the team will use attacking midfielders operating centrally. The early season will be a time for experimentation and finding the optimal core, and this is also the biggest risk: if the team doesn't gel early, the first matches could pass in frustration. Another perspective: last season's success could be a double-edged sword. It generated sympathy and lowered expectations, but it also set an implicit standard that the team is 'used to' fighting through hardship. If this season the team plays more openly, attacks more but concedes more, will the fans accept it? The shift in playing philosophy, from defensive counter-attacking to a more proactive style, always carries risks during the transition period. In terms of competitive standing, Thanh Hoa climbing to the mid-table group (6th to 8th) is a feasible goal. However, competing with Hanoi FC or Cong An Ha Noi at the top is almost out of reach, as the gap in budget and squad quality remains enormous. The ambition of a 'high position' should be understood as a top-6 finish, not a title race. It's important for the management and fans to have realistic expectations to avoid unnecessary disappointment. Thanh Hoa's biggest risk remains long-term financial sustainability. The 2026/26 crisis showed how fragile the club's financial structure is. The investment from new president Le Xuan Tuong is a positive signal, but it needs to be sustained. If T-Group faces difficulties in its core business, football investment could be cut. This is a common risk pattern in V-League, where clubs often depend on the owner's primary business. In terms of governance, retaining coach Mai Xuan Hop through the leadership transition is an important signal. It shows the new president values stability and continuity, which positively impacts dressing room morale. However, it also means Hop now bears responsibility for new expectations. If results disappoint, he could be the first casualty. Looking back, the September 4th departure ceremony was not just a routine ritual. It was a declaration of rebirth. From a team struggling to survive, Thanh Hoa is trying to rise into a team with ambition. But the path from 'survival' to 'prosperity' is never a straight line. It's full of thorns, unexpected defeats, injuries, and doubts. As I left Thanh Hoa Stadium that afternoon, I remembered a line from a fellow journalist: 'Glory eventually falls; only the poems about it remain standing.' Will Thanh Hoa write a memorable poem this season, or just a quiet, low note? The answer will begin to unfold on September 6th, when the ball rolls on the green grass.