Truong Tuoi Dong Nai FC and the "revolution" in playing style

After a strong squad overhaul with more than 10 quality players recruited, along with a change in the head coach position, Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Football Club (FC) will certainly present a completely new playing style compared to previous seasons. This change not only brings a fresh source of inspiration to the team, but spectators will also feel more interested because coach Viet Thang is building a highly aesthetic playing style for his team.

Determined to change the old playing style

Initially, through 2 pre-season friendly matches, the image of Truong Tuoi Dong Nai as a football team that likes to control the game gradually emerged. Immediately after the 2-2 draw with Becamex Ho Chi Minh City, if considering the ball possession rate in about 75 minutes of play (the 75th minute of the match was canceled due to heavy rain), the first-division team was not inferior to the V.League team. Moving on to the second match, a 5-1 victory against Gia Dinh FC, the game was almost completely controlled by high-class players such as Xuan Truong, Minh Vuong, Cong Phuong, Van Son, etc.

Defeating Gia Dinh FC in the recent training match shows that Truong Tuoi Dong Nai's playing style started to change.

In previous seasons (when its name was still Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc), from coach Anh Duc to his successor Quoc Anh, "the green warriors" still did not play a possession-based stlye in the way that coach Viet Thang is building. The main reason lies in the personnel, especially in the midfield, where the players responsible for the central area were often assigned to Tai Loc, Sam Ngoc Duc, or Manh Hung... they are all "box-to-box" type players (focused on interception, wide movement). Even Luu Tu Nhan, despite playing in the central midfield in some matches, this striker who won the "top scorer" title still tended to play high up like a forward to score goals rather than create chances...

It is clear that the playing style that Truong Tuoi Dong Nai showed in the last 2 seasons lacked a true "playmaker" to regulate the game. Therefore, even when facing teams considered weaker, Cong Phuong's team still found it difficult to completely impose their playing style on the opponent.

Waiting for the "tiki-taka" version from Cong Phuong and his teammates

With a mindset that favors beautiful, attacking football, "boss" Son has planned for his team after realizing the reality of playing in the First Division for 2 years. Therefore, moving on to the new 2025/2026 season, Truong Tuoi Dong Nai is considered the team that spends the most in the transfer market. Notably, the most prominent names are all concentrated in the midfield, such as Xuan Truong and Minh Vuong. With a squad fully capable of meeting the new playing style, combined with head coach Viet Thang’s preference for possession-based football style, Truong Tuoi Dong Nai will certainly present a very different face in the 2025/2026 season compared to the past 2 seasons.

In football, when the game is well controlled, many opportunities will be created, and good ball control also means not allowing the opponent to play football to decide the game. Having a look at the list that "the green warriors" which have just been recruited, they can completely do the above, because not only Xuan Truong and Minh Vuong, but all three lines have good enough personnel to play according to the desired tactics. Specifically, if there are Cong Phuong, Ho Thanh Minh, Le Thanh Binh up front, there are Le Van Son, Nguyen Thanh Thao on the wings, and in the center-back position there are Huu Tuan, Tan Sinh, who have quite good technique and can push high to "pass and move" with the front line...

From the current factors, a "tiki-taka" playing style in the First Division is entirely feasible for Truong Tuoi Dong Nai. And when playing beautiful, attractive football, "the green warriors" will certainly attract more fans to the stadium, because for many who love attacking football, beautiful football, they come not just to "watch" but also to "enjoy" the truly captivating football atmosphere.

By: Nguyen Tan

Translated by: Mai Nga-Thu Ha