Over the years, it is undeniable that foreign players have played an important role in the development of V.League, contributing to improving the professional quality and creating attraction for the tournament. In particular, Vietnamese football has had initial success with the naturalization of Nguyen Xuan Son. However, recently, people have pointed out that more and more foreign players do not meet the requirements and expectations.
There are many reasons for this problem, such as finances not allowing clubs to access high-quality players. But finances are only one issue, because there are many other factors that can help clubs "hunt" players more effectively. So how to find quality foreign players who are suitable for Vietnamese football?
One of the major problems of V.League clubs is their over-reliance on player agencies. Teams often receive player lists from agents and decide based on a few highlight videos. This approach carries many risks as it does not fully reflect the player’s form and adaptability. A better solution is to proactively build a systematic scouting system, with a team of experts monitoring directly or using in-depth data.
The next issue is suitability. Having a good background does not mean success in V.League. They need to be suitable for the team's tactics and playing style, from the position on the field to the geographical location where the player comes from, all affect the ability to adapt.
World football has seen many scams when players arrive with poor physical condition, a history of injuries and the consequences come in the early stages after signing the contract. Vietnamese football has had such cases because the club did not conduct a thorough medical examination. Along with the physical condition is the attitude towards the game. This factor is important, because it is very possible that the player only came to Vietnam to "retire", lacking motivation.
One of the best ways to recruit players is to use data platforms. This is something many teams around the world apply, helping the team have a specific view before making a decision.
