Bau Duc and 20 Years of 'Growing People': When Patience Becomes a Burden in the Relegation Whirlpool

There is a coffee shop in the mountain town of Pleiku, where I often sit whenever I return to Vietnam, quietly watching children practice football on the hillside. They don't know about lucrative contracts or the glare of the spotlight. They only know how to chase an old ball under the scorching Central Highlands sun. And in that moment, I suddenly remember another figure, one who for nearly 20 years has been persistently pursuing a somewhat... stubborn dream. That is Bau Duc, and the dream is named the HAGL academy – a dream now facing the biggest survival question in its history. As I write these lines, the LPBank V-League 2026/27 season is entering its decisive phase. And there, in the middle of the standings, a name that was once the pride of Vietnamese football is sinking deep into a fierce relegation battle. HAGL of Bau Duc, the club once dubbed the 'star incubator' of Vietnamese football, is now being left behind by newly promoted teams like Dong Nai and Bac Ninh. The story is no longer about tactics or stars, but about a philosophy, a patience that has lasted nearly two decades, now being questioned by those who once supported it most fervently. The truth is, the Mountain City team owns the youngest squad in the league with an average age of just 22.8. Names like Gia Bao, Chi Dung, Chi Huong – players under 20 – are being given regular playing time. On the surface, this seems like a continuation of the youth development philosophy Bau Duc has pursued since 2026. But looking closer, I realize a different truth: is this a development strategy or just an acceptance of fate, a way to reduce financial pressure in the context of an imminent relegation threat? I am not sure. The context of this story begins nearly 20 years ago. When Bau Duc decided to invest systematically in a youth academy, he created a quiet revolution in Vietnamese football. At a time when most clubs only cared about buying players to compete for the title, HAGL chose a different path: self-development. And the results came, brilliant and inspiring. Names like Cong Phuong, Tuan Anh, Xuan Truong, Van Toan, Van Thanh not only became pillars of HAGL but also the brightest stars of the national team. They changed the way the entire football nation viewed young players, proving that a systematic academy could produce generations of exceptional talent. But that is a story of the past. The present picture is very different. Looking at the national team in recent ASEAN Cup tournaments, the number of HAGL players contributing has decreased significantly. In youth tournaments, like the U17 World Cup, the absence of players from this academy raises even more questions about the model's true effectiveness. There is a harsh truth I realize: the generation of Cong Phuong, Tuan Anh was a golden generation, a perfect combination of innate talent, proper investment, and... luck. And expecting the HAGL academy to continuously produce such generations is perhaps too high an expectation. According to data I have collected from various sources, in the last three seasons, the playing minutes of HAGL's young players in the V-League have been very high. But that doesn't mean they are developing in the right direction. I have watched many of this team's matches this season, and I notice a clear deficiency in game-reading ability, calmness in decisive moments – things that can only be gained through top-level competitive experience. They run a lot, they are enthusiastic, but top-level football requires not just youth, but also sophistication and composure. And that is something the youngest team in the league cannot naturally possess. One detail particularly caught my attention. In a recent match against another seasoned club, HAGL's young players made a total of 67 tackles, a very high number. But they also committed 24 fouls, double their opponents. They chase the ball like hunting dogs, but lack the intelligence to read situations and position themselves. They remind me of myself at 25, when I thought enthusiasm could replace intellect. And I was wrong. Football, at the highest level, always belongs to those who know how to conserve their energy for the most crucial moments. When I ask myself: 'Is Bau Duc making a mistake?', I must remind myself that perhaps I am viewing the issue too one-sidedly. There is another perspective, which I believe also has its value. It is looking at the bigger picture of Vietnamese football. Without Bau Duc's HAGL, would we have witnessed the remarkable development of other youth academies as we see today? Would other clubs have been willing to spend money on academies and youth scouting? Perhaps not. Bau Duc, whether intentionally or not, has become a pioneer, a trailblazer. And pioneers always suffer the first wounds. I am not sure if I would be brave enough to do the same as him, when the pressure of results always weighs heavily. But one thing I am certain of is that Bau Duc's patience is being tested to its limits. Experts, journalists, and fans alike are asking: 'Is it time for a change?' This pressure comes not only from the team's imminent relegation threat but also from comparisons with their own glorious past. When you have created players like Cong Phuong and Tuan Anh, accepting a generation of 'average' young players is extremely difficult. I feel that inner conflict, because I too have experienced similar emotions watching teams I love decline. So, the question is: should Bau Duc continue to be patient or not? The answer, in my opinion, is not simple. If we look purely at the sporting aspect, perhaps it is time for HAGL to make strategic adjustments. They need a combination of enthusiastic young players and experienced veterans who can mentor the next generation. They need a coach with enough courage to build a playing style suitable for the current squad, rather than trying to impose a football philosophy that may be outdated. But if we look at the human aspect, at the long-term vision, I still believe Bau Duc's persistence is something admirable. In a modern football world dominated by money and immediate results, having someone willing to invest in the future, accepting short-term failures for a larger goal, is rare. There are stars that only shine brightly where they are loved, not where the lights are brightest. And perhaps, HAGL's young players, though not shining as brightly as their seniors, are still being given the conditions to develop in an environment where they are trusted and given opportunities. That, in a way, has its own value. I remember the night South Korea defeated Germany at the 2026 World Cup, in a quiet coffee shop in Busan, I cried for the immortality of football. And now, witnessing Bau Duc's HAGL drowning in a relegation battle, I feel something similar. Not because I pity them, but because I realize that football, in a way, is always a harsh cycle. Yesterday's heroes can become today's outcasts. And it is this harshness that creates the tragic beauty of the beautiful game. There is a question I always ask myself when writing about topics like this: is Bau Duc's patience a stubbornness to be blamed, or a courage to be admired? I don't have the answer. But I believe history will judge. And perhaps, only time can accurately answer this question. When the 2026/27 season concludes, we will know whether HAGL survives relegation. But regardless of the outcome, I believe the story of Bau Duc and his 20-year journey of 'growing people' will still be told. Because it is not just a story of a club, but a story of belief, of persistence, and of big questions about the value of long-term investment in a world that is always in a hurry. I will continue to follow their journey, not only as a journalist but also as a football lover, an exile always searching for belonging through matches. And I believe that, no matter what happens, the tears on my keyboard when writing about them will be as salty as the tears on the pitch. Because football, in a way, is life in miniature, with all its glory, bitterness, and questions that never have final answers.