V-League must teach football culture from youth level: The root of violence lies in training and discipline

A four-match suspension. That was the punishment for Đoàn Văn Hậu’s dangerous challenge on Doãn Ngọc Tân. Before that, Tấn Sinh and Văn Sơn both deliberately brought down Đình Bắc in situations where the ball was no longer contested. Three incidents, three different matches, all clustered in the early part of the V-League season. A European expert, speaking to Dân trí, offered a different reading: this is not a story about individual players, but about a system that fails to train discipline and football culture from youth level. The expert argues that violent tackles are habits formed early in a player’s development. Young players imitate seniors, and when professional football tolerates reckless challenges, the behaviour becomes normal. He also points to a structural flaw: many youth coaches rely mainly on playing experience or street football experience, lacking proper coaching licences and pedagogical training. Without coaching education, young players never learn safe tackling, correct timing, or how to control duels in a match. From my experience following football, I recognize the pattern. Punishment alone cannot change behaviour if the environment keeps rewarding aggression. The V-League needs coaches with formal licences, consistent disciplinary rulings, and shared responsibility between VFF and VPF. A ban of four matches sends a signal, but if violent incidents keep recurring, the deterrent effect is lost. The most important insight is that violence is a taught behaviour. If some youth environments encourage aggression and intimidation, players carry those habits into professional level where they are extremely difficult to correct. The solution is not to increase the number of red cards, but to create a football culture where dangerous play becomes unacceptable before it ever reaches the professional pitch. The expert stops short of offering a full formula, but he provides a direction: start with youth football, invest in coach licensing, and enforce penalties with consistency.