CAND Kick-off: Pressure from the Minister, Promotion Ambitions, and the 'Double-Club' Puzzle

On September 11, the home ground of Cong An Nhan Dan (CAND) will be ablaze. The opening match of the 2026-2027 First Division season against Long An is not merely about three points, but a performance to prove that a machine lubricated by the expectations of the Ministry of Public Security is ready to operate. I have followed domestic football for 42 years, and rarely have I seen a lower-division team carry such immense pressure. The context is clearly set. Minister Luong Tam Quang affirmed the sector's special attention to football; the club chairman pledged to 'concretize directives.' This is not mere courtesy. When a minister talks about football, promotion is no longer a sporting goal, but a political mission. Everything else is detail. Tactically, I look at the DNA of coach Nguyen Duc Thang. His 2026 V-League champion Viettel side did not play expansive football, but maximum solidity. The league's best defense, selective pressing, and set-pieces as lethal weapons. In the First Division, where many teams will choose to defend deep, Duc Thang's CAND will possess the ball patiently, waiting for the moment. The presence of veteran goalkeeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu is the final anchor for this style. He is a wall that First Division teams rarely possess. However, what intrigues me most lies in the squad structure. The combination of experience from Minh Vuong, Thanh Nhan and the youth of Pham Ly Duc, Pham Minh Phuc, plus the 'European' flair of Le Viktor, creates formidable tactical flexibility. Duc Thang can switch between 4-2-3-1 and a 4-4-2 diamond mid-match. This is a weapon few First Division coaches possess. But we must face a bigger truth: finance. CAND is the 'rich man' of the First Division. The backing from the Ministry of Public Security creates a superior competitive advantage over other provincial teams. They can pay V-League wages to veterans, while opponents have only modest sponsorship. This is the 'PSG of the First Division' model. And with it comes responsibility: not being promoted is failure. I also want to address the transfer of PVF-CAND to become Hung Yen Club. Financially, this is a rational decision. Separating the youth team to another provincial entity allows CAND to focus its budget on the first team, while Hung Yen can act as a 'feeder club' developing young players. But in terms of governance, it raises questions about the relationship between two clubs under the Ministry of Public Security. Will the VFF view this as a conflict of interest? I believe this is a blind spot that leadership needs to handle delicately. And then there's a side story I always cherish: in 2026 I was called crazy for proposing to reduce match time to 80 minutes. This year they call me a researcher. Football always evolves, and those who work in football must too. CAND is showing they understand this. Look at the opening match against Long An. This is a 'must-win' game to control the narrative. A victory will build momentum; a draw will immediately raise doubts about the team being 'overhyped.' The pressure from the stands, from public opinion, and from the very leaders of the sector is something invisible but heavy. Finally, I want to pose a question: will CAND's success set a precedent for the 'state club' model dominating Vietnamese football? If CAND is promoted and joins the V-League alongside CAHN, we will have two police force clubs in the highest league. This raises questions about competitiveness and fairness in the professional football environment. I don't have the answer, but I know one thing for sure: this season will be a major test for both CAND and Vietnamese football.