Vietnamese Football: What is the reaction to referees?

... After the match ended. Because that doesn't change anything. Playing means accepting the game. Referees are also human, and humans naturally make mistakes," Coach Trần Minh Chiến once shared with Sports & Culture.

This is not a new idea, but in Vietnam, not many coaches have that mindset. The strong win, the weak lose; one shouldn't blame objective reasons.

The incident where Coach Velizar Popov reacted to referee decisions and received a red card, then threw the coaching card during the match against Thanh Hóa in round 18, recently became "viral" on social media platforms and media. The Bulgarian coach is known for his temper but also for his talent. His personality is just like Coach Henrique Calisto in the past.

Reacting to referee decisions during a match is normal for coaches. Both foreign and domestic coaches do it, whether in professional or amateur settings. And sometimes it is even a tactical strategy for teams and coaches.

Media circles still often share anecdotes about Coach Calisto once inspiring his players at GĐT.Long An to help the team recover.

"Just play, if they foul you, foul them back. I take responsibility for the outcome," Coach Calisto also said when GĐT Long An traveled to Hai Phòng about 20 years ago. The final result: Long An drew 1-1 at Lach Tray, after trailing 0-1 in the first half, when his players were motivated during the halftime break.

Returning to Coach Popov's issue, why was his reaction given a red card?! The lip-reading shows very fierce words from the Bulgarian coach, but everything has its cause. The foul by Thanh Hóa's defender truly deserved a red card, not just a yellow card warning.

Earlier in many rounds, the head coach of Thể Công Viettel had really made the refereeing community dissatisfied with his statements.

In round 18 of LPBank V-League 2025/2026, Nam Định also protested against the referee in the 1-2 loss to HAGL at Thiên Trường. This was a situation where Xuân Son seemed fouled in the penalty area, but the ball still reached Văn Vĩ with a clear advantage. The referee might have allowed advantage in this situation, but when Văn Vĩ shot wide, referee Trung Kiên should have awarded a penalty. But Mr. Kiên did not change his decision.

And that is why Nam Định reacted, during and after the match. Of course, that doesn't change anything.

Ninh Bình and Hanoi Club won again in round 18, while CAHN was held by PVF CAND. Earlier, Ho Chi Minh City FC lost their second consecutive match at Lach Tray against Hai Phòng. This season's V-League seems very watchable, not just issues related to referees.

Reacting to referees only brings disadvantages. In the refereeing world, sometimes silence and unwavering decisions are an unshakeable power.