2022: SLNA and the journey to surpass itself

Closing V.League 2021 with many concerns about the fact that the Nghe An team was on the verge of relegation, the result of a series of days without direction, living on the halo of achievements of youth training. But even SLNA's youth training work still has many shortcomings, old curriculum, medical care, nutrition, and living conditions have many difficulties. Luckily, when sponsor Tan Long appeared, V.League 2021 had no relegation teams.

Que Ngoc Hai may return to SLNA. Photo: Viettel

It took 6 months, with an investment of tens of billions of VND from Tan Long, to basically improve the infrastructure of the team with a history of more than 4 decades. Vinh Stadium, training ground, accommodation, and physical training area were renovated, and the salary and bonus regime of the first team and youth teams was significantly improved.

In mid-February 2022, the V.League season will officially open. Currently, 13 teams are in a transfer race, most recently Hong Linh Ha Tinh also has a new sponsor who has generously dipped into the coffers to buy players. The 2017 Golden Ball Dinh Thanh Trung has left Tam Ky to play for the Nui Hong team. The teams that are often at the bottom of the table, Thanh Hoa and Hai Phong, have spent money to recruit foreign players with names and experience. The V-League is "healthy" again with the excitement of the transfer market with a series of famous deals.

Up to now, SLNA has extended the contracts of 6 players, promoted 5 U21 players to the first team, signed contracts with Dinh Hoang and Olaha and is waiting to announce 2 "blockbuster" contracts, which are SLNA players. But within the next month, SLNA's coaching staff still has to rush to sign contracts with 2 foreign players and assemble the squad.

The departure of Deputy Director of Professional Affairs Van Sy Hung at this time has more or less made SLNA's already thin professional apparatus even thinner. To survive in the V.League, which has too many problems off the field, clubs all have pairs like Coach Thanh Cong - Club CEO Duong Nghiep Khoi (Quang Nam) or choose a veteran coach if the CEO is an "outsider".

Phan Van Duc is still the most important player in V.League 2020. Photo: VFF

The fact that Huy Hoang is a person with no experience in coaching, and SLNA CEO Truong Manh Linh does not come from football is making Nghe An fans worried. Currently at SLNA Club, Duc Thang is only limited to the role of assistant goalkeeper, Coach Quang Truong just failed in the National U21 Tournament, other young coaches have the same understanding of V.League as Coach Huy Hoang. The young coach still has a lot of work to do in the process of building a new style of play for SLNA.

The burden is on SLNA CEO Truong Manh Linh's shoulders when he has to decide to recruit 2 more foreign players early. Along with that is the integration of 2 national players into the SLNA squad in the context of short training time with the team because of the national team. Most importantly, the mindset to solve problems arising in V.League 2022 when the relationship and understanding of Vietnamese football fields is not much.

Two advantages for the Nghe An team when entering the new year are that the SLNA players are quite pure because most of them have trained together since childhood, and the hierarchy is quite clear. Next is the love of Nghe An fans for the team without limits, everyone is ready to support individuals to build the team, ready to speak up to anyone who hinders the process of innovation and progress. The journey to regain SLNA's identity is not easy, when all V.League teams are preparing for the new season. I wish everything a smooth start.