Who will be the captain of SLNA next season?

With a "purely Nghe" team like SLNA, who will be given the captain's armband?Que Ngoc Haiand Trong Hoang still gain the respect of his juniors. The age, class and playing experience of the two national team's main players are acknowledged by the V.League players. So who wears the captain's armband of SLNA next season is not too important and of course the coaching staff of the Nghe An team has prepared in mind.

Que Ngoc Hai still wins the respect of his juniors. Photo: AFF

Current captain Hoang Van Khanh took over the captain's armband when goalkeeper Nguyen Manh left Vinh to move to Viettel in the 2019 season at the age of 25. A captain who is considered to be well-groomed but did not leave much of an impression on the field, partly due to his rather mild personality. Having worn the captain's armband 40 times in the V.League, if coach Huy Hoang continues to assign this central defender to be the team leader, the two seniors who have just returned to SLNA will not make it difficult for Van Khanh.

Hoang Van Khanh. Photo courtesy

Of course, people will see that Van Khanh rarely appears at hot spots on the field, knowing how to put pressure on the opponent like his seniors Huu Thang, Huy Hoang, Que Ngoc Hai. The team will be at a disadvantage because of the rather gentle personality of this captain and central defender.

Former captain Trong Hoang is also a model player in training and playing on the field. The midfielder of the national team is famous for his tenacity, ready to clash on the field but rarely argues with the referee. Trong Hoang is currently being treated for a spinal injury, most likely only appearing in important matches of the Nghe An team. The possibility of Trong Hoang joining the executive committee is there, but wearing the captain's armband of SLNA is therefore unlikely.

Although he is the captain of the national team, at Viettel the captain's armband belongs to Bui Tien Dung, the player who is being built to become the symbol of the army team. But it is undeniable that this individual player has the prestige in the dressing room, in daily life, training and competition. At the age of 28, Que Ngoc Hai is at the peak of his football career and is approaching the "famous" defenders in Southeast Asia. It can be said that whether he wears the SLNA captain's armband or not, just like when he played for Viettel, Que Ngoc Hai will still be the true leader of SLNA next season.

At Viettel, Que Ngoc Hai was not a player who came from the Viettel Center's training center, so he was only the vice-captain, but when he returned to SLNA, this central defender felt like he had returned to his own home. It must be admitted that Que Ngoc Hai had 3 seasons of maturity and skillful behavior at Viettel, earning the respect of his teammates.

Not counting foreign players, in V.League 2022, SLNA will be a team with 3 generations of players. In the process of regaining its former position, choosing a captain who has influence on the players and can lift their spirits when facing difficulties on the field is also something to consider. Knowing that Que Ngoc Hai has been the "captain of captains", he will still be happy, enthusiastic and responsible for the Nghe An team, but if he is given the captain's armband, it will still be a recognition of the SLNA coaching board for this player.

With a “pure” team, the captain’s task is not too difficult, if Van Khanh continues to be trusted by the coaching board, everything will be fine. If you are a fan of SLNA, who will you vote for: Hoang Van Khanh, Trong Hoang or Que Ngoc Hai?