Who will replace goalkeeper Nguyen Manh at SLNA next season?
(Baonghean.vn) - It is almost certain that the Nghe An team will part ways with goalkeeper Nguyen Manh after the end of V.League 2019. The SLNA captain is expected to join the "descendant of The Cong Viettel" team. Therefore, finding a replacement for Nguyen Manh is not easy for SLNA at this time.
It can be said that among the 11 players whose contracts with SLNA will end, goalkeeper Nguyen Manh and midfielder Ho Khac Ngoc are the two most notable names. The influence of these two pillars on SLNA's playing style is very clear. Nguyen Manh is always experienced and solid in goal, while Khac Ngoc is the organizing midfielder, the soul in the playing style of the Nghe An team.
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| Goalkeeper Van Tien played hard when replacing Nguyen Manh. Photo: Archive |
At the most recent national team gathering, Nguyen Manh unfortunately suffered an elbow injury and missed the opportunity to participate in two matches in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Malaysia and Indonesia. He was even unable to participate in the match in round 25 of the 2019 V.League between SLNA and Than Quang Ninh. In the absence of Nguyen Manh, coach Duc Thang was forced to replace him with reserve goalkeeper Tran Van Tien. And in the rare opportunity given, Van Tien performed well, contributing greatly to helping SLNA's defense keep a clean sheet against the team from the mining land who were determined to win 3 points to finish in 3rd place.
Van Tien's impressive performance has somewhat made SLNA's Board of Directors breathe a sigh of relief. If they cannot keep Nguyen Manh, SLNA can completely use Tran Van Tien in the 2020 season. However, just showing up in one match is not enough, V.League is a fierce and persistent arena, what Van Tien still lacks is limited playing experience. So will SLNA have to consider the option of bringing a quality goalkeeper to Vinh Stadium?
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| Will goalkeeper Van Hoang be SLNA's choice in the 2020 season? Photo: VPF |
If so, the name Nguyen Van Hoang, who is currently playing for Saigon FC, is probably the most suitable name. The goalkeeper from Tan Ky will have his contract with Saigon FC expire after the 2019 season. And according to the information we have, Van Hoang really wants to return to play closer to home. That is the basis for believing that SLNA will have the advantage in the race to sign the former U23 Vietnam goalkeeper if they intend to recruit him.
Goalkeeper Van Hoang was a reserve for Bui Tien Dung at the 2018 AFC U23 Championship and the 2018 Asian Games, tournaments in which Park Hang-seo's team competed successfully, creating a miracle for Vietnamese football. In the 2019 V.League, Van Hoang was the main goalkeeper for Saigon FC 12 times. With an ideal physique and relatively extensive experience, Van Hoang replacing Nguyen Manh in the 2020 season will certainly be a "win-win" choice at this time.
