'Alex Ferguson' of Nghe An football

(Baonghean) - If the coach that the whole world admires is Sir Alex Ferguson, then for Vietnamese football, the person I think of is former coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh, who holds the record of 24 years leading the traditional club Song Lam Nghe An.

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh. Photo: TH

Born in 1946 in Hung Long commune (Hung Nguyen), coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh has been passionate about football since he was a child. At the age of 17, he was honored to be a member of Nghe An football team. Having innate talent, being trained properly, and having 10 years (1963 - 1973) playing football was the foundation for Nguyen Thanh Vinh to assert himself. In 1974, he was sent to study at the Central Sports Cadre School.

At that time, Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh and “Khong Minh of Nghe An” – Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh were 2 of the few people who were granted FIFA-level coaching certificates. And now, both are considered monuments of SLNA football.

In 1979, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Vinh was entrusted to lead the Song Lam Nghe Tinh football team (the predecessor of SLNA) to compete in the A2 league of Vietnamese football. With his talent and passion, Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh brought Song Lam Nghe Tinh to the A1 league (1986). Thanks to Mr. Vinh's leadership, SLNA from a young team became a force in Vietnamese football.

During his time leading SLNA, Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh and the Nghe An team won the national championship 3 times, the National Cup 1 time, the Dunhill Cup 1 time, and the indoor football championship 2 times. He was also 8 times a member of the coaching staff of the Vietnam National Team and the Olympic Team serving in major tournaments in the region.

With his talent and football charm, Coach Vinh "Nghe" has trained and guided many talents for the country's football, such as: Nguyen Huu Thang, Ngo Quang Truong, Van Sy Hung, Phan Thanh Tuan, Huy Hoang, Quoc Vuong, Van Quyen, Cong Vinh...

With 24 years of experience with SLNA, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Vinh is the coach with the longest tenure leading a team in Vietnam. The players under his direction always enter the field with the highest determination, playing fiercely and fairly regardless of the opponent.

The likes of Huu Thang, Quang Truong, Sy Son,... often make all opponents wary and respectful because of their passionate playing style. He himself has built a style of play with SLNA's own identity compared to other teams in Vietnam. SLNA - Nguyen Thanh Vinh is a real rival to Pham Huynh Tam Lang's Saigon Port in terms of identity and playing style. Although the Nghe An team has gone through many coaches with different philosophies. But the legacy that Mr. Vinh built for SLNA has not faded, and has even been developed to a new level.

As a compassionate coach, every time he receives his salary, he spends a portion of that money to help retired athletes who are only contracted to work as janitors and are in difficult circumstances. Now Mr. Vinh has returned to "enjoying the countryside". But the image of a man wearing a T-shirt tucked into khaki pants, wearing glasses and a cap (Nghe An people often call it a small cap) is still very familiar to football fans in the country, not just Nghe An football fans.

With 40 years of experience on the field and at school, including 24 years as coach of Nghe An Football Team and Deputy coach of the National Team, Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh has shown all his talent and the best for the country's football and received the admiration of fans nationwide. Fans, SLNA is truly proud to bear the mark of Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh.

TH