Former SLNA striker Vu Quang Nam: When will the 'extreme hardship' end?

Thanh Hung• DNUM_ACZABZCACA 11:12

(Baonghean.vn) - Once considered one of the most promising young talents of Nghe An football, nearly a decade ago. However, being constantly tormented by injuries has made Vu Quang Nam's career path full of difficulties and obstacles.

Currently, the Nghe An player is in Korea to recover after knee surgery. The injury that Vu Quang Nam suffered occurred in the match between SLNA and Ho Chi Minh City Club in round 22 of V.League 2019. It is expected that the 28-year-old striker will return to the field in February or March.

Vu Quang Nam in U21 SLNA jersey. Photo: Archive

Since starting his career in “shorts and jerseys”, Vu Quang Nam has had to “sit around and do nothing” due to injuries. Objectively speaking, if he were not so sensitive to injuries, Vu Quang Nam would have become one of the “stars” of Vietnamese football.

Surely experts and football fans of Nghe An still cannot forget the 2012 National U21 Finals, the tournament in which U21 SLNA convincingly won the championship. Vu Quang Nam was the owner of 2 noble titles: Top scorer and Best player of the tournament.

Vũ Quang Nam đang có mặt tại Hàn Quốc để điều trị chấn thương. Ảnh: CLB TP.HCM

Vu Quang Nam is currently in Korea for injury treatment. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Club

Not long after returning from Ninh Thuan – the host of the 2012 National U21 Championship, “disaster” struck Vu Quang Nam. With an injury sustained in a match before the 2013 season, the player from Quynh Luu had to stay away from the field for 3 years and almost had to retire.

Besides the physical pain, there was also the mental pain when SLNA terminated the contract. So the dream of wearing the hometown team's shirt to compete in the V.League arena went up in smoke, all the efforts during the years of training and competing in the youth teams "went down the drain, down the sea".

But with his own determination and the encouragement of his family, teachers and teammates, Vu Quang Nam was determined not to give up his dream of becoming a professional football player. Instead of accepting to find another job, the striker born in 1993 focused on treating his injury.

The result of a long period of “when sick, pray to all directions” of Vu Quang Nam, is the appearance in the shirt of the Phu Yen First Division team in the 2016 season, to the surprise and admiration of experts and football fans of Nghe An. An extraordinary return of Vu Quang Nam.

Impressive performances for Phu Yen, then Hue Club (2017), helped the former top scorer of the U21 National Championship "catch the eye" of the coaching staff of Ho Chi Minh City Club. Right at the beginning of the second leg of V.League 2017, Vu Quang Nam officially became a member of the Thong Nhat Stadium team.

Thầy trò HLV Chung Hae-seong đang tập luyện chuẩn bị cho mùa giải 2020. Ảnh: CLB TP.HCM

Coach Chung Hae-seong and his team are practicing to prepare for the 2020 season. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Club

Last season, the Nghe An player was always the favorite choice of coach Chung Hae-seong as a striker in the squad of the current V.League runner-up. Before being injured in round 22, Vu Quang Nam played 19 matches and scored 2 goals for the home team in V.League 2019.

Recognizing the talent and importance of Vu Quang Nam to Ho Chi Minh City Club, the Board of Directors of this team decided to award the former SLNA player a 2-year contract (ending at the end of 2021). This is a worthy reward for Vu Quang Nam's efforts during the past time.

Unfortunately, the 28-year-old striker is currently recovering from an injury and cannot join coach Chung Hae-seong and his team to prepare for the new season. It will take at least 1-2 months for Vu Quang Nam to return to competition. Hopefully, the striker from Nghe An will continue to shine this season and will not be "visited" by injuries in the future./.