To make SLNA the pride of Nghe An people

In the late 90s and early 2000s, we probably still remember, there were many matches, tens of thousands of spectators braved the sun and rain from 11am to try to get into the stadium to watch SLNA play in the afternoon. In many matches, thousands of people had to stay outside the stadium to hear the cheers inside. That match,SLNAWhen meeting Dong Thap, tens of thousands of people outside the stadium tried every way to see SLNA, even if it was just their silhouette on the field, to the point that hundreds of people climbed on the roof of the gym to look in, causing the house to collapse... During those years, football was truly a festival for all people.

So what attracted the audience to the stadium, what created the “Fire Pan of Vinh Stadium” that any team coming to Vinh Stadium just wanted to get 1 point and was very happy? That must have come from the spirit of playing with all their might of SLNA players, from the flag, the colors of the shirt and from the pride of their homeland and country.

SLNA fans hope the Nghe An team will get points when they meet HAGL. Photo: SLFC. Photo courtesy

I still remember, in 1993, when the Department of Physical Education and Sports was re-established, the Department decided to disband the gifted football class at the Provincial Athlete Training Center, merged with the Song Lam football team to form the SLNA Football Team, with its own seal and account. Regarding the organization, Mr. Nguyen Hong Thanh was appointed as the head of the team, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Vinh as the deputy head of the team and head coach. Political work, ideology, Party organization, and Youth Union were given top priority. I still remember, on one occasion, to encourage the players' ideology and spirit before entering the tournament, in Nha Trang, a ceremony was held to admit 5 new party members.

On the field, there are always players who are party members in all three lines: the defenders have Quang Hai, Dinh Nghia, the midfielders, the strikers have Quang Bao, Quang Truong, Ky Phuong, Dinh Dung... Therefore, they always play with all their heart and responsibility to the people. Therefore, the fans have for Song Lam "A whole sky of love", "Song Lam - the pride of the people of Nghe An" since those days.

SLNA is in dire need of strong support from home fans. Photo courtesy of Duc Anh

By 2004, after 3 years of professionalization, due to many ideological and lifestyle problems, and many negative things happening to SLNA. Therefore, the province decided to open a "major surgery" and assigned the Department of Sports and Physical Training to carry out. The reform viewpoint was stated by the then Provincial Party Secretary in 4 short sentences:

"Honest stone for people to believe.

Stone dedicated to the people.

Win the game for the people to enjoy.

Beautiful stone for happy people".

Nowadays, SLNA is also entering a new, more difficult and fierce reform. In particular, the team is at the bottom of the table while the foreign players are weak, the bamboo is old but the bamboo is still young... In this context, the views of the former Provincial Party Secretary about SLNA still remain valid.

The content of that viewpoint is “All for the people, for the people”. I would like to reiterate it for those working in Nghe An football to ponder, to renew their thinking, way of thinking, way of doing, to build SLNA to forever be the pride of the people of Nghe An.

Nghe An fans from all over the country always look towards their hometown team. Photo courtesy of Hoai Hoan

Honest stone for the people to believe:Losing faith is losing everything. So how do we make people believe? Let's think, if the result was "leaked" before entering the field, who would want to come and watch? At that time, there were songs like: "Cheers to the Song Lam football team, returning from doing business in the South"... What the audience wanted was to see SLNA play honestly and wholeheartedly. Fair play creates drama and surprises, that's football, football is considered the king of sports. Fair play, no collusion, no points conceded... whether we lose or draw, the audience still loves us. Only then can we attract and draw the audience to the field to encourage and cheer wholeheartedly, at that time, away or home, it will be a fire for SLNA to win.

Stone devoted to the people:In training and competition, players are always burning with enthusiasm, dedicating themselves to training and competition. Diligence and hard work are the virtues of Nghe An people. Watching a match where players devote themselves to every move, in fighting for the ball, saving a goal, trying their best to pursue a move until the referee's whistle has blown... drenched in sweat after training, after the match, is a demonstration of the exemplary dedication of the players. Seeing sweat flowing in streams, bandages wrapped around their bodies, still playing, who wouldn't feel sorry? That is the issue that makes people love and the audience love.

Winning the game for the people to enjoy:Winning is the goal of the game. Whenever the players play honestly and wholeheartedly, the result will satisfy the fans. However, winning is not only the desire of the players but also the fans. Every time a goal is scored, it is the joy of everyone, the loud cheers, that is the ultimate joy of the audience watching football. Therefore, the goal of the team's victory is also to bring joy to the whole people.

SLNA fans at Vinh stadium. Photo: Archive

Winning means hard training; in training and competition, players and coaches must always show their desire to win by making every effort, finding and exploiting the team's strengths, overcoming the strengths of the opposing team, being clever and agile in handling all situations that have been mastered in training to bring the highest efficiency in competition. That is also "Using diligence to make up for ability". Only then can we bring victory, bring joy and satisfaction to fans.

Beautiful stone for happy people: The purpose of competition is to win. But not to win at all costs with the style of "Cutting nails, chopping iron", "Killing down" the opponent to win. Beautiful football here creates the pride of the people of Nghe An. We still remember the match at Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, between SLNA and Saigon Port at that time: Thanh Tuan was surrounded by 4 other players at the corner kick, with a sophisticated move: Left foot tossing the ball up, right foot to hook into the 16.50m area for his teammate to shoot into the goal of Saigon Port; or dozens of passes, dribbling past opponents, stretching to get the ball, tricky shots... making the audience happy and excited. Those beautiful football plays will forever be in the memory, the pride of Nghe An football fans. However, to have those beautiful, classy football plays, each player must always "Practice hard to become talented, be diligent to become good". Indeed, winning a football match with such moves and goals makes people both happy and joyful.

SLNA fans are considered the 12th player. Photo: Archive

With the hope that this second comprehensive reform must be thorough, with the spirit of innovation in thinking, thinking, and doing to bring about practical results. To make the reform successful, to bring back the confidence so that fans flock to the stadium again, Vinh Stadium becomes the holy land, the undefeated fire pit of SLNA like before; I would like to present 4 criteria that the first reform has not been thoroughly implemented. I hope that this second time, football people will reflect and make Song Lam Nghe An worthy of the title "The pride of the people of Nghe An".