Searching for the best foreign player in V-League 2017

(Baonghean.vn) - Experts believe thatHanoi and Hai Phong are the two most successful teams in using foreign players. Striker Stevens was even nominated by the VPF for the Team of the Season.

Impressions through goals

At the start of the season, names like Moses, Patiyo Tambwe, Uche Iheruome, and Victor Ormazabal were highly anticipated, representing four of the five most expensive signings of the season. Hanoi T&T FC spent $400,000 to acquire the services of Ugandan midfielder Moses Oloya from Kuban Krasnador (Russia).

Moses was a crucial player in B.Binh Duong's two V-League championships in 2014 and 2015. Patiyo Tambwe, after a successful season at XSKT Can Tho, was brought in by Than Quang Ninh to strengthen their attack.

Claudecir (Quang Nam) is a strong contender for the Best Foreign Player award of the season. Photo: AT

With ambitions to win the V-League championship, FLC Thanh Hoa (formerly Sanna Khanh Hoa BVN) saw Uche Iheruome score 14 out of Sanna Khanh Hoa BVN's 34 goals last season. He was the third-highest scorer in the 2016 V-League.

Meanwhile, Victor Ormazabal left Hanoi FC for Ho Chi Minh City FC because he couldn't compete with Moses, even though he was the midfield maestro for the capital city team.

In fact, these foreign players all shone at their new clubs, with the exception of Patiyo Tambwe (Than Quang Ninh), who, although not included in the selection for the best foreign player, still managed to score 8 goals. Perhaps Patiyo lost to Victor in terms of assists..

The list of nominees for this year's Best Foreign Player award includes: Uche, Claudecir, Fagan, Moses, Nsi, Victor, and Oseni. Uche (FLC Thanh Hoa) was removed from the list at the last minute due to disciplinary violations. Therefore, Hanoi and Hai Phong each have two representatives (Hanoi with Moses and Oseni, and Hai Phong with Stevens and Fagan).

The remaining three teams with nominated foreign players are Quang Nam (with Claudecir), Can Tho (with Nsi), and Ho Chi Minh City (with Victor). Four out of six players are forwards; the remaining two players on the nomination list, Moses and Victor, do not play in the forward line.

The most impressive performance has to be attributed to Nsi. Despite playing for XSKT.Can Tho, a team consistently in the relegation zone, the Cameroonian striker still shone brightly, scoring 16 goals, just one goal behind top scorer Anh Duc (Binh Duong).

Following Nsi are Stevens (14 goals) and Claudecir (12 goals) - players who consistently ranked among the top scorers throughout the season. Along with Thanh Trung, Claudecir is considered a key contributor to Quang Nam's championship victory.

Oseni was at a disadvantage, having been largely ineffective in the first half of the season with Long An, scoring only 3 goals due to a lack of opportunities. After joining Hanoi FC, he consistently scored 6 goals, helping the capital city team chase the top 3. Fagan also performed very well as a "decoy" for the Hai Phong team, creating opportunities for his strike partner Stevens to score, and also managed to score 6 goals himself.

In their roles as midfielders, Moses and Victor have both performed quite well as playmakers in the midfield for Hanoi FC and Ho Chi Minh City FC respectively in this year's V-League.

Foreign players from Nghe An province

Of SLNA's three foreign players, Henry Shackiel had the best professional skills. Unfortunately, after scoring 6 goals and knowing he wouldn't be offered a contract extension, Henry threw a tantrum, played without passion, and had to leave Vinh Stadium early.

Foreign player Olaha is considered to have fulfilled his duties and has been re-signed by SLNA. Photo: AT

Danko was a disappointing signing, despite scoring 4 goals in the National Cup and 1 in the V-League. This foreign player lacked both physical fitness and individual technique; his presence on the field was like SLNA playing with one less player, forcing the young domestic players to strain themselves to provide support.

With 5 goals in the V-League, Olaha may not be highly rated for his goal-scoring efficiency, but he has shown quite good defensive abilities. With good physical fitness and an enthusiastic, aggressive playing style, the foreign player Olaha often drops deep to participate in defense.

It wasn't until the final match against B.Binh Duong in the second leg of the final at Vinh Stadium that this Nigerian striker scored a goal that showcased his class and technique. Hopefully, when he is given a new contract, Olaha will gain valuable experience playing on Vietnamese football fields.

AT