"Angry but loving"...

(Baonghean)In the opening rounds of the 2013 V.League, the young SLNA players performed brilliantly and showcased a captivating, all-out attacking style of play.

With overwhelming force, Hai Phong, Binh Duong, Kien Giang, Saigon FC, and Dong Tam Long An all became "defeated opponents" of the SLNA warriors. Words of praise for the young players from Nghe An province then began to flood sports newspapers and fan forums…



Some even fear that "SLNA will be alone at the top of the table" because no team can catch up with them. Many experts also assert that SLNA will win the V.League 2013 championship; the only question now is how many rounds before the end of the season the team from Nghe An will secure the title!

With effusive praise and somewhat lucky wins against tough opponents, the young SLNA players began to develop a "superior" mentality. Every time they stepped onto the field, they thought they would eventually overwhelm their opponents. This very style of play led to a series of painful defeats in Pleiku, then in Thanh Hoa, and most recently, a draw that felt like a loss in Vinh against relegation candidate Dong Nai.

Following those disappointing matches, from fans to coaches and experts, everyone jumped up to point out SLNA's numerous "Achilles' heels," including: a lack of experience in all positions, a defense lacking the strength and cunning to mark foreign strikers, strikers failing to capitalize on scoring opportunities, and SLNA underestimating their opponents...

It's worth noting that even during the team's triumphant matches, many people recognized these weaknesses, but few paid attention, still believing SLNA was too strong! Then, when SLNA suffered a crushing defeat, these weaknesses were brought up for discussion and analysis, but few remembered that the team from Nghe An still has limited resources, with a squad mainly composed of young players with little experience, and still exhibiting impulsiveness or shyness.

From the start of the season, the sponsor wasn't particularly concerned about rankings, so the SLNA coaching staff decided to "play as best they can" rather than focusing on results. While teams from relegation-threatened to title contenders were frantically strengthening their squads mid-season, SLNA remained inactive, "using what they had." Therefore, while big teams like B.Binh Duong, XMXT.Saigon, V.Ninh Binh... were struggling to earn points to avoid the relegation zone, SLNA losing a few matches was... normal!



Fans from Nghe An province are hoping that SLNA will soon regain their spirits.

"Even though we're angry, we still love them even more"; hopefully, Coach Huu Thang and his team will "know themselves and know their opponents," cherish every opportunity they get, and not disappoint the fans from Nghe An who have placed their hopes in the team from "our hometown of 37 people"!

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