The arduous journey of former midfielder Song Lam Nghe An

"The beginning is hard"

Growing up from the Song Lam Nghe An training center, but Tran Ngoc Anh did not have a smooth career path like his peers born in 1999, Thai Ba Sang and Dang Van Lam.

Objectively speaking, Tran Ngoc Anh is a very talented player. Unfortunately, his susceptibility to injuries has often forced him to take long-term breaks and miss out on many opportunities to prove himself. It can be said that Tran Ngoc Anh is one of the most unlucky players from the Song Lam Nghe An training center.

For example, right before the 2018 season, Tran Ngoc Anh was loaned to play for Pho Hien (formerly known as PVF-CAND). However, after only a few days in Hung Yen, Tran Ngoc Anh had to return to Song Lam Nghe An to undergo injury treatment, which lasted nearly a year.

If not for the injury, it is almost certain that Tran Ngoc Anh would have had a successful season with Pho Hien. Because, at the 2018 National Second Division, under the guidance of coach Hua Hien Vinh, the team based in Hung Yen won a ticket to play in the National First Division.

The future is uncertain

After fully recovering, Tran Ngoc Anh was loaned by Song Lam Nghe An to Kon Tum to compete in the 2019 National Second Division. "A day's journey teaches a lot", the time playing for Kon Tum helped Tran Ngoc Anh mature significantly in both expertise and battle experience.

The reward for Tran Ngoc Anh's efforts was being promoted to the Song Lam Nghe An first team to participate in the 2020 season. According to statistics, in that season, Tran Ngoc Anh played 8 matches with a duration of 178 minutes and did not contribute any goals or assists for his teammates.

Surprisingly, in the following season, Tran Ngoc Anh was not in coach Ngo Quang Truong's plan. And the player from Nam Dan had to pack his bags and join the Dak Lak First Division team, on loan. This was the second time Tran Ngoc Anh was "assigned" to the Central Highlands.

In the 2022 season, Tran Ngoc Anh continued to play for Dak Lak, because coach Nguyen Huy Hoang did not give him a chance. In fact, at the time of leaving Vinh Stadium, Tran Ngoc Anh was suffering from a relatively serious injury. The midfielder born in 1999 even had to "sit and watch" for several months.

Earlier this year, realizing that the hope of staying at Song Lam Nghe An was too slim, Tran Ngoc Anh decided to terminate his contract ahead of schedule. The 24-year-old's next destination is Vinh Phuc. In the 2023 National Second Division, Tran Ngoc Anh played quite impressively in the attacking midfielder position.

At the end of the 2023 season, the contract between Tran Ngoc Anh and Vinh Phuc officially expired. Currently, Tran Ngoc Anh is still a free player. Don't forget, Tran Ngoc Anh was once called up to the U23 Vietnam team by former coach Park Hang-seo in 2020. Obviously, Tran Ngoc Anh's expertise has been proven./.