Please trust Ho Tuan Tai!

I still remember clearly the first time I met Tuan Tai at a tea shop on Tran Phu street, after his excellent performance at the 2014 Southeast Asian U22 Championship.

When asked: "What motivates Tai to play so well?", the handsome striker replied modestly: "What I have shown in the U19 shirt is just the beginning, I don't dare to consider it as sublimation or success. It is just the beginning and for my mother, for my father's wishes when he was alive, I will try even harder."

It seemed like Van Quyen's cousin would be successful after the boost from the youth tournaments. It seemed like Tuan Tai's talent would have a chance to rise when he caught the eye of coach Miura as well as coach Nguyen Huu Thang on the national team.

Ho Tuan Tai was once highly rated in the U19 Vietnam jersey. Photo: Internet

Unfortunately, what this striker has received over the past 4 years has not been as he wished and as many people expected. The nickname "killer", the title "Top scorer" or the image of a fast, cold-blooded Tuan Tai,... seem to be only the most beautiful memories left in the hearts of fans.

Van Quyen’s cousin’s talent did not have the chance to blossom when he was just a “substitute” for foreign players at SLNA. Along with that, injuries often forced Tai to sit on the SLNA bench.

Therefore, Tuan Tai became a big question mark in the list of U22 Vietnam participating in the 29th SEA Games. And then, the inexplicable missed opportunities in the match against Indonesia made him receive a lot of criticism from the public, and a lot of "brickbats" from netizens.

The Nghe An striker wrote a letter of apology, affirming that he always strives and will be determined to correct his mistakes. But in football, when down on the ropes, how many people have the courage to find themselves again and regain the trust of fans? It was thought that the player born in 1995 would be the same when he continued to sink in the SLNA shirt.

His sad eyes on the bench, his heavy steps during training sessions and his lackluster performances when he had the chance to play... made Tuan Tai's fans feel regretful for a talent that blossomed early and was at risk of fading quickly.

Fortunately, that terrible thing did not happen when Van Quyen's cousin's "killer" instinct was showing signs of revival. When Ho Phuc Tinh and then Osmar Moreira joined the injury list, Tuan Tai was "valued" by coach Duc Thang.

Only when he gets to play regularly will Tuan Tai have the opportunity to "mature". Photo: Document

He repaid that trust with the goal that sealed the 2-1 victory for SLNA against Tampines Rovers. Recently, this striker continued to shine in the AFC Cup with a powerful high header to equalize 2-2 for SLNA in their away match against Johor DT, Malaysia.

Previously, in round 5 of V-League 2018, Osmar's "substitute" made people remember him with a cool volley in his own style. That goal "opened the fire" for the score chase in the match with 6 goals on Can Tho's field. In this match, Tuan Tai not only had good attack but also supported the defense very well, especially the save right on the goal line in the 38th minute.

It can be said that 3 goals are not much for a striker, but that is enough for fans to expect a brave and effective Tuan Tai of the past to return. The important thing now is that he needs to be given more opportunities to play on the field to have more motivation and the opportunity to practice in real matches.

Believe that, once he has found the feeling of playing football, Tuan Tai's innate goal-scoring instinct will be revived more strongly. Therefore, instead of just considering Van Quyen's cousin as a "substitute" for a foreign player, SLNA's coaching board should trust him. That is not a situational choice but a long-term solution in a context of tight finances.